Five of the Best of British Picnic Spots
While April and May’s weather hasn’t exactly lent itself to picnics and outdoor dining, we’re keeping our fingers crossed for a warm spell so we can indulge in one of our favourite pastimes - eating al fresco. While the British weather might not always play along, there’s no denying that our rolling hills, ancient woodlands and long stretches of coastline offer some picturesque dining options. Here we round up our favourites; just add a hamper of Barbury Hill delights and you have the makings of a picnic to remember.
Brill Windmill, Buckinghamshire
Dan’s love of good food began at an early age with picnics at Brill Windmill. Sitting atop a hill in the charming village of Brill, this Grade II listed post mill offers scenic views galore to enjoy with your Beal’s Farm charcuterie or Ultimate Weekend Hamper. Pop a bottle or two of Percival & Co’s hard tonics in your picnic basket to enjoy the flavours of botanics sourced from the surrounding countryside.
Durdle Door, Dorset
One of Dorset’s most iconic landmarks, Durdle Door is part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. Perhaps build up an appetite with a bracing walk along the coastal path before following the natural cliff path down to the beach where a Coastal Picnic Hamper would be a well-deserved reward. One of our favourite producers, Langham Wine Estate, is just a 30-minute drive, so why not make a weekend of it and book a guided tour of the vineyard and winery.
Minchinhampton Common, Gloucestershire
With 451 acres of rolling meadows, wooded hillsides and grassy viewpoints, Minchinhampton Common is one of Barbury Hill’s favourite picnic spots. With many of our producers located around the area, we can’t resist stopping off for a stroll and a picnic, especially when we’ve been able to pick up a vegan brownie from Baked By Beth’s stall on Stroud Farmer’s Market. And we never turn down a chance to pop into Stroud Brewery to pick up a case of their organic beer. If you’re in the area, we’d recommend booking a tour of Woodchester Valley Vineyard to discover the story behind their award-winning English wines and sample a few of the delicious vintages sold by Barbury Hill.
Waveney Valley, Suffolk
From the popular Aldeburgh Beach to the lesser known Covehithe Beach, Suffolk’s coastline is chock-full of scenic picnic spots. But just inland, the Waveney Valley boasts its own picturesque locations for an al fresco lunch. For a farmyard take on ‘convenience food’, take a trip to Fen Farm Dairy where you can stock up on oozing rounds of Baron Bigod and fresh milk from their vending machine! Then take a stroll around Bungay Castle, former seat of the cheese’s namesake, and find a tranquil spot to enjoy a liberal spread of Baron Bigod on fresh bread.
Malton, Yorkshire
Our friends in the north are spoilt for choice when it comes to scenic picnic spots, but for foodies, anywhere within striking distance of Malton offers the chance to stock up on artisan food and drink. Described by Antonio Carluccio as ‘Yorkshire’s Food Capital’, you could happily amble along the historic streets and pick up everything you need for a picnic - bread from Bluebird Bakery, macarons from Florian Poirot, and antipasti from The Deli Of Malton. There’s little you can’t find here to create a picnic that does justice to the rolling moors that border the town.
Yorkshire’s coastline also offers a bounty of long stretches of sandy beaches, and one of Barbury Hill’s newest producers, Great Newsome Brewery, is less than an hour’s drive from the unique and ever-changing landscape of Spurn Point. This blustery peninsula of coast is perfect for recreating the ‘sandy sandwiches’ of our youth, while enjoying the incredible wildlife and rugged scenery.
Wherever you lay your picnic blanket, Barbury Hill has everything you could need, from oysters and sparkling English wine, to cheese hampers and rare breed charcuterie. Our food and drink can be delivered to your holiday home or any address across the UK, making it simple to add a special gourmet edge to your ‘best of British’ picnic.
We’d love to know where you’ll be enjoying your Barbury Hill picnic this year? Get in touch and let us know!
