The best bank holiday days out

The National Forest Wood Fair at at Beacon Hill, Leicestershire Photograph: PR

Back to nature

Fun in the forest, Leicestershire
The 10th National Forest Wood Fair takes place at Beacon Hill, Leicestershire, on Monday. Activities include tree-climbing and pyrography, forestry demonstrations on lumberjacking and horse logging, and top “bodgers” competing in the wood-carving competition. Refreshments include Melton Mowbray pork pies and local ales.
• 25 August, 9am-6pm, adults £9, children £6, families £25, nationalforest.org

Smart walking, nationwide
The Royal Geographical Society has devised almost 100 new walks around Britain designed to engage your brain as well as your feet. Each walk helps you understand how the landscape was shaped by nature, history and people: for example, you could find out why there are so many deep bodies of water in the Lake District.
• Find a walk near you at discoveringbritain.org

Summer festival, Kew Gardens
Kew Gardens’ summer festival, Plantasia, continues for another two weeks, and it is open later than usual (until 7.30pm) this bank holiday weekend. Look out for the Healing Giant made from medicinal plants, the barefoot walking trail, and soundscapes in the Palm House. You can also climb the pagoda, play plant croquet, try a tai chi session and drink cocktails in the gin and tonic garden.
• Until 7 September, adults £15, children free, kew.org

Explore wild places

Baslow Edge in the Peak District is just one of the wild places The Wildlife Trusts is encouraging families to explore. Whether you want to splash in rockpools or spot birds of prey, the website suggests places to go, with downloadable activity guides.
• wildlifetrusts.org

Bringing history back to life

English Heritage castles has some explosive events over the weekend, including a siege at Dover Castle, Kent, a tournament at Belsay Hall, Northumberland and a Robin Hood event at Hawkstone Park Follies in Shropshire. There is also a medieval festival at Leeds Castle, Kent, and a pirate attack at Pendennis Castle, Cornwall, 27-29 August.

Messing about in boats, Shropshire

The annual Ironbridge coracle regatta in Shropshire is an entertainingly eccentric spectacle, with madcap races, team games and polo matches, all in traditional flat-bottomed boats. Novice paddlers can have a go for free, and the banks of the Severn will be lined with food, drink and arts-and-craft stalls.
• 25 August, 12-4pm, visitironbridge.co.uk

Bank holiday music festivals

Pop and rock
The Victorious music festival in Southsea, Portsmouth, features top acts such as Dizzee Rascal, pictured, and Razorlight over five stages, plus a craft beer festival, boutique market, silent disco and kids’ arena. The city is also hosting the International Kite Festival this weekend.
• Victoriousfestival.co.uk, 23-24 August, adults £20, children £6, under-fives free. Portsmouthkitefestival.org.uk, 23-25 August, free

Jazz
Jazz and blues musicians have descended on Fishguard in Pembrokeshire for the annual Aberjazz festival. There are gigs, jams and parties at venues all around town, from pubs and theatres to the library and the park, and workshops in African drumming, ukelele playing, swing dancing and more.
• Until 25 August, many events free, aberjazz.com

Folk
The Cornwall Folk festival in Wadebridge, near Padstow, has been an annual fixture since 1972. Expect concerts in the town hall, folk club nights, a free fringe music tent and pop-up jam sessions. More unusually, there is a “singaround” a stone circle, hurdy-gurdy lessons and a Cornish folklore workshop.
• Until 25 August, individual events from £6, day and weekend tickets available, cornwallfolkfestival.com

Shark spotting, Inner Hebrides

The waters around the Isle of Coll in the Inner Hebrides are a hotspot for basking sharks. During the annual Coll of the Sharks festival you can swim with the sharks or track them on a boat trip as part of a scientific survey. Other events include a sunset snorkel with seals, night dives and guided tours of the island.
• Until 26 August, baskingsharkscotland.co.uk

Fun with Winnie the Pooh

Get some inspiration from a new family guide to simple English pleasures from the publishers of the Winnie the Pooh books and VisitEngland. Illustrated by artist Mark Burgess, the free guide was based on a survey of favourite life-affirming activities. Suggestions include playing Pooh Sticks at 100 Acre Wood in East Sussex and fossil-hunting on the Isle of Wight.
• visitengland.com

Food festivals

Bolton Food & Drink
The Bolton Food & Drink Festival will have cookery demonstrations from chefs including John Torode and Michael Caines, a children’s marquee with Katy Ashworth from CBeebies and more than 100 food and drink stalls right across the town centre.
• Until 25 August, some events free, others from £5, boltonfoodanddrinkfestival.com

Pershore Plum Fayre
Sample more than 30 varieties of plum at the Pershore Plum Festival in Worcestershire, which culminates with Plum Fayre Day on Monday. Plum Alley and the Plum Bazaar have tastings and products for sale, there is a Plum Jam session at the Pickled Plum pub, a Plum Fun Zone for the kids and lots more fruity fun. Wear purple and you’ll fit right in.
• pershoreplumfestival.org.uk

Miniature puppet circus, Cumbria

Roll up for Stanelli’s Super Circus – a full puppet circus in miniature. One of the largest, most complete puppet circuses in Europe, created by puppeteer Stan Parker and restored with Heritage Lottery Grant a decade ago, it includes clowns, jugglers, acrobats, tight-rope walker, trapeze artist, wild animals and Zippo the human puppet cannon ball. It’s performed in the 128-seat theatre at the Upfront Gallery, an art gallery and cafe, near Hutton-in-the-Forest stately home just north of Penrith.
• Sunday 24 and Monday 25 at 2pm. Tickets £8. (Suitable for ages 4 – 94), up-front.com.

Fairground rides, crafts and music, Kent

Ramsgate is hosting several jolly events this weekend. The Great British Seaside Festival features fairground rides, a local food market, live music and street theatre at Pier Yard in front of Ramsgate Maritime Museum. At the other side of the harbour, on Harbour Parade, visitors will have a chance to join in craft workshops, explore a craft market and watch outdoor performances as part of A Summer Squall. On Monday 25th, a Boat Parade will see a vessel carried through the town and burned at sunset.
• visitthanet.co.uk

Sand sculpture festival, Brighton

Your sandcastle-building skills may seem lacking once you’ve seen the works on display at the Brighton Sand Sculpture Festival. Themed “Around the World”, the sculptures include some of the most famous landmarks in the world and an array of creatures. (If you book your tickets at the Volks Railway Aquarium Station, you’ll receive a free ride on the Volks Railway to the Festival).
• Adults £ 4.50, children £ 3 (under 3s free). Family (two adults, two children) £12, brightonsandsculpture.co.uk.

Join a story trail at Mottisfont, Hampshire

Mottisfont, a National Trust property which started life in the 12th century as a priory and has been modified over the centuries to create a beautiful home, is hosting an exhibition of children’s illustrations, including 21 new drawings by Quentin Blake made for the West End production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and examples from Helen Oxenbury, Oliver Jeffers and more. Children can take part in a trail around the house and grounds where, armed with a map and a book, they create their own illustrated story.
• Until 14 September, adults £11.80, children £5.60, family £28, nationaltrust.org.uk

Rail and ales, south Devon

Drinking is not usually encouraged on train platforms but around 4,000 pints are expected to be downed at Staverton station in south Devon this weekend. The annual Rail and Ales gala, run by South Devon Railway, will see 60 real ales and traditional ciders served from a bar on the platform at £3 a pint and £1.50 a half. Railway enthusiasts will have a chance to ride steam and heritage trains which will run every 45 minutes each day.
• Free entry. Friday 22-Monday 25 August, 11am-11pm (closes 6pm Monday) , southdevonrailwayassociation.org

Paw pageant, London

Dogs are the fashion accessory for autumn/winter 2014 – you heard it here first – but head to Old Spitalfields Market on Monday and you’ll see some cool canines who are more than just accessories – they’re the stars of the show. A host of dapper dogs will be taking to the ~~cat~~ dogwalk to show off the latest canine fashions. After lunch, the public will get a chance to parade their own stylish pets. It’s all in aid of Battersea Dog’s Home.
• Free entry, fee and booking required to enter your pet. 1pm-3pm, oldspitalfieldsmarket.com

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