As the British weather gets colder, darker and windier and the Christmas holidays are over, many families worry about how to entertain their kids this January without breaking the bank.

With this in mind, FatFace has scoured the country and picked the best free family days out in London and the South to shake up wintry weekend routines in January.
LONDON

HYDE PARK

This beautiful Royal Park offers a breath of fresh air right in the centre of the city. Stroll along its tree-lined paths before making an essential hot chocolate pitstop at the Serpentine Lake’s waterside cafe.
The iconic Speakers’ Corner, where anyone can jump onto the (literal) soap box to make a speech or spark a debate is unmissable.
Little ones can slide, swing and climb their way through the playground and there are always loads of events going on so check the online calendar for wintry activities, tours and talks.
ST JAMES’S PARK

London’s oldest Royal Park, it’s surrounded by iconic landmarks – cross the blue bridge over its lake for incredible views of Buckingham Palace to the west and Horse Guards Parade, Big Ben and the London Eye to the east.
Keep an eye out for its famous pelicans – the long-beaked water birds have lived in the park for nearly 400 years since they were originally given as a gift from the Russian Ambassador to King Charles II.
Once you’ve finished wandering through the park, head to Buckingham Palace on its outskirts. If you get your timings right, you could even catch the Changing of the Guard.
THE REGENT’S PARK

Famously home to London Zoo, this park also offers miles of landscaped gardens, large open spaces, tree-lined paths and a total of four children’s playgrounds. Queen Mary’s Gardens are home to London’s largest rose collection too – with a staggering 12,000 of them!
Get bold mini explorers all kitted out in warm knitwear and waterproof jackets to reach the summit of Primrose Hill, where you can enjoy spectacular views across London (or just take a spectacular roly-poly back down the hill again).
SOUTH EAST
VIKING COASTAL TRAIL

This 32-mile loop on the Isle of Thanet runs through Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate, passing pretty villages, the King George VI Memorial Park and views of flat marshland. Whizz along the route on your bike or take it at a slower pace by walking part of the trail.
Top tip: if you don’t fancy taking on the whole route, go for the nine-mile (and practically traffic-free) stretch following the sea wall from Margate to Reculver.
ISLE OF WIGHT COASTAL FOOTPATH

The Isle of Wight’s circular footpath covers a total of 70 miles which can be split up into six separate walks ranging from 8 to 16 miles.
The various walks take in the iconic Needles landmark, as well as award-winning beaches, the chalk cliffs of Culver Down and just all-round delightful views.
BEACHY HEAD
The views from these 530-foot-high bright white chalk cliffs close to Eastbourne are guaranteed to get your heart racing. Just stay well away from the edge, as the winds can be very strong.

Take one of the paths down to the beach (careful – the steps could be steep) for a spot of fresh sea air. Dinosaur fans can go fossil-hunting along the base of the cliffs. Once you’ve pocketed a few Jurassic souvenirs, see how many crustaceans you can spot in the beach’s rock pools.
SOUTH WEST

BOURNEMOUTH BEACH

Enjoy miles of golden sand at this popular beach. Get little ones suited and booted in toasty puddle suits and wellies for seashell-spotting and splashing along the shoreline.
And if bigger ones are feeling brave enough, head to the pier for a 250-metre-long zip wire that runs from the pier to the beach.
Once you’ve had your fill of fresh sea air, warm up with a hot chocolate from the Prom Cafe right on the beach.
CORNISH COASTAL PATH

Expect incredible natural scenery and plenty of beautiful beaches along this coastal path. It stretches to a total of 296 miles long that have been helpfully divided up into smaller trails.
Do your research before you settle on which one to go for, as some of the routes aren’t entirely straightforward and could involve clambering over boulders or taking stepping stones across marshy ground.
FISTRAL BEACH

Water sports may be off the cards in the winter months, but visitors can still enjoy watching the incredible waves that bring surfers from around the world flocking to this sandy beach in Cornwall.
Get the whole family kitted out in their waterproofs and cosy knitwear for digging in the sand and building castles.