There are other fascinating military vehicles too, such as trucks, tanks and an early Trabant car from the former East Germany, part of RAF Cosford’s permanent Cold War exhibition. In atmospheric hangars, vintage planes seem to soar, suspended invisibly from the ceiling - including the 1916 Sopwith Pup and creepy Fieseler Storch as flown by the Luftwaffe. RAF Museum Midlands, Cosford, Shropshireįamilies leave this Royal Air Force museum agape, not just because of the extraordinary war stories but because they can’t believe it’s free. And remember children travel free on London buses when with a fare-paying adult the 25 will take you straight there. Tickets are released every Monday, up to three weeks in advance. And they’ll be thrilled to whizz to the top of the Walkie-Talkie, its 160m (524ft) topped by Sky Garden, a public urban park that’s free of charge. Your children might not know the names of the architects behind London’s great skyscrapers, but we’re sure they know the buildings’ nicknames. Happily, Freight Island sits right next to the city’s new Mayfield Park - a 6.5-acre parkland, with kids’ play zone and six slides, set around the River Medlock.īuying ice cream on the South Bank (Alamy) 4. Yes, there are the obligatory street-food trucks and small-batch breweries (“£££!” say parents), but - phew - there are lots of free frolics for fams too, including Family Zone every Saturday and Sunday, when crafting stalls, Xbox stations, games and movies are on. So much more than a food hall, Freight Island can be found within the Depot, Mayfield - Manchester’s historic former railway station. uk On the slide in Mayfield Park (Alamy) 3. If the kids need a fortifying Coke afterwards (or grown-ups a pint), the Sir Walter Tyrrell pub is nearby with a brilliant free play park and gardens. Or walk up to Bolton’s Bench, Lyndhurst, where the ghost of Sir Maurice de Berkeley - said to have killed a dragon here - can reportedly be seen, haunting the hill. Take hold of little hands as you walk through ancient trees to Rufus Stone here, it is said you can hear the sound of the carriage that, in 1100, transported reviled (and, some say, murdered) King William Rufus’s body to Winchester for burial. It might be the UK’s smallest national park, but the New Forest has the biggest ghost egos lurking about. In addition to that, you can expect all sorts of unholy free activities throughout the year, including wizard-spotting, kombucha-making and silent disco check online.ĭ.uk Sunrise at Bolton’s Bench (Alamy) 2. It’s free for under-18s to visit the museum set in the former monks’ dormitory as well as climb its 325-stepped tower (Durham University students are superstitious that climbing the tower will boost their results, so it’s particularly busy around exam time in January and June). You’re better off thinking of Durham Cathedral - once described by Bill Bryson as “the best cathedral on planet Earth” - as a creative community centre, rather than a hushed place of worship that disapproves of children. Main photo: playing on a bridge at Tumbling Bay in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London Durham Cathedral on the River Wear (Alamy) 1. And we’re pretty sure no rollercoaster goes that high. One of these free days out even involves a green park at an elevation of 160m (525ft). Because free-entry activities are often funded by the government or charity groups, they tend to share knowledge on subjects including history, religion, the arts or wildlife. With a little imagination and a lot of biscuits in the lunchbox for after, kids will get so much from these no-budget encounters.Ĭhances are, they’ll learn something too. We’ve found ghost hunts, underground exploration and wizardry. Every one of these UK free days out is as inspiring and unforgettable as any theme park. Can free ever really equal fun? Doesn’t true adrenaline-fuelled, white-knuckle, wow-factor fun involve expensive tickets, long lines, and pricey merchandise? Especially for kids?
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