Cycling, Austrian Tyrol
With dramatic mountains all around, this self-guided cycling holiday with Saddle Skedaddle starting in Fügen (closest airport Innsbruck, 40 minutes’ drive) is along quiet cycle paths in the Tyrolean valleys. It can either be a relaxed introduction to family cycling or faster-paced, depending on the routes chosen each day – though all cyclists will want to ride to the dramatic gorge at Wolfsklamm and swim in the lakes of Krummsee and Reintalersee. Kids will love the Black Hole water slide at the Zillertal Thermal Baths, plus a trip to the Kufstein fortress and planetarium at Schwaz.
• Seven days from £525pp half-board including route guidance, bike hire £70 a week, skedaddle.co.uk
Zipwiring, canoeing and abseiling, Scotland
In the shadow of sequoias, deep in Scotland’s Big Tree Country, is the 18th-century mansion of Dalguise (30 minutes’ drive north of Perth, two hours from Glasgow), once the summer home of Beatrix Potter. Peter Rabbit-loving kids will recognise the manager’s centre as the home of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle. Now its 50 acres of formal gardens and mature woodland, by the river Tay, are the setting for family adventures ranging from zipwiring and tree climbing, to abseiling, canoeing, rock climbing, and mountain biking. There’s also an indoor sports dome for rainy days, and family and kids’ entertainment in the evenings.
• Seven nights from £409 adult, £349 child, full-board, including activities, pgl.co.uk
Coastal horse riding, Ireland
Galloping, or just trotting, on horseback along a beach while Atlantic waves crash in is an exhilarating experience. This farm in County Sligo, right by the sea, runs family holidays for intermediate riders and above, aged 12-plus, with riding every day. Trek along the lanes, past lakes, waterfalls, historic houses and mountain backdrops, too.
• Six days’ riding from €990pp including B&B and guided rides, adventure-on-horseback.com
Rock climbing, Spain
If your kids love the climbing wall back home, try them on the real thing on the sunny Costa Blanca, where the limestone sea cliffs and mountain crags provide a perfect and varied learning setting. Rock and Sun tailors holidays to level and age – for younger children one morning session a day is often enough. The beaches at Calp are great to relax on when not climbing. Nearest airport is Alicante, 40 miles away.
• From £699pp a week self-catering, including transfers and guidance for adults and children aged 7+. Discounts for non-climbing family members and children under 7, rockandsun.com
Canoeing and camping, Sweden
For the ultimate family slow travel experience, paddle down the Klarälven river in Sweden, averaging just 2km per hour. The serpentine meanderings, and Värmland landscape of forests, small villages and farmland are a delight. The river is wide and mellow, so this trip is suitable for children of all ages, as long as they’re keen to wild camp on the river’s banks. You can stop whenever you want to hike in the forest and be sure to look out for beavers around the banks and shallows. An adventure yes, but a peaceful one. The starting point is Gunnerud, about four hours from Oslo or Stockholm by train to Karlstad then bus.
• Seven-day tour from £135 adult, £55 child, including canoes and cooking equipment, not including tents (£61 to rent) and food package £87 adult, £79 child, naturetravels.co.uk
Bushcraft camp, Wales
Many of us yearn to get back to nature but lack practical experience. Family Bushcraft Camp is a great place to start. Based in the Parc-le-Breos on the Gower peninsula, the camp is surrounded by woodland and is just 20 minutes’ walk from beautiful Oxwich beach. Activities include nature walks, shelter building, fire lighting, willow craft and tracking. And there’s a special focus on coastal foraging and wild cooking, so visitors can whip up a gourmet storm on a campfire.
• Adult £90, child £30, including sleeping on hammocks and shelters or bring your own tent, local accommodation can be arranged at extra cost, weekend 27-28 August (bespoke group bookings taken for other weekends), dryadbushcraft.co.uk
Surf and yoga retreat, Portugal
Having kids doesn’t mean giving up doing the things you love, just bring them along so they can get excited about them too. Surf camps and hostels are getting more family-friendly as are yoga retreats, and places such as Karma Surf Retreat (near Cascais, just outside Lisbon) combine the two for parents and kids over six, and childcare is also available.
• From €665pp a week self-catering, including twice-daily surf and yoga sessions, but not childcare, transfers, surf kit hire and flights, karmasurfretreat.com
Back to nature, Slovenia
Staying in a panoramic glass mobile home is a great way to immerse yourself in nature. Built from wood and natural, breathable materials, Sava’s are set in a picturesque valley near the shores of lake Bled. There’s hiking from the doorstep and swimming and kayaking on the lake. A hop-on hop-off bus goes to the glacial lake of Bohinj, the spectacular Savica waterfall and the wilderness of Pokljuka forest. The nearest airport is Ljubljana, 25 miles from Bled.
• Mobile home from €80 a night, sleeps four, sava-hotels-resorts.com
Sea swimming, Turkey
This SwimTrek activity week, in collaboration with activity holiday specialist Neilson, offers open water coastal swimming and island hopping in the reassuring presence of experts. Children must be 11-plus to swim; if not, they can join children’s clubs.There are 10 guided swims, ranging from 1.5km to 5km, or a lighter package of just three. The base is Adaköy in the bay of Marmaris. There’s an art to efficient and enjoyable sea swimming so technique analysis and tips are provided along the way.
• From £1,000pp for 10 swims or £760 for 3, including flights and transfers from Gatwick or Manchester, most meals, two swim technique sessions, all Neilson activities and children’s clubs. Information from 01273 739713 pending website details, swimtrek.com
Hiking, Crete
The Achlada Mourtzanakis is a remote, family-friendly eco-residence, 20 miles west of Heraklion, set amid rocky slopes and ancient olive groves in great hiking territory. The heritage village of Achlada is a short walk away and there are marked trails in the hills. The closest beach for swimming and snorkelling is 10 minutes’ drive away. There are bikes for hire, and horse riding, canyoning and caving. The 4,000-year-old Minoan Palace of Knossos is within easy reach too.
• Studio from €85 an night based on 3-4 sharing, i-escape.com
