London - From fish and chips at the seaside, to exploring castles and forests, or just skimming stones, they are the simple things which give the British the most pleasure.
All these and many more are contained in a guide produced by England’s national tourist board which aims to provide inspiration for bank holiday outings.
About 2 000 parents were asked to share and celebrate their favourite traditional activities, attractions and days out with VisitEngland.
The result is a list of 25 excursions which hark back to a bygone age when the great outdoors was considered the ultimate place for a fantastic day out.
Enjoying a fish supper on Blackpool Pier tops the list, followed by afternoon tea in Devon and picnicking on the shores of Windermere in the Lake District.
Boating on the Norfolk Broads, fossil-hunting on the Isle of Wight, marvelling at Stonehenge and going blackberry picking also figure in the charming list.
Negotiating the maze at Hampton Court Palace was the only activity from London to make the top ten, although trying to make the Queen’s guards laugh at Buckingham Palace is at number 13.
The ‘Simple Pleasures’ campaign was inspired by Winnie-the-Pooh and aims to encourage modern families to get outdoors.
The guide features drawings in the style of EH Shepard, who illustrated the AA Milne books about the bear’s innocent adventures.
Sarah Bates, publishing director at Egmont, said: “Winnie-the-Pooh shares many a simple adventure with his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood so he is the perfect character to remind us how to enjoy the simple pleasures England has to offer.”
Pooh even makes it into the list himself; number 17 is playing Pooh Sticks at the real Hundred Acre Wood – Ashdown Forest in East Sussex.
Another activity sweet-toothed Pooh would doubtless approve of, visiting a honey farm, is at number 19. Rock-pooling in Cornwall, camping in the New Forest and riding a narrowboat through Birmingham’s canals also feature.
Overall, the South-West of England came out on top as the area that offers the best opportunity to enjoy life’s simple pleasures, closely followed by the South-East and the Midlands.
Parents who took part in the study also highlighted just how precious quality family time is, with more than a third saying they enjoy at least one family outing a month. - Daily Mail