Pick a route that suits small legs

Somerset rewards families who ramble gently. There is no need to conquer anything. A circular walk of two to three miles across the Quantock Hills, the Mendips or the Blackdown Hills is plenty for children who are still building their walking legs, and the county's network of waymarked paths means you can almost always find a loop that starts and finishes at the same gate.

Look for routes with a bit of variety rather than a steady slog. The Somerset Levels give you flat, pushchair-friendly droves and wonderful birdlife, while a short climb up to a viewpoint such as Brent Knoll or Burrow Mump delivers a proper sense of achievement without demanding a full day. Check the terrain before you go: what looks like a gentle line on a map can turn into a slippery clay slope after a week of rain, and wellington boots are worth more than trainers between November and March.

As a rule, allow an hour of walking time for every mile with under-sevens in the party. That sounds generous, and it is — you will spend much of it examining beetles, practising balancing on a fallen branch and negotiating the correct order of snack consumption.

Build a picnic that travels well

The best walking food is sturdy, easy to eat with one hand and not too heavy in the rucksack. Think of it as fuel rather than a formal meal and you will get the balance right.

• Slow-release carbohydrates: malt loaf, flapjack, oat biscuits and wholemeal rolls with cheese or ham keep everyone going for longer than a packet of crisps.
• Easy protein: scotch eggs, a small pork pie or cold sausages are traditional for good reason — they survive being squashed at the bottom of a bag.
• Fruit that travels: apples, satsumas and grapes withstand a rucksack far better than bananas or soft berries.
• Crunch and dip: cucumber and carrot sticks with a small tub of hummus add freshness when everyone has had enough of pastry.
• Something to look forward to: a few squares of chocolate or a couple of biscuits per person, kept for the top of the climb.

Pack food in named portions where you can. Children graze better when they are handed their own little bag rather than being invited to help themselves from a shared box, and you will avoid the classic rucksack explosion halfway up a hill. A freezer bag of damp flannels or a small packet of wet wipes is worth its weight when hands are sticky and covered in mud.

Water, and plenty of it

Thirst is easy to miss when the wind is blowing and the scenery is distracting. Bring at least one full bottle per person, and more in summer. A frozen bottle tucked beside the sandwiches keeps the whole picnic cool and melts into cold drinking water by lunchtime.

For cooler days, a flask of hot chocolate or tea is a small luxury that transforms a rest stop into an event. If you are walking on the higher ground of Exmoor's fringes or the Quantocks, remember that the wind can make a mild afternoon feel sharp, so a warm drink in a flask is genuinely useful rather than merely indulgent. Do not rely on finding a shop or a pub open along the route — many village pubs in Somerset keep limited hours, particularly out of season.

Pack the blanket, and something to sit on

A waterproof-backed picnic blanket earns its place in the bag on almost every walk. Even on dry days the grass on a shaded bank holds moisture, and damp trousers make the second half of a ramble miserable. Fold it flat against the back of the rucksack so it doubles as padding.

For larger families, a couple of lightweight foam sit mats are better than nothing at all and take up less room than a second blanket. A large bin bag or two is also worth carrying: it can be sat on, used as a makeshift rain shelter for the picnic itself, or filled with litter on the way home.

Make the rest stop the best bit

Stop before anyone is exhausted. A rest taken when spirits are still high lasts twenty minutes and restores everyone; one taken in tears tends to end the walk altogether. Aim to pause at roughly the halfway point, ideally somewhere with a view, a grassy bank and a gate to lean on.

Use the time properly. Get boots and socks off if it is warm, let feet dry in the air, and let the children run about while you unpack. A simple game of spotting buzzards, listening for skylarks or counting different types of wildflower turns a snack break into a memory. If you are walking near the Levels, keep an eye out for herons and little egrets; on the higher ground, red deer and the occasional hobby are possible sightings.

Leave nothing but footprints

Somerset's footpaths cross working farmland, and the goodwill of the people who maintain them depends on walkers behaving well. Take every scrap of litter home, including fruit peel and apple cores, which can harm livestock. Close gates behind you, keep dogs under close control near sheep and cattle, and give horses a wide berth with a quiet word as you pass.

Finally, tell someone where you are going and roughly when you expect to be back. Phone signal is patchy across much of the county's higher ground, so a printed route and a charged phone kept in a dry bag are sensible companions for any family picnic ramble.