What's on during the school holidays to keep your family

entertained? Mervyn Hancock picks the best in the West

for the young and not so young

Bat Walks

Is it a lesser horseshoe or a daubentons? Discover the bats

at the castle on this evening walk around the gardens,

Thursday, August 7 and Friday, August 8, 8.30-10pm. Dunster

Castle, Dunster, nr Minehead, Somerset. Call 01643 821314.

Victorian Attic and Basement Tour

Discover what life would have been like for a Victorian

servant as your guide brings the unfurnished rooms to life on

this award-winning tour. Thursday, August 7, 11.30am-1.30pm.

Dunster Castle, Dunster, nr Minehead, Somerset. Call 01643

821314.

Hidden Kitchens

Meet members of the Victorian household and discover more

about life below stairs on these special basement tours.

Wednesday, August 6, 2.30-3.30pm. Dunster Castle, Dunster, nr

Minehead, Somerset. Call 01643 821314.

Summer Trail

A fun trail and quiz aimed at families with children wishing

to run (or walk) around Barrington Court's gardens and orchards

and do the trail. A small prize on completion. Friday, August

1, to Tuesday, August 12. Call 01460 241938.

Big Wednesday

Activities for children linked with the down. Wednesday,

August 6, 11am-3pm, in the visitor centre next to the Brean

Down Cove Cafe. Brean Down, Brean, Somerset. Call 01458

832840.

Sheepdog and Falconry Shows

Join David Kennard and his dogs for a fun and fascinating

sheepdog show in the castle park, including Jonathan Marshall

with his birds of prey display. Tuesday, August 5, 5.30-7pm.

Dunster Castle, Somerset. Call 01643 821314.

Party on the Hill

Taking place in countryside surroundings at Bath Racecourse,

you can expect to find live music on the main stage from the

likes of local talent the Duckworths and Chocker with more acts

to follow, as well as a dance tent and cider tent, fairground

rides and more. Saturday, August 9, 8pm-2am. Bath Racecourse,

Lansdown, Bath, Somerset.

Open Gardens

Dozens of private and public gardens across the West Country

opened to the public through the National Gardens Scheme,

including Binegar Village gardens and Coombe House,

Glastonbury, on Sunday, August 3. Call 01483 211535 or visit

www.ngs.org.uk for more information and an open garden near

you.

It's a Knockout

Featuring a number of fun games involving giant inflatables,

water and foam, this team event is not to be missed. Spaces

limited to 12 teams of 10, entry £500 per team. Saturday,

August 2, from 11am. Oak Tree Arena, Highbridge, Somerset.

Contact Secret World for more details on 01278 783250 or

enquiries@secretworld.org.

Golf and horse riding

Take up golf at Bridgwater College. Call 01278

655007. Group lessons, private lessons and jumping lessons

available at the equestrian centre. Call 01278 655023.

Bridgwater College, Bridgwater, Somerset.

Harvest festival

Burtle Village harvest festival celebrations with live

entertainment from the Mangledwurzels, Saturday, August 2, in

Burtle Marquee, Burtle Road, Somerset.

Archaeological Finds Identification

Bring in your archaeological discoveries and get them

identified by the Portable Antiquities Scheme. Monday, August

4, 11am-3pm. Wells and Mendip Museum, Somerset.

Dolls and Toys Special Exhibition

A special one-day exhibition of dolls and toys from the

Dunster Dolls Museum rarely seen. Includes demonstrations,

sales table, raffle and much more. Wednesday, August 6,

10.30am-4.30pm. Dunster Memorial Hall, Somerset.

Shoo Shoo Baby Musical Cabaret

Duo performing on Sunday, August 3. 8pm show, with picnic in

the park from 6.30pm. All under cover and seated in the main

marquee at Taunton Flower Show, Vivary Park, Taunton, Somerset.

Call 01984 624564.

Summer camp

Day camps at King Edward's Pre-Prep School for children aged

four-14 with sport, art and play. All camps are Ofsted

registered and staff are CRB cleared. Until Friday, August 22,

9.30am-4.30pm. Weston Lane, Bath Somerset.

Railway TOY AND COLLECTORS' FAIR

West Somerset Railway fair, with up to 50 dealers' stalls on

the platform at Minehead Railway Station. Mainly vintage model

railways but also die-casts and other items of interest.

Sunday, August 3, 10.30am-4pm. Call 01643 704996.

Taunton Flower Show

Show gardens, competitive classes, a magnificent floral

marquee, garden traders, arena events and much more. Friday,

August 1, to Saturday, August 2, 11am-8.30pm and 11am-6pm.

Vivary Park, Taunton, Somerset.

RESCUE AT SEA and Helicopter flights

Summer exhibition at the Helicopter Museum detailing the

role played by the various coastguard and lifeboat agencies and

explaining why helicopters are so vital for rescue operations.

For the younger visitors why not fill in an activity funsheet,

hunt for the starfish in the exhibition and watch real-life

helicopter rescues on the new TV tugboat. Until Sunday, August

31, 10am-5.30pm. Take to the sky in a 15-mile helicopter flight

over Weston-super-Mare and the surrounding coastline in one of

the museum's helicopters. Wednesday, August 6, 2-5.30pm. The

Helicopter Museum, Weston-super-Mare.

27th Glastonbury Children's Festival

Four days of performance, participation and fun for

children and families. About 20 performances each day from

clowns, jugglers and puppeteers plus craft marquee,

inflatables, circus skills workshops, clay workshops, ballpool,

barfly, badge-making and more. Friday, August 8, to Monday,

August 11, 11am-5pm. Abbey Park Playground, Fishers Hill,

Somerset. Call 01458 832925.

Rural Craft Demonstrations

Demonstrations with Bill Moore. Friday, August 8,

10am-4pm. Somerset Rural Life Museum.

Ghost hunt

Ghost Hunt with Ian Lawman, which includes exclusive

access to the building, a special tour detailing real-life

experiences and historical information, a medium talk and

workshop, full use of ghost-hunting and psychic equipment,

paranormal experiments, post-event discussions and refreshments

served throughout the night. A cold supper buffet will also be

served. Saturday, August 9, to Sunday, August 10, 9pm-5am.

Woodchester Mansion, Gloucestershire.

Purton Hulls Guided Tours

Come and explore the fascinating remains of schooners,

trows and the mighty concrete lighters to discover a long-lost

way of life. Sunday, August 17, 2-4.30pm. Purton Lower Bridge,

Purton. Call 07833 143231.

August Activity Days at Beechenhurst

A series of fun one-hour sessions at Beechenhurst Lodge

every Tuesday morning until August 26. Drop in at either 10am

or 11am for an hour of fun ranger-led activities. Bring clothes

you don't mind getting dirty. Beechenhurst Lodge, Forest of

Dean, Gloucestershire. Call 0845 3673787.

Badger Watch in the forest

Start the evening with a short walk looking for signs of

badger activity and learning about these nocturnal creatures.

Then settle down and hopefully observe the badgers when they

emerge for their evening of hunting and play. A torch is

essential, and insect repellent is recommended. Tuesday, August

12, Thursday, August 28, 8.15-10.15pm and 7.45pm-9.45pm.

Booking essential, call 01594 833057.

Nature Detectives

Spend an hour discovering the secret world of bugs, birds

and beasts that live in the forest. Tuesday, August 12,

10am-noon. Beechenhurst Lodge, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire.

Call 0845 3673787.

Wood Cookies and Magic Carpets

Create your own designs on a wood cookie to wear as

jewellery, use as a decoration, or invent your own use. Later,

see what you can find to make your own magic carpet. Tuesday,

August 19, 10am-noon. Beechenhurst Lodge, Forest of Dean,

Gloucestershire. Call 0845 3673787.

South Somerset play days

The district council and local volunteers will host 16

play days including giant games, sand and water play, bug hunts

and outdoor cookouts, blind trails, art attacks, demonstrations

of the ancient art of coppicing and woodland management and 999

rescue displays. For locations and dates, visit

www.southsomerset.gov.uk/ playdays or call 01935

462412.

Woodfest

Tree climbing, traditional wood and stone carving skills

and charcoal making are just some of the treats in store at

this year's Woodfest, the annual community woodland fair.

Sunday, July 27, 10am-5pm, at Ridgewood Local Nature Reserve in

Chipping Sodbury. Call 01454 863592 or 01454 863725.

PIRATE TALES

Listen to pirate tales from the excellent Rattlebox

theatre company. Performances every hour. Monday, August 4 and

Monday, August 11, 11am-5pm. Portland Castle, Dorset. Then, on

Wednesday, August 10, and Wednesday, August 27, from 11am-5pm,

pirates take over the castle with dramatic displays of cannons

and other black-powder weapons. Learn about the history of

piracy in the Dorset area and hear tales of Dorset-born pirates

around the world.

CIVIL WAR AT OLD WARDOUR

Step back to the Civil War and witness displays of life

from more than 360 years ago. With combat and musket firings,

cookery and medical displays, there's something for all the

family to enjoy. Saturday, August 9, and Sunday, August 10,

11am-5pm. Old Wardour Castle, Wiltshire.

TRADITIONAL GAMES WEEKEND

Visit Old Wardour Castle and enjoy fun activities such as

croquet and quoits or try your hand at giant jenga. Satuday,

August 16, and Sunday, August 17, 10am-6pm. Old Wardour Castle,

Wiltshire.

ROMAN ACTIVITY WEEK

Visit the inner bailey for a taster of Roman life.

Visitors of all ages can get hands-on with activities such as

mosaic making and children can take part in a Roman drill.

Monday, August 18, to Friday, August 22, 10am-5pm. Old Sarum,

Wiltshire.