“Besides the essentials – picnic, water, sun cream, waterproofs and plasters – I always carry a few ‘extras’ in my rucksack: a ball (a tennis-sized foam ball or inflatable beach ball are best in terms of weight), one of those pop-up pocket frisbees, a microfibre towel (less bulky than a normal towel, but great for drying feet after paddles), a small net (available from pet shops and aquatic centres, they’re equally good for rock-pooling as for catching grasshoppers and butterflies in meadows), wet wipes (always useful, no matter what age your kids are!), a pack of playing cards, Uno or top trumps (these were a life saver when we turned up at a cable-car station once, only to find it had just closed for lunch!), super-concentrate squash (the palm-sized containers easily fit in your rucksack, meaning you can dilute with water as you need it) and a sweet treat to boost energy and/or morale levels if needed (obviously, avoid chocolate if it’s likely to melt).”
Beth Hancock