Bus routes for a fun family day out in the South

As the summer holidays get under way, many families will be searching for cheap but fun days out.

A bus trip can be a way to travel on a budget and see new places, and is a way of saving money by avoiding parking and petrol costs. Plus, free bus travel for five-to-15-year-olds in England on participating services will be available in August.

New Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced last week that the bus fare cap in England will revert to £2 from January.

The scheme will replace the existing £3 fare cap and will "help with the cost of living and give people the breathing space they need", says the government.

Ahead of the new fare cap coming into place next year, we have rounded up some of the best bus routes for a family day out across the south of England.

In Oxfordshire, bus route 33 takes you past "characterful villages, historic houses, undulating countryside, and secluded woodland" in the Chilterns, according to Oxford Bus Company.

On this route you can catch the bus to Wallingford, National Trust's Nuffield Place or Henley-on-Thames.

Passengers from Oxford can take the 33 by taking the X40 River Rapids - which Oxford Bus Company describes as a "picturesque" route - south to Crowmarsh Gifford Church, then crossing the road to board the 33, next to the church.

Operated by Reading Buses, the Windsor Express routes – London Line 702 and Flightline 703 – give you links across Berkshire and into London which are "perfect for cost-effective commuting and ideal for some really great days out", according to the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

Both services connect Windsor - including Legoland Windsor Resort - with Slough and Langley.

London Line 702 continues to London Victoria Coach Station, with stops at Hyde Park Corner, Kensington High Street and Hammersmith.

Meanwhile, Flightline 703 operates to Heathrow Terminal 5 and Bracknell to the West. North Ascot and Winkfield are served every two hours.

In the Isle of Wight, the Southern Vectis Route 12 is a scenic bus journey travelling between Newport Bus Station and Alum Bay.

The journey takes nearly an hour in total and goes via some of the island's most pictureesque villages - Carisbrook, Shorwell, Brighstone, Compton Bay, Freshwater Bay and Totland.

It ends with spectacular views over the Solent and the famous Needles Lighthouse.

Those wanting to visit the New Forest from Bournemouth or Southampton can do so by taking the New Forest Breezers.

The New Forest National Park is known for its ancient woodlands, extensive open heathlands and free-roaming ponies that wander through villages and trails.

The routes that head into the New Forest are the New Forest Breezer 86 between Southampton and Lymington, along with the 81/82 services linking Bournemouth and Lymington.

At the beginning of this year Morebus announced an expansion of its Breezer brand, which operates on existing routes.

Among the buses in the New Forest Breezer brand are the double-deck Euro VI vehicles, offering "luxury" seating and tables upstairs.

In Dorset, for those wanting to travel from Weymouth to Lyme Regis and Axminster via West Bay and Bridport, the Jurassic Coaster will take you along the picturesque coastline.

The Jurassic Coast is one of the most spectacular coastlines in England, featuring famous landmarks - including Durdle Door - and was England's first natural Unesco World Heritage Site.