Be a UK nature tourist

If the strong Euro, volcanic ash or carbon footprint worries are putting you off a holiday abroad this year why not stay at home and get closer to wildlife?

You don't have to be an intrepid explorer, kitted out with complicated and expensive equipment to enjoy all the UK has to offer. There are hundreds of wildlife laden places around the country for a day out whether you're off camping, hitting the beach, exploring our woodlands or just spending time in your own back garden.

In the countryside

If you want to get really close to nature, there's nothing better than spending the night under canvas camping in the great outdoors. Remember some simple rules to get the best out of your camping experience:

• Make as little impact on the environment as possible, don't damage fences or surrounding plants and move your tent after 3 nights if possible to let the ground underneath recover.
• Dispose of litter in bins or take it away with you.
• Remember that noise pollution can disturb wildlife as well as other campers.
• Use a stove rather than lighting a fire. They're easier to control and have less impact on the environment, leave surrounding wood as an important habitat for insects.
• If public toilets aren't available, carry a trowel to bury your own waste and urinate well away from open water.

If you prefer a few more mod cons, caravanning is a good green option. Waking up to the dawn chorus is an experience not to be missed but if you only have time for a day trip to the country there are plenty of activities for everyone. You don't need lots of kit to go bird watching or tracking mammals. If you're not sure what you're looking for, nature organisations across the country run regular guided sessions and you can find details of them with BBC Breathing Places. Here are some of the places you can visit in the UK:

Find yourself in the woods

• RSPB Nature reserves
• Wildlife Trusts reserves
• National Trust
• Wetlands centres
• National nature reserves
• National parks
• Local nature reserves
• Wales Nature reserves
• Scotland Nature reserves
• Northern Ireland Nature reserves

In the Woods

Use your leave to get amongst the trees and experience all our woodlands have to offer. Find somewhere to go with the Woodland Trust or Forestry Commission and have a go at identifying the trees or the bugs that live in them.

At the Beach

Rockpools are full of wildlife

As a nation with 11,073 miles of coastline a visit to the seaside is a UK holiday must. Check out the Marine Conservation Society's good beach guide for ideas of where to visit and guidelines for respecting the environment.

Get to know our sealife better with a spot of rockpooling or even snorkeling. There are some great spots around the UK for watching our larger visitors including whales, dolphins and seals. And don't forget about our ancient natural history, try your hand at fossil hunting to find animals and plants from our prehistoric past.

At home

We know some of the most relaxing breaks are spent at home and you can easily get close to nature without getting out of town. There are plenty of activities over on the BBC Breathing Places website that you can do on your doorstep. Why not try making a wildlife friendly garden or indulge in some pond dipping?

If you don't have a green space of your own, head to a nice local park, take a wild walking tour or try to find some urban fossils and open your eyes to what's around you.

Family Activities

If you're tearing your hair out trying to think of ways to entertain the kids, look no further. Download activity guides from BBC Breathing Places or visit one of the sites below for inspiration:

Get the kids out in the fresh air

• The Wildlife Trusts: Wildlife Watch
• The Woodland Trust Nature Detectives
• RSPB kids
• Buglife Bug Buddies
• Butterfly Conservation activity sheets
• Forestry Commission factsheets
• The National Trust Wild Child