HERE are a few places to go in north and west Wiltshire for parents and children who plan to venture out and explore during the next few days.

Many families will be hoping for some sunshine and to get out during the first school holiday since the Covid pandemic lockdown restrictions were eased.

And the good news is that admission is free – although you will have to pay for food, drink and ice creams where provided!

Many indoor and outdoor attractions are open, albeit with Covid-secure measures in place, and all are eager to welcome you back for learning and adventures.

To secure tickets, it’s best to book online and please read each venue’s Covid-secure measures, put in place to keep you and your family as safe as possible.

We hope you enjoy the Bank Holiday and half term holiday with your family and friends. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that the weather stays fine and dry!

Althelstan Museum, Town Hall, Cross Hayes, Malmesbury, SN16 9BZ - come along to Athelstan Museum with the family and find out about the town's local history - a town built on the site of an Iron Age hill fort. Suitable for ages 5-12, all ages, schools and groups, teenagers, under 5s. Website: www.athelstanmuseum.org.uk/

Avebury, near Marlborough Avebury, Marlborough, SN8 1RF - huge prehistoric stone circle, interesting museum and delightful manor house in Wiltshire. Treat the family to a varied day out in a World Heritage Site. Free admission to the standing stones. Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/avebury

Bowerhill Primary School Scarecrow Trail, Halifax Road, Bowerhill, SN12 6YH - Track down and identify the 22 character scarecrows around the village with prizes for highest scorers. Trail sheets cost £2 per family. It’s on from Saturday to Monday, 10am-4pm. Website: www.bowerhill.wilts.sch.uk/

Bradford on Avon Museum, Bridge Street, Bradford on Avon, BA15 1BY - a local history museum. Learn about the town's Saxon heritage and the Moulton family home at Kingston Mills.Afterwards, why not pay a visit to the Saxon Church and Tithe Barn. Website: www.bradfordonavonmuseum.co.uk/

Chippenham Museum, 10 Market Place, Chippenham, SN15 3HF - a community museum with lots to see and do for the whole family. It holds Chippenham's local history collection with links to Alfred the Great, Queen Mary and Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Children can join in the museum’s popular holiday workshops, follow museum trails, catch up with Alfred Bear or take a tour with its Learning Officer. Website: www.chippenham.gov.uk/chippenham-museum

Drews Pond Wood Local Nature Reserve, One Mile South of Town Centre, Drews Pond Lane, Devizes, SN10 5DT - has loads of things to see and discover, with a network of pathways through woodland that has plenty of different trees to spot, including mighty oaks and tall pines. There is quite a bit of history to see along the way too, such as an old graveyard and a stretch that used to be a drover's road. There is a lovely pond that is usually brimming with ducks and other wildfowl. Website: www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/drews-pond-woods/

Ludgershall Castle, Castle Street, Ludgershall, SP11 9QT - probably begun in the late 11th century by a Sheriff of Wiltshire, Ludgershall was much improved in the 13th century by King John and his son Henry III, who used the castle as a hunting lodge. Three large walls and extensive earthworks survive, while in the centre of the nearby village are the remains of a 14th-century cross. Website: www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/ludgershall-castle-and-cross/

Rowdey Cow Farm Café and Ice Cream Parlour, Lower Farm, Devizes Road, Rowde, Devizes, SN10 2LX - glass-fronted cafe with farm views, for burgers and sandwiches, plus fresh ice cream made on site. Website: www.rowdeycow.co.uk/

Silbury Hill, Avebury, Marlborough, SN8 1RF, known as the English pyramid, is the largest man-made mound in Europe. The mysterious Silbury Hill compares in height and volume to its roughly contemporary Egyptian pyramids completed in around 2400 BC. Website: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on/

The Ridgeway National Trail, Avebury, SN8 1RD, is one of 15 National Trails in England and Wales. You can follow a route that has been used since Prehistoric times, by soldiers, travellers and herdsmen, as you pass through ancient landscapes full of loads of great wildlife to spot, plus interesting archaeological sites. Along the trail, you can see forts and castles, the Bronze Age White Horse, and standing stones, plus watch swans and boats on the River Thames. Chilterns Beech woods and Waylands smithy can also be found along the way, and Avebury World Heritage centre is at one end of the trail. Website: www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/the-ridgeway/

Trowbridge Museum, The Shires Shopping Centre, Court Street, Trowbridge, BA14 8AT - discover 1000 years of Trowbridge's history showcasing exhibits from a range of areas including art, poetry, photography, the Armed Forces and the growth of the cloth industry. The museum hosts a range of family-friendly activities as well as offering new exhibition displays and interactive fun. Entry into the museum is free, with most events hosted also free to get involved with. Website: trowbridgemuseum.co.uk/

Westwood Scarecrow Trail, Tynings Way, Westwood, BA15 2BU – parking is available at Westwood Social Club, BA15 2AP. Trail maps at £5 each are available from the Westwood Village Shop, the New Inn and Iford Manor. It’s on from Saturday, May 28 to Sunday, June 6. Website: www.facebook.com/westwoodscarecrowtrail/