TRAVEL: OUTDOOR DEPARTURES

Three months from today, hundreds of free, organised hikes of between three and six miles will be held around the country: the Ramblers Association invites non-members to participate in its annual Family Rambling Day on 30 June. For a nationwide list of events, send a stamped addressed envelope to George Hill, Ramblers Association, 1 Wandsworth Road, London SW8 2XX.

The Youth Hostels Association of England and Wales (01727 845047) sells activity breaks for young people under the "Actionpack" slogan. They are designed to enable people try new activities. Two days of caving based at Edale or Llangollen costs pounds 81; a windsurfing week in Wales is pounds 259; and learning to hang-glide in Edale costs pounds 149. The minimum age is 16, except for hang-gliding (18 years).

The finale of this year's North Pennines Festival is an event called "Walking on the Roof of England" on 12 May. Participants take the South Tynedale Railway along the valley from the town of Alston, and can choose between routes of four, eight or 16 miles. Call 01434 382069 for information and bookings.

Footpath Holidays (01985 840049) has Dartmoor tours over Easter and in May, June, July and August, based at the Moorland Links Hotel near Yelverton. Durations vary from four to seven nights, at a price of around pounds 55 per night.

Land's End Backpackers is not quite on the southwestern tip of Britain, but is the closest hostel - a half-hour walk away. It is also the first entry in the Independent Hostel Guide 1996, published by The Backpackers' Press (01629 580427) at pounds 3.95. Other cheap beds in Cornwall can be found at the Kelynack Bunkbarn in St Just and in Newquay - the latter reserved for "surfers and international travellers only".

Our trips are rarely soft options and hardly suitable for the occasional recreational walker." Bob Lancaster of High Places (0114-275 7500) does not mince his words about his mountain walking and Nordic ski itineraries in east Iceland. Wilderness skiing or ski-mountaineering at Easter costs pounds 870, while a summer trek across the mountains and fiords in July or August lasts two weeks and costs pounds 1,320.

White-water rafting is not an activity you might associate immediately with the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, but river adventures are possible within easy reach of Antalya and Marmaris. For example, Alternatif Turizm Marmaris (00 90 252 413 5994) offers a day rafting on the Dalaman river near Marmaris or the Kopru river near Antalya for about pounds 35 including transfers (about 90 minutes), lunch, tuition, four or five hours rafting on grade two rapids in two-person inflatable kayaks. Longer trips, involving camping, trekking and mountain biking, can also be arranged.

The Via Inglese, or "English Trail", is a path to the 12,000-foot Quintino Sella, a mountain refuge built in 1885. This is one stop on the trekking holiday called "In the Footsteps of Whymper", following the trail laid by the Victorian mountaineer Edward Whymper. Ravenwalk (01234 824521) organises a week-long trip in August which costs pounds 495 excluding flights to and from Turin.

Abercrombie & Kent (0171-730 9600) is organising Andalucian safaris based on Ronda and Arcos, using scheduled flights from London to Gibraltar. Prices of pounds 995-pounds 1,140 include all transport and meals, plus accommodation in hunting lodges and hotels.

For a day out in Paris or Brussels, see the Independent on Sunday tomorrow. It contains details of an exclusive two-for-the-price-of-one offer for day returns on Eurostar. A couple can travel from Waterloo to the French or Belgian capital for only pounds 125.