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Spring: Things To Do Across The UK

2 years ago

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It’s time to get out and enjoy spring. Even if it is just a walk to your local park, a jog along the river, or a hike up a remote hill away from it all, get outside and soak it all up. To get you excited about the arrival of warmer weather, if you’re looking for the best places to visit and things to do in spring in the UK, your search ends here. From lovely staycations to festivals, we’ve rounded up the best seasonal sojourns from every corner of the country…

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Spring Guide: Things To Do & Where To Go In The UK

Deptford Creek

Visit London’s Very Own Nature Creek

Who said you need to leave London to soak in some nature? Deptford Creek is one of the last natural creeks in the UK and it’s bursting with 120 species of wild flowers.

Spot Birds at Havergate Island

Hop in a boat to Havergate Island in the middle of the River Ore to spot wading birds. It’s best-known for breeding avocets and terns at this time of year. The boat goes out at 10am on the first Saturday of every month, taking just 12 people, so plan ahead for a birdwatching experience that’s far away from the crowds. thesuffolkcoast.co.uk

Joana Vasconcelos, Solitaire, 2018. Photo © Jonty Wilde, Courtesy Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Visit Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Yorkshire Sculpture Park, set in the glorious parkland of Bretton Hall estate, displays works by leading sculptors of the 20th century and is an absolute must-see. Until September 2024, there are four magnificent Damien Hirst sculptures on display.

Joana Vasconcelos, Solitaire, 2018. Photo © Jonty Wilde, Courtesy Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Lindisfarne Castle from the Rocks with rock pool in foreground

Step Back In Time at Lindisfarne

Step back in time on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, Northumberland, and marvel at all that has been preserved. From ponies to seals, the wildlife on the island is also spectacular.

Lindisfarne, Northumberland

Take a Trip To A Castle

Visit the stunning formal gardens of Alnwick Castle, redeveloped by the Duchess of Northumberland, which has its very own poison garden and a fantastic restaurant in a treehouse.

Or venture up to Scotland or across to Ireland for more castles galore.

View of Aber Falls in Snowdonia National Park

Visit A Waterfall

Take a spring walk to see the Rhaeadr Fawr waterfall (Aber Falls), home to many rare and beautiful birds from the Great Spotted woodpecker to the pied flycatcher.

Take A Trip To Scotland

Hop aboard a steam train and take in the Scottish landscape from the comfort of a railway carriage. Harry Potter fans will be delighted to cross the Glenfinnan viaduct, recognisable from the films.

If you’re in Aberdeen, relax and unwind in an outdoor space if you’re able to. Try the Japanese-inspired Johnston Gardens, with flowing waterfalls, trickling streams and gorgeous blooms.

Looking out from a telescope view point across the Surrey and Sussex countryside from the North Downs to the South Downs. Taken from the top of Leith Hill Tower in England, UK

Climb Leith Hill Tower

Count counties from Leith Hill Tower in Dorking on a clear morning. It’s the highest point in south-east England, which means you might even spot a boat on the Channel.

The village of Kingsand on the Rame Peninsula in South East Cornwall England UK Europe

Kingsand Beach (c) Getty.

Escape For A Spring Staycation

Escape the crowds and head to Cornwall for a spring staycation. Check out our guides to the best things to do in Cornwall (better still, the best sustainable things to do in Cornwall), and Cornwall for kids.

Visit Lundy Island

Step back to a simpler time on Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel. Here you’ll find puffins, seals… no cars. Bliss. You can stay in castles, old school houses and lighthouses through the Landmark Trust.

Photo by Sarah Kilian on Unsplash

Programme for Schools at Hay Festival 2019 credit Sam Hardwick

Enjoy A Literary Festival

At the end of every May, the literati gathers at the UK’s favourite book festival in Hay, where the small town, with more than its fair share of bookshops, attracts names as diverse as Eddie Izzard, Miriam González Durántez (and her husband Nick Clegg), Helen Fielding and Colm Toíbín.

hayfestival.com

Image (c) Sam Hardwick

Spring is coming blossoming tree cherry, almond, sakura. Beautiful white pink flowers, blooming tree. Beautiful trees in park. Blossoming alley

See Beautiful Cherry Blossom

Forgo the long-haul flight to Kyoto and head to the Japanese gardens at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens instead. From as early as the end of February, nature’s confetti decorates the trees here. But, for the best cherry blossom vista, visit in April or May when the blossoms are in full bloom.

Ashridge Estate: What to do and visit in the UK in spring

Bluebell Views

Between April and May, follow the woodland path on the Ashridge Estate in Hertfordshire, admiring the springtime carpet of bluebells as you go.

Visit A Boutique Festival

If smaller is more your speed, head to one of the nation’s smaller music festivals for all the fun with less of the stress. This year, Sussex’s Elderflower Fields will be taking place from 27–30 May, brimming with brilliant music, sports, nature and art.

Check out our full guide to the UK’s best boutique festivals

Tides out and the sun rises on Cromer beach, Norfolk, uk

Go Crabbing in East Anglia

Crabbing season starts in late April. While Cromer is the obvious choice, gillying in Blakeney Quayside and Wells Harbour is also popular. Wait for high tide and use bacon as bait if you’re using a line.

Image: Cromer Pier

Or try Gravetye Manor, one of the most historically significant horticultural sites in the UK. Once owned by William Robinson – whose wild gardening ideas popularised the English cottage garden – guests can venture on guided walks ranging between 30 minutes and four hours, covering gardens, meadows and woodlands.

Gravetye Manor, Vowels Ln, East Grinstead RH19 4LJ

gravetyemanor.co.uk

Exbury Gardens

See winter shake off its torpor and the year really come alive at Exbury Gardens, the vision of Lionel de Rothschild, who planted copious colourful rhododendrons and azaleas, which are best seen in May.

Exbury Gardens, Southampton

exbury.co.uk

Stroll Around A Pretty Garden

There are plenty of gorgeous gardens across the UK worth a daytrip, but our pick this spring is the newly reopened Borde Hill in West Sussex, a Grade II* listed garden set within 383 acres of heritage parkland. There’s an Enchanted Garden Trail for little ones, a Spring Plant Fair for horticulturalists, and an Eco Trail, too.

Borde Hill, Borde Hill Ln, Haywards Heath RH16 1XP

bordehill.co.uk

(Image © Emli Bendixen)

Try Southampton’s Accessible Walking Trails

Southampton’s new walking trail is making it easier for people with physical and learning difficulties to explore the city this spring. Wander along the ‘From Parks to Port’ trail to experience the city’s textures, smells and sounds with 15 key locations on the map.

seesouthampton.co.uk

Follow The Art Trail At Fairmont Windsor Park

Featuring work from acclaimed artists Paul Vanstone and Thomas Joynes, this countryside Windsor hotel has teamed up with The High-Performance Art Gallery to showcase a curated selection of stunning sculptures. Guests of Fairmont Windsor Park will immediately be able to see the sculptures upon entrance to the grand estate, and more across the 40 acres of lush greenery.

Bishopsgate Rd, Englefield Green, Windsor TW20 0YL

fairmont-windsorpark.com

Picture by Chris Bull

Visit The Manchester Gallery

The Manchester Gallery reopened on 18 February 2023 following a major, £15 million refurbishment. Expect new exhibition spaces and more inclusive facilities for visitors, as well as the brand-new South Asia Gallery in partnership with the British Museum. Overall, the museum aims to ‘build greater understanding between cultures, a more sustainable world and to bring to life the lived experience of diverse communities through the Museum’s historic collections and new displays’.

Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL

museum.manchester.ac.uk

Photo by Chris Bull.

c James Gourley/REX/Shutterstock

Try Cheese Rolling

Yes, you read that right. Ever rolled a cheese down a hill? Perhaps not, but every Spring bank holiday, health and safety goes out the window and runners hurtle down the exceedingly steep Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire after a 7lb Double Gloucester.

You may well ask, but its a centuries old tradition that has even earned a dedicated episode of Netflix documentary series, We Are The Champions.

Dylan Thomas' Boathouse in Laugharne, Wales

Celebrate Dylan Thomas Day

14 May

Celebrate Wales’ most famous literary son on International Dylan Thomas day also in May. Do make sure you visit his boathouse in Laugharne, where he wrote many of his most famous works.

Freshwater Bay, Isle of Wight at Sundown

Join The Isle Of Wight’s Walking Festival

Avoid the crowds and the summer heat and get fit at the same time by taking park in the Isle of Wight’s annual walking festival each May, or do your own version. For those up for the challenge, you can walk round the whole island (72 miles) in 24 hour.

isleofwightwalkingfestival.co.uk

Enjoy Afternoon Tea At Cliveden House

Cliveden House is an illustriously historical house with a delicious afternoon tea worth the journey. Served in the Cliveden Dining Room, enjoy views of the impressive grounds, gardens and woodland.

Cliveden House, Taplow, Berkshire SL6 0JF

clivedenhouse.co.uk

Stratford-upon-Avon

Celebrate Shakespeare’s Birthday

22 April

Pay tribute to the Bard on his birthday at Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust in Stratford-upon-Avon, where you can tread the floorboards of the home where he was born and admire the gardens of Anne Hathaway’s cottage.

Tresco Channel showing Cromwell's Castle and Isle of Bryher

Walk Scilly

It’s been 20 years since the first Walk Scilly, an annual week in April brimming with island knowledge parsed by local experts. Author Raynor Winn – who, despite walking the entire South West Coast Path, has never been to Scilly – will be a guest speaker, while Cornish business Molesworth & Bird will be seaweed foraging and pressing and, as always, locals will showcase their favourite walks on each island.

visitislesofscilly.com

Celebrate Easter

31 March 2023

Undoubtedly one of the most wholesome annual celebrations, spring means Easter and Easter means chocolate. Tuck into tasty Hot Cross Buns slathered with butter, bake some chocolatey goodies or cook a scrumptious roast, plan an egg hunt and, most importantly, make sure you eat lots and lots of choccy.

Make the most of your long weekend by venturing on a wholesome Easter walk, or visiting an English Heritage site for their ‘Easter Escapades’ filled with Easter-themed games.

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Spring: Things To Do Across The UK

Spring Guide: Things To Do & Where To Go In The UK

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DON'T MISS AN ISSUE

Spring Guide: Things To Do & Where To Go In The UK

Visit London’s Very Own Nature Creek

Spot Birds at Havergate Island

Visit Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Step Back In Time at Lindisfarne

Take a Trip To A Castle

Visit A Waterfall

Take A Trip To Scotland

Climb Leith Hill Tower

Escape For A Spring Staycation

Visit Lundy Island

Enjoy A Literary Festival

See Beautiful Cherry Blossom

Bluebell Views

Visit A Boutique Festival

Go Crabbing in East Anglia

Stroll Around A Pretty Garden

Try Southampton’s Accessible Walking Trails

Follow The Art Trail At Fairmont Windsor Park

Visit The Manchester Gallery

Try Cheese Rolling

Celebrate Dylan Thomas Day

Join The Isle Of Wight’s Walking Festival

Enjoy Afternoon Tea At Cliveden House

Celebrate Shakespeare’s Birthday

Walk Scilly

Celebrate Easter

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