A free-looking excuse to roam central London with a cartoon in hand: a Beano-themed art trail featuring Dennis the Menace and friends is running in the capital this winter, as reported by Secret London.
The idea is simple and family-friendly. Sculptures or artworks based on the comic's characters — Dennis and his dog Gnash, plus other figures from the long-running children's comic — are placed around the city for visitors to track down. It turns a winter walk through London into a treasure hunt, which is a genuinely good trick for entertaining kids on a cold afternoon when the usual museums feel overwhelming.
Trails like this have become a regular feature of London's calendar, and they work well for travellers because they pull you through neighbourhoods you might otherwise skip. You cover ground at a child's pace, stop for hot chocolate along the way, and end up with photos that beat the standard Big Ben shot. The Beano angle adds a dose of British nostalgia that parents will appreciate as much as the children — the comic has been running since 1938, so there's a good chance someone in your group grew up on it.
Practical notes: art trails of this kind usually run for a fixed season (winter, in this case), with maps available online or via an app so you can plan a route. Some trails finish with characters being auctioned for charity or collected into one final display, so it's worth checking the organisers' site for the end date before you travel. Details such as exact locations and dates were not fully accessible in the original report, so verify the current run before building a trip around it.
If you're heading to London in the colder months with family in tow, this is a low-cost, high-fun addition to your itinerary — pair it with a ride on the nearby river boats or a matinee show and you've got a full day.
