Going for a walk is one of the most accessible activities a family can enjoy together. Follow this rather handy parenting guide to ensure that you have everything on hand to make the day a family fun-filled trek.

1) The Fleece

The humble fleece: it will keep you and the kids warm and toasty and, therefore, will ensure moaning about the cold or the rain is kept to a bearable minimum. Plus, if you buy them in the same garish colour for everyone, you’ll never lose a member of the family. Quite the bonus.

2) The Camera

A really great family day out will consist of various “Oh, do you remember when…” moments. All the really important ones like when there was a rainbow, or when the kids met a sheep, or when Dad tripped over a rock. Don't forget the camera to record them.

3) Sustenence

Every serious trekker needs to be sure that they have enough vital nutrients to see the day out. Take bags of boiled sweets, door-stop sarnies and flasks of creamy hot chocolate, which act as treats and as energy sources.

4) ‘Jedi’ mind games

Any family outing begins with the journey and will stand or fall with the mental state of the kids: if they're happy and well-primed, the day will be successful. But if they're bored before the car has left the driveway, you’re in trouble. Devise travel games to play with the kids en route: and if the day is a wash out, it works as Plan B.

5) The Tent

If you plan to take the day out into the night then clearly this is a must. Despite a noble sense of adventure, the appeal of bivouacking under Mum and Dad’s rain jacket will probably fade quickly. Invest in a nifty pop-up tent to avoid tearing great holes in the nylon by frantically feeding-in structural poles in the pitch dark.