Summer Bank Holiday Ideas

Rain or shine this August bank holiday, here are 10 ways to make the best out of your August bank holiday weekend.

1. Visit the Doctor Who Experience, Cardiff Bay

Discover what goes on behind the scenes of your favourite TV show. The Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff Bay takes you on an interactive journey with special effects, your favourite characters, sets and exclusive filming with Matt Smith.

2. Jump off a Pembrokeshire cliff

Inject some excitement into your weekend and go coasteering in Pembrokeshire, Britian’s only Coastal National Park. Celtic Quest Coasteering has qualified instructors that will show how to safely rock hope, scrabble, adventure swim and cliff jump on their activity day trips.

3. Take a picnic to Rhossili beach

Rhossili beach is located on the Gower Peninsular, which is home to some of the best UK beaches. The white sandy beach stretches for 3 miles so there’s plenty of room for a picnic or beach BBQ. Take a walk along the coastal path and you’ll see stunning views across the bay.

4. Climb the highest sand dune in Europe

Popular with families and walkers the Merthyr Mawr Sand Danes are on the Glamorgan Heritage Coast. The huge network of dunes stretch to the Ogmore and Porthcawl coast and include the highest single dune in Europe know as the ‘big dipper’.

5. Treat yourself to an award winning afternoon tea

Winner of the Tea Guild’s prestigious Top City and Country Hotel Tea Award 2011, The Angel Hotel in Abergavenny serves an excellent afternoon tea. Choose from an extensive variety of teas, served with perfect sandwiches, scones and delicious cakes and pastries.

6. Walk up Pen y Fan the highest peak in Southern Britain

Pen y Fan is the highest mountain in the Brecon Beacons National Park and southern Britain. Walk to the top and you will be rewarded with spectacular views over the Bristol Channel, the Gower Peninsular, Black Mountains and South Wales Valleys.

7. Go dolphin and grey seal spotting

The Cardigan Coast is the perfect place to spot Bottlenose Dolphins, Grey Seals, seabirds and Harbour Porpoise. To see these fantastic animals, take the family favourite Bay Explore, a wildlife spotting boat trip departing from Poppit sands near Cardigan.

8. Learn the story of Welsh slate

The Welsh Slate Museum in Llanberis, Snowdonia is an interesting free family attraction where children can learn the story of Welsh slate. Kids will be entertained for hours as you visit the workshops and buildings, designed as though quarrymen have downed tools for the night.

9. Climb a castle turret

A visit to Beaumaris Castle on Anglesey provides a fun family day out. Set in beautiful grounds, which are ideal for a picnic, you cross a drawbridge to enter the inner castle. Inside you can walk around the castle walls and climb the turrets if you dare.

10. Family friendly mountain biking

Coed Llandegla provides superb mountain biking near Wrexham in North Wales. There are routes for families, beginners, intermediates and black runs. The 3-mile family friendly route takes riders through the forest and onto the reservoir, with fantastic views of the Clwydian Range.