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Make this time of year something special with family activities that will brighten up the short days and inspire a bit of adventure. Mendip Activity Centre has some great seasonal activities for Halloween and Christmas but what else is there to do in the area?
Embrace the Changing Seasons With Family Adventure Activities
With Somerset’s easy access to nature and outdoor activities, plus a rich history and culture, it’s a fantastic place for families to explore year-round. From DIY days out to organised activities with local businesses and community organisations, we’ve put together some seasonal activity ideas to look forward to this autumn and winter.
Do-It-Yourself Family Adventures
Admire the changing colours of autumn, explore a new-to-you nature reserve or wend your way through ancient standing stones. Find your family’s new favourite place and explore everything Somerset can offer throughout the seasons.
Explore the Mendip Hills National Landscape
The Mendip Hills National Landscape (MHNL) is a rugged place of hills, combes (valleys) and plateaus sprinkled with limestone outcrops and ancient woodland. Footpaths old and new wind through the natural features and around ancient monuments, and the diverse landscape is brimming with rare plants and interesting wildlife. The changing seasons are an excellent time to witness the transformation of the landscape and reconnect with nature.
The MHNL has worked hard to provide resources for families to enjoy the landscape and everything it offers. Some free activities include:
The Mendip Explorer’s Passport - Download your free Mendip Explorer’s Passport and embark on 8 missions that guide your family across the Mendips, including details such as directions and car parking locations. See places you’ve never been before and learn about the Mendip Hills in a whole new way!
Try a new walk - Branch out on your local explorations and find easy walks for little legs or long-distance circular routes on the MHNL website.
Join the MHNL mailing list - Be the first to learn about guided walks, tours and talks that occur regularly throughout the year, covering subjects like geology, history, flora and fauna of the Mendips. Some activities may have a small fee to cover their running costs. If your young person is between 11 and 13, they may be interested in joining the Young Rangers program which introduces them to conservation and land management.
Historic sites
You’ve heard of Stonehenge, but what about the standing stones of Stanton Drew? The 3rd largest arrangement of prehistoric standing stones in England is surprisingly low-key, and as a result, is a fantastic place to visit as a family. It is easily accessible for a quick visit by car, or you can make a day of it and plan a walk to include a stop at the standing stones. There may be a small fee of £1 to access the circles field, make sure to check before you visit.
Other Somerset sites of interest include Cadbury Hill, near Congresbury, with its ancient hilltop fort and wide open spaces perfect for children to explore. Remember that Cadbury Camp is different to Cadbury Castle, another ancient hillfort further south near Yeovil, which is also worth a visit.
The Strawberry Line - a train line transformed
Since the 1980s, local volunteer groups have been working hard to convert the former Cheddar Valley Line into a beautiful multi-use path connecting Shepton Mallet to Clevedon, via Wells, Cheddar, Winscombe and Yatton. The old train line, affectionately known locally as The Strawberry Line due to the delicious strawberries produced around Cheddar, is now a welcoming route open to walkers and cyclists and well-surfaced for mobility scooters. Horse riders can also enjoy specified sections of the path.
Chock-full of interesting plants, wildlife and local sights, autumn and winter are wonderful times to see how the seasons transform nature. Rent bicycles from the Strawberry Line Cycle Project, join a guided walk or ride, check out one of many cafes along the route, or just enjoy the scenery. Your family could spend the rest of the autumn and winter exploring the different sections of the Strawberry Line and would discover something new every time.
A Special Family Activity Treat
Alongside do-it-yourself adventures, there are plenty of organised or hosted family activities throughout autumn and winter. Choose from seasonally-themed activities and local festivities perfect for people of all ages. Many of these activities can be combined with a local walk and are a great opportunity to explore a new-to-you area.
Seasonal festivals
Your local council will have a calendar of family-friendly events worth checking out and there are many seasonal festivities over the autumn and winter months. Families can plan their adventure days to include a fantastic display of lights, fireworks and seasonal fun.
November brings a host of carnivals for Guy Fawkes Night, and towns including Weston-Super-Mare, Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea, Wells and Glastonbury pull out all the stops to raise money for charities in a blaze of lights, colour and music. Make a day of it and explore the vastness of space on the Somerset Space Walk (PDF of the route) along the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, or seek out the rare coastal Iron Age hillfort on Worlebury Hill in Weston-Super-Mare before heading back into town for an evening of festive entertainment.
The crisp, cool air of December brings cosy Christmas markets across Somerset. Sip a delicious hot chocolate and wander through sparkling stands and shops stuffed with crafts, gifts and tasty foods from local vendors. Children can search the Christmas Trail for Santa’s reindeer at Weston Museum's market from 30 November - 1 December and snap a photo with Father Christmas himself! Other markets worth a visit include the Frost Fayre at Glastonbury, complete with fairground rides and the town Christmas tree lighting, and the Clevedon Christmas Market.
When January arrives, there will still be plenty to do - look for wassailing events near you and join the long-running tradition that encourages a robust apple harvest. Music, cider-soaked bread and dancing make up this ancient tradition, which is gaining in popularity across apple-producing regions of the UK. Many cider-makers host ticketed wassailing events, such as Thatcher’s Cider in Sandford and Sheppy’s Cider in Taunton; look out for local businesses and community organisations announcing their wassailing events closer to January.
Family adventure activities
October is spooky and atmospheric with darkening evenings, cooling air and crisp colourful leaves, so make the most of it at Mendip Activity Centre! With plenty of woodland walks and an on-site cafe, Mendip is a great base for family adventures.
Trick or Treat Tobogganing is back for young gremlins aged 4-12! They can wear their eeriest costumes and zip down the decorated toboggan slope featuring colourful lights, spooky decorations and Halloween music, then pick up their treat at the Alpine Lounge. Goblins aged 8 and up are invited to join the target sports Zombie Outbreak Response Team to help Mendip round up the undead rogues, and after a successful mission, treat your family with a round of hot chocolate and tasty snacks.
December brings festive lights, a Hollywood snow machine and Christmas music to the toboggan slope, transforming it into a winter wonderland. Challenge each other on the slopes then stroll through the magical fairy-lit woodland to a crackling campfire with hot chocolate and sparklers. Book your Twilight Tobogganing session today and get a head-start on the holiday plans!
‘Amazing evening Twilight Tobogganing. So festive and well thought out. Greeted by a lovely lady who gave us our safety talk and provided us all with Christmas hats…after our time on the slope was up we headed up to the little outdoor fire pit where we had sparklers, toasted marshmallows and had hot chocolate! Everything was perfect and I would highly recommend going!’
The seasonal fun continues into January with a brand-new tobogganing activity - AND adults can do it too!* Find out who’s the fastest on the slope (and knows all the words to Dancing Queen) with Disco Tobogganing, a brand-new tobogganing activity suitable for children and adults. Dig out your brightest outfits, practise your best dance moves and liven up the late winter evenings with glow lights and disco-pop playlists sure to get your family grooving. Join our Tobogganing mailing list or follow us on Instagram to find out when booking opens for Disco Tobogganing - it will fill up fast!
*Adults can use the toboggans if they have privately booked the half or full-slope experience
Full Steam Ahead
Get in the seasonal spirit with a family activity near you. Include some adventure in your cold-weather plans and create lasting memories that celebrate the changing seasons and each other. Whether splashing through puddles in the woods, rounding up pesky zombies or searching for reindeer, families can enjoy the unique moments of each season, discover new favourites and spend time together.