National Picnic Month

As July is National Picnic Month and the summer sunshine is finally back, what better time is there to pack up a basket and set up a lunchtime picnic? For the perfect summer picnic there are a few things to consider:

Location

Whether you have a favourite spot near where you live or you’re on a staycation in the UK and are finding somewhere new, there are plenty of places to discover! You want to find a wide-open space, with enough room for everybody to comfortably sit together.

Here are just a few places around our parks that are perfect for a family day out to picnic:

Yorkshire – Fountains Abbey

Lancashire – Clitheroe Castle

Northumberland – Bamburgh Castle

North Wales – Snowdonia National Park

Malvern – The Malvern Hills

Cornwall – Fistral Beach

Food

Unless you are going to be buying food near your picnic location you will need to prepare items at home. If you are lucky to have glorious sunshine you might want to take cold foods to cool you down in the sun.

Top tip - Make sure you take a freezer bag to keep drinks cold and food cold if it is getting warm in the sun.

Packing items

Here is a list of items you can tick off so you don’t forget anything!

• Picnic blanket
• Fold out chair if you don’t want to sit on the grass
• Cutlery
• Napkins
• Cups for drinks (reusable if possible)
• Waste bag – to keep separate waste if you have food left and make sure you leave the area you are picnicking in the same as how you found it!