THINGS TO DO

We’re all looking for things to keep us entertained or enriched. Here’s some ideas of places to go, things to do, events and curiosities.

Boot sales and markets.

Boot sales are like flea markets – anyone can set up a stall to sell stuff. The stuff is usually second-hand “junk” they are trying to get out of their homes. As the saying goes: “one man’s poison is another man’s treasure”. Generally there is a lot of crap, but there are also bargains to be had. (I once picked up a pair of expensive crystal glasses for £12.)

Boot sales tend to operate March-October, and most towns will have at least one. They might be in a (muddy) field somewhere. As you are driving around your area, look out for a hand-painted sign on the side of the road that says, “Boot Sale here Sunday”. Typically they are on Sunday mornings, and some start far too early.

London has several well known markets like Portobello Road, Spitalfields, Columbia Road Flower Market, Brick Lane, Greenwich and Borough Food Market. All are worth a visit, even just to walk around.

There are also outdoor markets around the country – some of them can be huge, with hundreds of vendors selling anything from toilet seats to clothes to meat.

Find a market near you here: https://www.nmtf.co.uk/market-near-me/

Being in Nature has tremendous, scientifically proven benefits for our mental and physical health. There are lots of options for getting outdoors in the UK, from walks in the local park, to visiting nature reserves, to rambling up peaks.

Walking in the England, you’ll find there are many miles of sign posted public footpaths, byways and bridleways. They allow you to explore the countryside on routes that the landowners approve. Scotland is a little different, in that, technically, you can walk anywhere.

https://footpathmap.co.uk/

https://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/active/walking/routes-trails/

https://www.ramblers.org.uk/policy/scotland/access/scottish-access-rights.aspx

If you’re coming from South Africa and someone says “nature reserve”, you will probably think of Kruger National Park where you are restricted to your car and the fenced camps. Because there are no creatures that can harm you in the UK, nature reserves here allow you to get much closer to Nature. You might also be surprised to find how many nature reserves there are around the county.

Obviously there are no lions, tigers, bears, elephants or herds of buffalo roaming the wilds, but there are lots of birds, invertebrates (including over 2000 species of moth), and reptiles that can be seen. Of course there are mammals too: several species of deer (not buck!), badgers and other mustelids, red and grey squirrels, and perhaps the most elusive, the Scottish Wildcat. https://www.mammal.org.uk/species-hub/uk-mammal-list/

Birds are the easiest to observe, and birdwatching is a growing pastime that is no longer limited to nerdy, middle-aged, white men in green anoraks and binoculars. The best thing about birdwatching is that you can do it anywhere. The thrill of spotting an interesting bird is amplified if the location is unexpected – like seeing a peregrine in central London.

As well as specific sites, there are also AONBs. Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

https://landscapesforlife.org.uk/

There are a few organisations that look after nature reserves which we can visit.

National Trust https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lists/top-nature-reserves

National Trust also have many historic properties – castles, houses etc – which can be visited. They almost always charge for access to any of their sites (fair enough as maintaining property is expensive), and you can get an annual membership which allows access to all their sites. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/join-us (Personal opinion: not worth membership as realistically you’ll only visit one site a year – if you’re lucky.)

Wildlife Trusts https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/

Each region or county has its own Trust (there are 46), but if you become a member of one, you can still access all the other sites managed by the other regional Trusts.

They have 2300 nature reserve sites in all sorts of habitats. Some of the sites might be just a couple of acres of woodland, others might be miles of coastal habitat. https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/visit

(Personal opinion: They do good work and the reserves tend to be less structured and have a more “wild” feeling to them. It would be a good thing to support them with your membership.)

RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) https://www.rspb.org.uk/

RSPB is part of BirdLife International. In the UK part of their work is giving “homes for nature”. They own and manage quite a lot of land around the country. Some of the sites are small and have no facilities. Others are structured sites, with visitor centres and good walkways.

Some of the larger sites include:

Minsmere – Suffolk coast (good for waders and migrant birds)
Titchwell – North Norfolk coast (good for migrants, especially waterfowl and seabirds)
Arne – Dorset, near Poole and Bournemouth (mixed habitat – woodland and coastal)
Nagshead – in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire (woodland – look out for wild boar with “humbugs” in Spring)
South Stacks – near Holyhead on Anglesey, Wales. (cliffs with breeding seabirds in Spring. Also Chough)
Leighton Moss – on the edge of the Lake District in Cumbria
Bempton Cliffs – Yorkshire coast (half a million seabirds breed on the cliffs in Spring-Summer)
Dungeness – Kent coast (strange area on shingle)
Rainham Marsh – eastern edge of London (on the Thames estuary)

There are many other sites. These few mentioned here are some of the more popular ones, with visitor facilities, good paths, and several hides. The sites with manned visitor centres will likely charge non-members for entry.

(Personal opinion: we visit RSPB sites all around the country quite often, and we are happy to support their work through membership fees.)

Woodlands Trust https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/find-woods/

National Nature Reserves https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-nature-reserves-in-england

Generally these reserves are free, and typically less structured, meaning you can wander freely, so long as you adhere to the Countryside Code. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-countryside-code

Go see the Spring flowers in April – May:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/things-to-do/woods-through-the-seasons/spring/best-bluebell-woods/

During October – November the trees turn golden, and the mushrooms appear. How many different types of mushroom can you and your kids find? Just don’t eat them!

Any woods near you will be spectacular, but if you need inspiration further afield try:

Epping Forest: http://www.visiteppingforest.org/things-to-do

Burnham Beeches https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/green-spaces/burnham-beeches-and-stoke-common/visit-burnham-beeches

https://www.countryfile.com/go-outdoors/days-out/best-places-in-britain-to-see-autumn-colours/

In May – June the Azaleas and Rhododendrons are in bloom at Isabella Plantation in Richmond Park.

https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/richmond-park/richmond-park-attractions/isabella-plantation

Airshows are quite good fun. They tend to run over the Summer months at various sites around the country.

Perhaps the largest airshow is RIAT (Royal International Air Tattoo) https://www.airtattoo.com/ held at RAF Fairford in southern Oxfordshire (or is it Gloucestershire?) in July. You’ll see fast and loud military jets from all over the world do some amazing aerobatics.

Check what other airshows may be on: https://britishairshows.com/airshow-index

Several of these will include the Red Arrows, and possibly the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. https://www.raf.mod.uk/display-teams/battle-of-britain-memorial-flight/

Trooping the Colour, also known as the Queen’s birthday parade. (Note, it is not “trooping OF the colour”!) https://www.royal.uk/trooping-colour

Takes place in June, between Horse Guards Parade and Buckingham Palace. The event ends with a fly-past over The Mall and Buckingham Palace, probably at about 13:00.

The Proms https://www.bbc.co.uk/proms is a music festival of mainly classical music, held at various sites, over the Summer. The Last Night at the Proms is usually held at the Royal Albert Hall and always promises to be a spectacular event with a massive patriotic climax.

Speaking of patriotic music, as well as all three verses of God Save the Queen (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Save_the_Queen), you may want to also become familiar with:

Land of Hope and Glory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpEWpK_Dl7M
Jerusalem (There has been a proposal to make this the English National Anthem.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV38vxEN5-o&list=PLyfdcNYI8sT_ndiznju4EMD_M2M7j5zTq&index=65
Rule, Britannia! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule,_Britannia!

As mentioned elsewhere, the Scots, Welsh and Irish are more strongly patriotic to their own nations and have their own preferred music.

Flower of Scotland (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXcjRqQv5Zg) is the unofficial national anthem and often performed at sporting events.

Scotland the Brave (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnG1oUkWBa8) is another contender for a Scottish National Anthem.

At rugby matches where the Welsh are playing, you will likely hear Calon Lân, which translates to Pure Heart. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calon_L%C3%A2n

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIDZNAzXPVA

Northern Ireland no doubt has many songs, and a very troubled past. For Ireland (the independent country), we hear them sing Ireland’s Call at rugby matches. (The Irish National Anthem is actually Amhrán na bhFiann)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland%27s_Call

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6_UsZtHiXU

Remember, remember the Fifth of November. Also known as Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night.

In my personal opinion, please don’t spend money on any fireworks. Think about the birds and other creatures that live around you, and the store bought fireworks are not good value for money – poor bang for your buck : literally! And you’ll likely annoy your neighbours and your neighbour’s dog.

We all like watching fireworks though. Rather plan to go to one of the organised fireworks displays. Many towns will have an event on the weekend of 5th November.

https://www.visitengland.com/9-best-bonfire-night-events-2019

Beaches

There are not many swimming beaches around the country. The Atlantic and the North Sea are not warm.

Some the beaches – like along the south coast (Brighton) – are pebbles, not sand.

The tidal ranges at some places means that some beaches can expose quite vast expanses of sand at low tide. But be warned, the tide can come in really fast, and in some areas, there is a risk of quicksand. https://www.tidetimes.org.uk/

Walking on the beach, or rock pooling are still fun things to do at the coast.

https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/best-beaches-in-uk

Go for a curry on Brick Lane. Or go to the Brick Lane markets on a Sunday. http://www.visitbricklane.org/

Take a ride on a steam train. Steam trains are generally maintained by enthusiasts and volunteers. Generally they don’t run passenger services in Winter. Most are quite short, local journeys. For example, the North Norfolk Railway https://www.nnrailway.co.uk/, and a few in the Lake District https://www.visitcumbria.com/steam-trains-lake-district/.