Outdoors this winter in the South East

There are those who say walking is a boring form of exercise. Those people have clearly never battled up a South Downs hill in a buffeting wind - the type that inflates your jacket and pummels you onwards. Or walked across a Sussex heath in a strong steady gale that tempts you to lean in to it, arms outstretched, just to see how far it will hold your weight. It's great for your mental health too...

Hugh Mothersole, our volunteer photographer and web editor, gives us his top tips for taking pictures of winter landscapes in all weathers, not just the winter snows...

Fill your lungs with fresh seaside air on a wander through and above some of our most astonishing scenery. Then stop off at a local (Non NT) pub en route to fill your boots as a reward.

Share a wander in the great outdoors with your four-legged friends. Encounter wagging tails on woodland trails or padding paws in wide open parkland. Keep things fresh with a wide variety of trails ready to welcome you and your happy hound.

Why walk from A to B when you can stroll from A all the way back to A again? Loop around some of our top circular walks, built for convenience but without scrimping on the scenery. Find panoramic hilltop views of Surrey at Box Hill or explore the birth place of Magna Carta at Runnymede.

A child who has run around in the fresh air is so much nicer to be around. And if it’s in a beautiful place then we’re happy too. But persuading a child away from a screen in a cosy room into the cold outdoors for a walk can be tricky. Here are a few tips

Create special memories on one of our trails where you’ll find areas of interest for both big kids and little ones. Let your imagination run wild in the story telling chairs at Sheffield Park or come face to face with a woodland wizard at Hatchlands Park.

We'd love to see you this February half-term at your local National Trust place for some fun family activities. Visit Hughenden in Buckinghamshire and help make Bughenden Manor, a great big giant house perfect for woodland creatures or explore the castle and grounds at Bodiam Castle to discover hidden treasures in East Sussex.