Whatever the bank holiday brings when it comes to the weather, no one wants to waste a precious moment. We asked our lifestyle experts for some tantalising, up-to-the minute new ideas on how to make the most of the three-day break, whether you’re planning a long, lovely walk, a spot of retail therapy, or inviting family and friends over for a get-together.
1. Make this Italian spritz ice lolly
Who says lollies are just for kids? This summer’s trend is all about fruity cocktails transformed into ices. They’re quick and simple, and will cost you a lot less than the shop-bought versions flooding the supermarket shelves.
This Italian spritz ice lolly is sweet and citrusy, so will really hit the spot this weekend. Keep a stash in the freezer ready and waiting for when the sun starts to shine.
To make eight lollies, stir together 75ml Aperol, 250ml prosecco and 300ml freshly squeezed orange or blood-orange juice and chill the mixture for at least one hour. For a completely smooth texture, pass the mixture through a fine sieve.
Pour into eight ice-lolly moulds and freeze for at least six hours or overnight until firm.
By Silvana Franco
Or stick to the liquids...
2. Treat yourself to the must-have sunglasses
If you haven’t taken your sunglasses out of deep winter storage, this bank holiday weekend is the moment to do so.
Just as the Americans like to decree that white jeans should only be worn between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the first May bank holiday can be thought of as our very own memorial day – the moment we can put away our coats and boots, and really embrace summer dressing.
It doesn’t matter if the sun is actually shining or not (with the great British weather there are no guarantees, after all): it’s just our signal to host barbecues, wear shorts and even bare a toe or 10 in sandals.
If that all feels a tad premature, begin with a pair of knockout sunglasses. The mere act of putting them on is a satisfying acknowledgment that the weather is bright and balmy, and how lovely it feels on your vitamin D-deprived skin.
In need of new ones? My advice is to avoid the bewildering choice in department stores and consider some home-grown independent brands instead. Taylor Morris, Finlay & Co, and Bird are all brilliant starting points to find your next favourite pair.
ByTamara Abraham
Bowery sunglasses, £150, Finlay & Co
Or if it rains...
3. Update your garden furniture with this year’s hot new colour
Now that the recent wet and chilly weather is, hopefully, giving way to warmer, dryer days, this weekend could be the perfect moment to give any shabby wooden garden furniture a spruce-up in preparation for the sunny days ahead.
But rather than resorting to a standard coat of wood stain or a neutral background colour, why not go for something more uplifting? Garden designer Jinny Blom has collaborated with paint brand Mylands on a new range of colours, which includes a rich, orangey red called Blomster, inspired by the red roofs and walls of traditional farmhouses in Denmark.
The bright shade, according to Blom, is perfect as an accent colour in the garden, to cut through the greenery, much like the cheerful sight of a poppy peeping through meadow grass. “Colour is very subjective of course,” she says. “Personally, I like furniture either in a soft neutral colour such as a dove grey or a mushroomy earthy pink if it is casual, but a strong colour such as Blomster, or a deep blue such as Murmuration [also from the Mylands range] creates more of a statement. Blomster sings out when set in long grass or placed under a tree.”
If you’re considering painting the fence or shed, however, Blom advises going for something more low-key. “I always paint sheds either a dark khaki green or a deep brown, . Sheds and fences need to recede in a garden and these tones give them a substantial quality.”
But whatever shade you select, do a quick test first. “Outside colours perform very differently,” adds Blom, “so always check your paint choices outside under strong UV light before committing.”
The Mylands paints are available in three finishes: exterior masonry, plant-based multi-surface and marble matt emulsion; from £31 a litre.
By Jessica Doyle
Get more inspiration for your garden...
4. Curate the perfect walk from your doorstep
If you’re looking for a scenic walk, starting and ending from your town, city or village, this brilliant online tool is here to help. Slow Ways is a new, nationwide network of walking routes connecting all of Britain.
The crowd-sourced network, which spans more than 80,000 miles (130,000km) of paths and maps existing footpaths and trails, is designed to “make it easier for people to imagine, plan and go on walking journeys,” according to the website. Currently, there are more than 9,000 Slow Ways drafted on the map, linking 2,500 places.
Start off by searching for your home address and you might be pleasantly surprised at how well covered your local area is. In my hometown, Lewes, for example, there are 18 walks to eight neighbouring towns and villages, with scope to plan circular walks – I’ve walked a number of these trails and can verify that the routes have been stomped by someone who must know the area well.
Dan Raven-Ellison, from Hanwell, west London, created Slow Ways after walking the length of Britain, and is helped by a dedicated team of volunteers. “We started it because, like lots of people, we love walking places,” he says. “Unfortunately, it’s not always as easy as it should be to find our way – we’re changing that.
“The shortest routes are less than 3 miles (5km), most are about 7.5 miles (12km) and some are over 18 miles (30km),” he adds. “It all depends on how far apart the neighbouring places are. You can walk single routes or combine multiple routes to create longer trails. A good trick is to catch the bus or train to the start of a route and then walk back again.”
You can download all of the Slow Ways as GPX files, which can be opened on your smartphone using Google maps, Garmin, or whatever GPS route-mapping app you use. The network is verified by the Slow Ways community, so be sure to also verify and review the walk once you’ve completed it. Or – a fun family project for this bank holiday, particularly with older kids – contribute a walk of your own to add to the website.
“Once you’ve walked three or four routes, you may find it hard to stop,” notes Raven-Ellison. “There’s something really wonderful about slowly walking and collecting routes and discovering new parts of the country.”
By Greg Dickinson
For more walking inspiration...
5. Get thee to the BBQ with these sizzling, rain-proof recipes
These two delicious recipes are perfect for grilling outdoors – or, if the weather turns against you, work indoors too.
Spatchcock spicy chicken
Spatchcocking is a great way to prepare a whole chicken for barbecuing. Grilling it flat speeds up the cooking time, ensuring juicer results.
- Using a pair of strong kitchen scissors, cut between the spine and the ribs on either side of the spine bone of a small chicken and discard the bone.
- Turn the chicken back over, then press down evenly on the breasts with the heel of the hand to flatten the bird out. Trim off the wing tips and remove any excess fat.
- Brush the meat with a little olive oil before rubbing it with your favourite spice blend such as piri piri or cajun.
- Cook the chicken directly on the grill bars of your barbecue for 30 minutes, turning regularly until the skin is crisp and the chicken is completely cooked through with no pink juices. Alternatively, you can follow the same method indoors using a medium grill.
- Leave to rest on a board for 10 minutes before cutting into pieces and serve with a green salad or chargrilled vegetables and wedges of lemon.
By Silvana Franco
Halloumi and potato skewers with preserved lemon and dill dressing
Tasty kebabs threaded with charred new potatoes and chunks of salty halloumi, dressed in a vibrant marinade of citrus and spice – what’s not to love?
If you’re using wooden skewers, remember to soak them in water for 30 minutes beforehand to prevent them from burning. Recipe makes four to six skewers.
- For the dressing, combine the finely chopped peel of 2 preserved lemons with 5 tbsp good olive oil, 1 tbsp lightly toasted, coarsely ground coriander seeds, 1 tsp smoked paprika, the finely chopped leaves of half a small bunch of dill, and the juice of half a lemon (keep the other half, which will be grilled). Season with finely ground black pepper.
- Boil 500g small baby potatoes until tender. Meanwhile, peel and slice a large red onion into six wedges and separate the layers. Cut two 225g blocks of halloumi into 3cm cubes.
- Thread the diced halloumi, cooked potatoes and onion pieces onto skewers, alternating each ingredient. Lay the skewers on a large plate and coat with half the dressing.
- Grill on the barbecue for around four to five minutes, turning them frequently, so that the halloumi softens and the potatoes and onions char just a little. Grill the remaining lemon half until it is charred and juicy. Alternatively, you can do all this indoors on a lightly oiled griddle pan over a medium-high heat.
- Dress the kebabs with the remaining dressing while still hot and squeeze over the grilled lemon to serve. Scatter with dill fronds if you like.
By Claire Thomson
