Again, cycling is a sensible option for getting around.As China opens up to the outside world under the government’s policy of reform, exploring the past and present of this ancient country has never been easier. Yet for families, striking the balance between being shepherded around the tourist sites of Beijing and embarking on a demanding cultural or walking tour can be difficult. Many of the more adventurous organised tours are designed only for adults, and some operators won’t take teenagers under 16 at all.If you stick to the Beijing area then the best value options will probably be organised or tailor-made tours. Bridge the World (020-7911 0900; www.b-t-w.co.uk), for example, offers tailor-made tours from £699 per person, including return flights from Heathrow to Beijing, six nights accommodation, a tour of the hutongs and a visit to the Mutianyu section of the wall, as well as various other sites.

Other companies offering tailor-made tours include Asiaworld (0870 079 9788) and Regent Holidays (0117 921 1711; www.regent-holidays.co.uk), while China Travel Service (020-7836 9911) offers pre-set trips.If you would prefer to join an organised trip, Travelsphere (01858 410456; www.travelsphere.co.uk) offers an 11-day “Walk the Great Wall” tour,from £995 per person, including five walks of five miles each, at Shanhaiguan and other areas north-east of Beijing, and taking in the main tourist sites in the capital. Silk Steps (0117 940 2800; www.silksteps.co.uk) is also currently developing a “Walking on the Wild Wall” tour which will offer accommodation in a farmhouse near the less-developed Huanghua section of the wall and a two-day hike out from there.If you plan to travel beyond Beijing and you don’t mind the extra effort that this might involve, then creating your own tour may be the cheapest and most rewarding option. Flights to China (with a change of planes along the way) via agents such as Trailfinders ( www.trailfinders.co.uk; 020-7938 3939) or Bridge the World currently start from around £350 per person, increasing to around £400 in the summer and early autumn.Finally, remember that you will need visas before you go. These can be purchased for £25 (up to one month in China) from the Chinese Consulate (31 Portland Place, London W1N 3AG; 020 7631 1430).Q.Now that the leaves may soon be reappearing, I would love to take my two children, aged seven and nine, on a woodland nature trail.

Where can we go for the day that is within easy reach of London? Jayne Fitzwilliam, LondonA.Your easiest access to woodland is probably at Hainault Forest in Essex (near Hainault station at the eastern end of the Central Line). This was once a much larger royal hunting forest and it is home to ancient hornbeam trees that support a range of wildlife from owls, woodpeckers and bats to wood-boring insects, mosses and fungi. The lottery-funded Woodland Trust has invested in upgraded paths here to make the area more accessible for families, so it’s ideal for easy walks.If you’re travelling by car, Wendover Woods off the A4013 between Wendover and Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire offers parking, picnic sites, easy access trails and play equipment. Or you can take the train from Marylebone to Wendover (about 45 minutes) and make your way in from there. Beech, oak and ash trees provide a contrast to the evergreen spruce trees.Are your children Wind in the Willows fans? The inspiration for Mole and Ratty’s environment was Bisham Wood, at Cookham Dene near Maidenhead, along with the riverbank at nearby Marlow.

You can reach the area by road from the M40, then A404, or by train from Paddington to Cookham, changing at Maidenhead (journey time about 45 minutes).To locate other woodlands nearby, visit the Woodland Trust website ( www.woodland-trust .uk) or buy a copy of The Time Out Book of Country Walks (£9.99, Penguin). The book gives details of 52 walks within easy reach of London (using public transport) and including many woodland stretches. Most are probably a little too long for your children, but you could always choose just a section of each walk. The book might also give you some good ideas.Send your family travel questions to S F Robinson, The Independent Parent, Travel Desk, The Independent, 191 Marsh Wall, London E14 9RSO rcrusoe independent.co.uk. Pick and click for detailsNB: Details were checked at the time of going to press but are liable to change.. The 1986/87 Crystal Holidays brochure is an interesting period piece.