The Little Paddock

Avebury is one of the great marvels of prehistoric Britain. Built and altered during the Neolithic period, the henge survives as a huge circular bank and ditch that encircles part of Avebury village. Inside is the largest stone circle in Britain, originally of about 100 stones, which in turn encloses two smaller stone circles. Together with Stonehenge, it forms a World Heritage Site.

Tip: Start at the Alexander Keiller Museum to learn about the monuments before you set off. Paths can be uneven and muddy.

Bristol Zoo Project is a wildlife conservation park in South Gloucestershire, run by Bristol Zoological Society. It covers a large site, and its areas are designed to link ecosystems and conservation programmes around the world. Current areas include Bear Wood, Benoué National Park and Discover Madagascar.

Dyrham Park is a baroque country house set in an ancient deer park near Bath, now cared for by the National Trust. The house was built in stages in the 17th and early 18th centuries and has interiors with a strong Dutch influence, including Delftware, Dutch Masters paintings and an Anglo-Dutch state bed.

Tip: Leave the car in the main car park and head down to the house; a shuttle runs from the car park to the bottom of the hill if the slope is too much.

Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, is run by Forestry England near Tetbury in Gloucestershire. It covers around 600 acres and holds about 2,500 species of tree from across the world, linked by 17 miles of marked paths. The Old Arboretum is a Victorian designed landscape of avenues and rare trees, while Silk Wood is a traditional working woodland.

Tip: Check the Forestry England website before you go, as pre-booking is strongly advised at busy times. Bringing a dog? Stick to Silk Wood and The Downs.

SS Great Britain is a museum ship on Bristol's harbourside, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. When launched in 1843 she was the largest passenger ship in the world, and one of the first iron, propeller-driven ocean liners.

Tip: Parking is available at the Maritime Heritage Centre car park next to the site, and you pay at the ticket desks. The Long Ashton Park & Ride is an alternative Monday to Saturday.}

The Roman Baths are well-preserved Roman thermae in the city of Bath. A temple was built on the site in the first decades of Roman Britain, and the bathing complex grew up around the natural hot spring over the following centuries.

Tip: Book tickets in advance on the official website, romanbaths.co.uk, as advance prices are lower and it is the only genuine ticket seller.

Crocodiles of the World is a zoo at Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, specialising in crocodilians. You can meet crocodiles, alligators and caiman from around the world, including Siamese crocodiles, Chinese alligators, Nile crocodiles and American alligators. There is underwater viewing, plus talks, animal encounters and feeds through the day.

Tip: Check the daily feeding and talk schedule on the day, and book keeper experiences ahead of your visit.

STEAM tells the story of the men and women who built, ran and travelled on the Great Western Railway, in part of the former Swindon Works. You walk through reconstructions of the offices, general stores, foundry, machine shop, boiler shop and erecting shop, with rare archive film and the memories of ex-railway workers bringing each one to life.

Tip: Join the Meet the Volunteers activity, included with admission, to get onto the footplate of locomotives like Caerphilly Castle and City of Truro.