We’ve been busy researching what you can do for family days out near Liphook, specifically those around East Hampshire, and within a 30 minute drive of the location. We’ve got 15 ideas for you and the kids that will keep them entertained, and perhaps even a little bit educated, whatever the weather. We all know that you have to bear the weather in mind of course, so there are both indoor and outdoor ideas here for you.
Liphook itself is worth visiting, as well as some of the surrounding houses, gardens, and towns. We have put together some ideas for you here. If there are any that we have missed, do let us know.
1. Enjoy the walks around Liphook itself
There are a number of trails within Liphook itself, with a number of different levels of difficulty, so you can find trails that works for teens or toddlers alike. Radford Park is a particularly picturesque part of the village, and there is an easy circular walk about there for all levels of walker.
2. Ape-ing around in Alice Holt Forest
Alice Holt Forest: This is located relatively near Liphook and is part of the Forestry England network of locations across the UK. The kids will love it here, with loads of trails, including bike ones, and a Go Ape located at the site. There is a Gruffalo Sculpture trail, BBQ locations, a Visitor Centre, and lots of fun to be had within the woodlands. Don’t forget to check out our Gruffalo and Julia Donaldson book activities on the site too.
3. Indulge in Oties Ice Cream and Waffles, Liphook
Oties is located within the Old Thorns Golf Resort and Hotel, and has the most gorgeous, food, decor, and indulgence for kids and adults alike. It is well worth a visit if you are near Liphook. In fact, if you miss out, you will be kicking yourself. The menu offers classic waffles, milkshakes, pancakes and sandwiches. The food is delicious and a real holiday treat for you all.
4. Prance with the penguins and flamingos in Birdworld
Birdworld is about 20 minutes by car from Liphook, and provides at least a couple of hours of entertainment for the kids. The sige is quite big, and good value for its entrance fee. Adult tickets are £17.95, and children (5-15) are £14.50. The site has a variety of birds, and its Flamingo Cove and Penguin Beach with delight the young and old alike. There are a number of events throughout the day, including penguin and pelican feeding, and a bird flying display within the Discovery Theatre.
In addition to the birds, there is a farm located on the site too: Jenny Wren Farm. This includes pigs, rabbits and reindeer for the kids to explore. Check out the map before the visit, so you can plan.
Follow the blue suggested route signs around the park to get the best experience, and don’t forget to pop into the cafe at the end of your visit for a little refreshment. There are main meals, including fish n’ chips!
5. Take a walk with nature in Gilbert White’s gardens
Gilbert White was a prominent naturalist in the 18th Century, and his gardens are located not from from Liphook in Selborne. They offer a great place for kids to expend energy, and learn about the natural world. Check out our article on Gilbert White for more ideas of what to do with the kids there.
6. Write with Jane Austen at Chawton House
Chawton House is a centre for historial women’s literature, and a location that Jane Austen visited many times, and inspired her to write as it was owned by her brother, Edward. There are some great idas for inspiring your own kids love of literary female heroes, and writing generally through a visit to the house, so check out our article on Chawton House for more information.
7. Get closer to nature in the South Downs National Park
South Downs National park is within a stone’s throw of Liphook, so using Old Thorns as a base to explore this beautiful region of the UK is perfect. South Downs is famous for its rolling hills, meadows and ancient woodland. Ise Liphook as a base to explore some of the locations nearby within the park, including Iping & Stedham Commons for fascinating healthland wildlife, and Ebernoe Common & Butcherlands for a wealth of fabulous flowers including flora Devil’s-Bit Scabious, Adder’s-Tongue Fern and loads of different Orchid varieties.
8. Play at Queen Elizabeth’s Country Park
Queen Elizabeth Country Park is only located about 15 minutes from from Liphook, and has plenty for kids, and adults to do. The site has an extensive range of walking, and most interestingly, mountain biking paths. THe mountain bike paths are for all levels, from beginner to expert, and you can buy a map of all the trails for only £2 in the information centre at the start of the park. The park caters for little, and bigger legs, so there should be a walk for you to find that suits the interest in your family. There are walks within the tops, as well as in the woods – and if you are lucky, you might even find enough wood to build a den!
Keep an eye out for events at the park too within the holidays.
9. Explore Antarctica with Captain Oates in Gilbert White’s house
The Gilbert White house was also home to the Oates family, who are renowned naturalists and explorers. In 1912, Lawrence Oates was killed in the ill-fated exploration of the Antarctic by the infamous Captain Scott. Oates is renowned for his sacrifice, leaving his friends and colleagues in their tent as he left the harsh conditions to die so that they might live:
“I am just going outside and may be some time.”
Captain Lawrence Oates
The artefacts within Gilbert White’s House are fascinating for kids, and show the steel and determination of the men on that terrible mission. It is well worth spending time looking through the house and appreciating the bravery of those involved with the expedition from November 1910.
10. Stroll along the South Downs Way, Hangers Way or other routes locally
East Hampshire has a plethora of way-marked paths, and a number of them are nearby Liphook, including:
Check out all of the sites, and find out which one of them appeals most to your family, grab your walking boots, and head out!
There are also a number of literary walks connecting the authors in the region too, so if you have time, do take a look at these on Visit Hampshire too.
11. Take a literary trip to Jane Austen’s House
Jane Austen’s house has their own little learning hub to keep minds active and thinking about the great, literary lady. So check it out before you visit the charming little house and garden. The house is suitable for all ages, and has a range of activities, including garden games that your kids can play. There is even a family trail at the house, with under 6s going free. The house is where Jane Austen wrote her beloved novels, and has been faithfully restored to how it would have looked in Jane Austen’s time here. She lived her for the last 8 years of her live until May 1817, before she left to seek medical attention for Winchester where she dies 2 months later.
12. Step back in time to the Hollycombe Steam in the Country Fair
This country fair is a delight for the children, and is a wonderful vintage steam fair that your children are bound to enjoy. Hollycombe is one of the largest collections of steam-powered attractions in the world, and includes fair ground rides, a display farm, a woodland estate, and two railways. So there is plenty for the kids to have fun with. Some of the main rids for children at the park include:
- Juvenile roundabout,
- An Austin Car ride, built in 1948,
- Juvenile Dobbies,
- Park swings, and
- Juvenile chair o’ planes.
There is a garden, and a quarry railway for you to enjoy too.
13. Mess about in boats on Petersfield Health and Lakes
Petersfield itself is worth a visit, as well as the health and lakes that are well known within the area as being one of the more idyllic spots to visit. Petersfield is an old market town, with its market square the central focus. It was originally built in the 11th century, so has plenty of history, and is a great place to start your trip to the lake.
The lake is about 90 acres, and is a site of important scientific interest because of the wildlife that lives within its diverse range of habitats, from grassland and gorse, through shrub and woodland to pond life in its beautifully clear waters.
Aside from exploring the paths, and looking out for the wildlife, why not take a boat out onto the lake too? Something fun to do that the kids with thoroughly enjoy.
14. Paint and throw pottery in Grayshott
Kids love a spot of crafting – and there is a lovely little pottery centre, not to far from Liphook that is simply perfect for them to explore painting and pottery making. There are usually classes available for the kids, and even the adults if they choose. Why not check it out, and get them to try their hand at making their next gift for the family themselves while you are away?
15. Take in the World’s largest Sculpture Park
The World’s largest sculpture park is located near Farnham, not too far from Liphook, and this is well worth a visit with the family too. The works on the park are mainly located outdoors, on a 2-mile woodland trail. The collections are located within ten acres of arboretum and water gardens, which are themselves worth visiting.
Don’t miss it – take a look!
There are loads of fabulous ideas for you here within 30 minutes drive of Liphook. Another idea, which is a little bit further away (c. 35 minutes), but deserves an honorary mention are the chocolate workshops at Chocolate Craft in Old Alresford. it is a little more expensive at £65 per person, and is more suitable for more patient and older children. But it’s truly fabulous, with loads of options to choose from. If you have a couple of hours to spare and patient kids, then check it out.
We hope you like the articles we have for you on our site about Hampshire, do check the other ones out, as well as taking a look at the travel section in general. For example, these city farm ideas are ace!
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A great location to base yourself while exploring Hampshire - check out our review of Old Thorns.
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Helen
Helen
Helen is a mum to two, social media consultant, and website editor; and this site is (we think) the only Social Enterprise parenting magazine! Since giving up being a business analyst when juggling travel, work and kids proved too complicated, she founded KiddyCharts so she could be with her kids, and use those grey cells at the same time. KiddyCharts has reach of over 1.1million across social and the site. The blog works with big family brands (including travel) to help promote their services, as well as offering free resources to parents of kids under 10. It gives 51%+ profits to Reverence for Life, who fund a number of important initiatives in Africa, including bringing running water and basic equipment to a school in Tanzania. Helen has worked as a digital marketing consultant (IDM qualified) with various organisations, including Channel Mum, Truprint, Talk to Mums, and Micro Scooters. She loves to be creative in the brand campaigns she works on. Get in touch TODAY!