Hobbit-esque stories for younger children?

[flussymummy]

We're going on holiday skiing next week with our two DDs (4 and 2) and our nephews (9 and 6) and I'd love to find a chapter book that I could read aloud to the older three that might help inspire a love of mountains/outdoor activities/animals etc. Heidi might be a bit girly for the computer game obsessed boys -ideally I'd like something like that which will appeal to them all! Any suggestions anybody? Or should I just stick to Roald Dahl?!

How about Enid Blyton's Famous Five? Not mountains but quite outdoorsy? I loved Arthur Ransome but that would only be right for the eldest one.

The Adventure series by Enid Blyton had a Mountain of Adventure in it. Biggles. Just William. Something by Michael Morpurgo - loads of animals there!

Comet in Moominland, stuffed with adventures. Roald Dahl is great though.

Pippi Longstocking.

Chalet school
Swallows and Amazons-or Winter Holiday perhaps if you're skiing
Malcome Saville's Lone Pine are very outdoory. Seven White Gates, or perhaps Neglected Mountain?

Francesca Simon (as in Horrid Henry) wrote a picture book for younger children called Camels Don't Ski! Might be suitable for the three youngest.

Enid Blyton also wrote The Secret Mountain.

truckers
and
diggers

by

pratchett

they
are
awesomeness

Thank you very much for all of the suggestions!

I agree that the Moomin series is rather good, the originals not any TV spinoffs.