Spring Breaks Ideas

Why not celebrate the arrival of spring with a trip away?

Go foraging for wild garlic, meet newborn lambs or treat Mum to a Mother's Day weekend

Woodland walks
Our ancient forests may have been saved from the government chainsaw, for now, but they still need your support, so show how much you value our oxygen-factories by walking in some of the areas that were threatened. The Woodland Trust (visitwoods.org.uk) has a link to loads of wonderful places to visit all over the country.

A change of scene
Springtime can often bring thoughts of shaking your life up, so why not experiment with living like a local in an alternative city for a weekend. You could stay in one of the flash city apartments at Roomzzz Aparthotel (complete with Apple Macs, broadband and designer kitchens, roomzzz.co.uk) which has three locations in Leeds and one Manchester – just £40 a night for a two-night break at Leeds City West Aparthotel if booked before 31 March. The B Suites (thebsuites.com) in Glasgow and Edinburgh cost from £65 a night.

Mother's Day break
Lots of hotels will be offering deals and promotions to celebrate Mother's Day on Sunday 3 April.

Spring festivals
It's not too early to start thinking about tramping around in your wellies in a field. Little spring festivals up and down the country will kickstart your sunny disposition soon. On 5 March Dartmoor will host the Moretonhampstead Festival of Food, Drink and the Arts (moretonfestival.com) with guest chef Michael Caines doing demos, plus live music and 100 stalls. In north-east Scotland the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival (spiritofspeyside.com) runs 28 April-2 May around the area, with food, music – and the odd drink.

Work out in the woods
Fed up with pounding the pavements for your new year fitness plan? Personal trainer Drew Perrott has a new fitness weekend called Workout in the Woods (drewperrott.co.uk, £675pp based on two sharing accommodation, including all meals and activities), where woodland trails and rolling meadows become your natural gym. The programme includes running, cycling and trekking, toning exercises and circuits, plus team fitness challenges, all done outdoors. Best of all, the accommodation will be in the fabulous Olde Bell in Hurley, Berkshire (01628 825939, theoldebell.co.uk), where meals follow the "cave man" approach of eating food in its basic form (meat, fish and vegetables), and simple meals that get smaller (but no less delicious) as the day goes on. The programme lasts from 11am Friday till noon Sunday, with a full day (6.30am-5.30pm) on Saturday.

Flower power
Photograph: Jerry Harpur/National Trust/PA Choose your spring walk based on the best places to see snowdrops, which should be out until mid-March, or bluebells, which come out in April and May. Many of Cheshire's Gardens of Distinction – in the grounds of stately homes – host special guided walks all season, and are also offering free admission to anyone aged 11 and under who dresses up as a fairy – see cheshiresgardens.com/site/fairies-go-free for a list.