Somerset Space Walk - Jupiter

The Somerset Space Walk spreads across the county like an outdoor classroom, with Jupiter stationed somewhere along the route - a full-scale model that stops you in your tracks. It's the sort of thing that makes sense only when you're standing in front of it: a proper way to grasp just how massive the planets actually are, rendered at a consistent scale so you can walk the solar system.

You won't spend hours here gawping at one spot. Instead, you're covering ground between stations, which means it works brilliantly if you're already touring around Somerset or based at somewhere like Cornish Farm, five miles south near Taunton. The walk itself is the point - fresh air, a bit of movement, and then the payoff when you reach each planet and your brain does that satisfying click of scale recognition.

Historically minded visitors and families with children old enough to walk will get the most from this. Younger kids might lose interest if you're treating it as a museum experience rather than a ramble. Teenagers who've started GCSE physics will find it genuinely useful.

The catch is it's weather-dependent. A grey, drizzly Somerset afternoon will test your commitment. Spring and early autumn are ideal - dry enough to walk properly, light enough in the evening if you're doing this as a bonus activity after a park day.

Free admission, as far as I can tell, and you're not paying for the privilege of walking around your own county. Just turn up with decent shoes.