17 minute read
Summer fun
Get set for summer
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With the nation in high spirits after a glorious Jubilee celebration, we’re ready to help make it a super Shire summer to savour. (Try saying that after a glass or two of Pimm’s!)
The past few years have been tricky ones. We’ve all faced challenges and restrictions, but it is finally feeling like things are back to normal for most. As we head into the middle of the great British summertime, we think 2022 is going to be a particularly special one. Over the next few pages we’re going to share some brilliant ideas for making the very best of it.
Home and away
For a lot of people, the arrival of summer means packing a bag and heading abroad for a break. But having seen the chaos – and, in many cases, heartbreak – caused by last-minute cancellations and delays earlier this year, we think more of us will be opting to holiday nearer home. Countries that have always been a favourite with tourists are facing tough times, too. Without the furlough schemes we had here, many small resorts have shrunk – and arriving at your destination to find hotels on either side that have gone bust and noday trips on offer, could be the start of a disappointing stay.
We’re lucky that we don’t have to go far to find holiday locations on a par with many foreign destinations. Between the rolling hills
Recreate the holiday vibe at home
Our home patch makes the perfect staycation
of Shropshire, the historic towns on the plains of Cheshire and, of course, the glorious coastline of North Wales, the Shire patch makes the perfect destination for a 2022 staycation. Check out our holiday section on pages 61-64 for the ultimate guide to camping, glamping, lodges, boating and parks that offer an amazing escape this summer.
Family = Fun
The other thing we know you’re all looking forward to this summer is seeing family. With time off, it’s the season for catching up with cousins and going away with grandparents. Maybe you’re the family member that will end up hosting – and maybe you’re out of practice? Don’t panic. We’ve a few pointers to help you be the ultimate host and still enjoy the time as much as your guests do.
Relax!
Your visitors are coming to see you, not your home. Don’t worry about redecorating or buying extra chairs – the ideal gathering is one that embraces the chaos of combining generations, and does so in a relaxed and enjoyable way.
Arrange a sleep-out
Say yes!
Keep it simple – and enjoy!
We all want to be that person who graciously turns down offers of help and has everything under control – but in reality, it is much easier to just say yes. A big pot of something for dinner so no one has to cook one night? Yes please. A spare blow-up bed that may come in handy? Pop it in the car. Start saying yes to every offer and you’ll enjoy yourself more in the end.
Get out!
A heaving house with guests tripping over each other spells tension. Make the most of your outdoor space for entertaining. Use the barbecue at every opportunity – it’s more casual and no one minds if timings are off and food arrives on a paper Take the party outside plate. Borrow a gazebo if the weather looks dodgy. You could even pop up a tent for the kids to sleep in – they’ll love the adventure.
Ones to watch
eatre shows and cinema screens are popping up again in parks and gardens across the region after a quiet couple of years. It’s not easy for production companies to put on these events – the entertainment industry has been especially hard hit by the pandemic – so now that we can, let’s all try and support those who are making sure the show will go on this summer
Larks in the park
Chester’s Grosvenor Park was one of the first to make an annual outdoor performance something that locals looked forward to. Productions are organised by the team at the Storyhouse, so you know you’ll have a top-notch show A magical setting as well as a slick system for booking and all the info you need.
For Shakespeare fans, Romeo and Juliet will be running from 1st July to 28th August, while lovers of classic literature will enjoy Little Women (8th July-29th August). Families will want to book their seats for Stig of the Dump (22nd July-29th August) which guarantees fun, laughter, music and even free snack packs for kids.
The park will have a bar on show nights, a wood-fired pizza oven offering food to pre-order, and for each adult ticket bought, a child (under 12) gets in for free. grosvenorparkopenairtheatre.co.uk
Friendship in music
The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod returns after a two-year hiatus with a line-up that celebrates the best traditional and contemporary music from around the world. Aled Jones and Russell Watson, performing together, will open the programme,
and further highlights include Grammy Award winner Anoushka Shankar with Manu Delago, and the Britten Sinfonia.
Celebrating its 75th anniversary, the festival’s broad cultural programme spreads the message of peace and friendship. Around 4,000 performers from around the world, and as many as 35,000 visitors, converge on the Welsh town to sing and dance in a unique combination of competition, performance and community spirit. Along with Llanfest on the final day, this year incorporating the Fringe Festival, there is something for everyone. international-eisteddfod.co.ukfor everyone.
It’s a joyous event
Jet set
For something a little bit different, we recommend the outdoor cinema at the RAF Museum in Cosford, Shropshire. The event cinema at the RAF Museum in Cosford, Shropshire. The event returns on 13th-15th August and offers the ultimate movie experience, with two screenings per day on a huge LED screen alongside the VC10 and Hercules aircraft! The afternoon screening at 5pm is suitable for young visitors and the whole family, and the evening screenings at 8.30pm are for over-12s (12A rated films, children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult). Audiences are encouraged to bring picnic chairs and blankets, but tents or gazebos are not permitted. Arrive early to get a good spot. You can check out the film schedule here: rafmuseum.
org.uk/cosford/whats-going-on/events/outdoor-cinema
Bring your own seating
Festival fun for
A sure sign of summer is the sight of crowds gathering to enjoy a festival – either for a day or a weekend of camping, in groups with mates or with the whole family in tow. After a few years without them, here are some of the best, back for 2022 and promising to be better than ever!
Cheshire’s best… for grown ups
For a classy evening out rather than a full-on wellies and circus skills affair, it’s hard to beat Tatton Park’s iconic Proms in the Park. The beautiful lakeside venue hosts an array of special A choice of luxury seating nights and daytime music events, but wraps up its Pop Up Festival series with a bang . The open-air concert on Sunday 7th August features a two-hour orchestral programme, with live singers and all the ‘Last Night of the Proms’ favourites – and a stunning fireworks finale. Whether you’re planning a romantic evening as a couple, a group celebration or just want to celebrate summer in style, this could be the unique experience you’ve been looking for.
Sit back, relax and enjoy this wonderful evening with a glass of fizz, or treat yourself and order one of the delicious locally sourced hampers in advance. Proceeds from the Pop Up Festival series go to breast cancer charities, so you’ll be doing some good at the same time as having a ball. tattonparkpopupfestival.co.uk
Cheshire’s best —for all the family
CarFest revs into the Bolesworth Estate on 22nd-24th July. The team behind the UK’s biggest family fundraising festival have pulled out all the stops to make sure 2022 is an incredible year and continues to raise vital funds for charities affected by the pandemic. This year’s partners are
BBC Children in Need, Comic Relief, Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, My Black Dog, Rainbow Trust, Starlight Children’s Foundation and Teenage Cancer Trust. So if you fancy getting everyone together to admire fast cars, enjoy performances from some of UK’s best artists, bands and DJs, get involved in food demonstrations and meet a host of the UK’s TV, theatre, music and sports legends… check out the line-up now! carfest.org
DID YOU KNOW? CarFest has raised over {20 million for charity!
Festival vibes
Top in Shropshire for grown ups
One of the UK’s premier horticultural events, Shrewsbury Flower Show on 12th-13th August attracts top exhibitors from all over the country. The flowers themselves are the main event, with stunning displays entered for competition and sale, alongside a jawdropping exhibition of floral mannequins, Floral wonders plenty of food and drink options, a lecture marquee, bandstand entertainment and fireworks. shrewsburyflowershow.org.uk
for everyone
Top in Shropshire… for all the family
The most exciting event for a long time will be this year’s inaugural Camp Bestival – in Shropshire! The festival on everyone’s lips has been Spectacular! around for ages… but always involved pitching up in Dorset. Not so this year! 2022 marks the year Camp Bestival’s Shropshire shindig bursts into life with a mind-blowing distillation of everything that makes Bestival the very finest family festival.
Cementing his place as Camp Bestival’s favourite son, Fatboy Slim heads up the musical treats in store at Weston Park on 18th21st August, with Rag’n’Bone Man and Becky Hill. Ensuring there is utter excitement for all ages at all times, there is plenty of family fun with Horrible Histories: Terrible Tudors, Brainiac Live: Remixed!, amazing tricksters Extreme Bike Battle, CBeebies royalty Mr Tumble, and Mister Maker and Rebecca Keatley. Plus, there’s a host of good times on offer, from family silent discos to Cosmic Kid yoga, Yolanda’s Band Jam, kung fu, a fireworks finale and much, much more.
shropshire.campbestival.net
Utter excitement for all ages at all times
Wonder of Wales… for grown ups
If you want to relax and focus on your wellbeing while celebrating the best of nature and creativity, then one experience encapsulates all that. The River fun at summer camp Good Life Society is offering four Summer Camp weekends in the Welsh village of Hawarden in July. Summer Camp is a chance to escape, reset and recharge. It’s about slowing down, meeting new people, learning new things. You’ll join workshops, go on expeditions and listen to inspiring talks. You’ll eat incredible food - dinner every evening is included in the ticket price and is cooked for you by a team of exceptional chefs. Evenings are spent in the Walled Garden, with entertainment around the campfire. With luxury beds and brand-new facilities, you’ll leave feeling inspired and refreshed. thegoodlifesociety.co.uk
Wonder of Wales… for all the family
For full-on family fun, go Wild in Wales! From 14th to 21st August the fabulous Wild Festival team is returning to Ty Ucha Farm,near Mold. They just can’t do enough to ensure everyone has Just go for it! everything they need and the views are to die for. There’s the usual 10 hours of live music each day, from 1pm to 11pm, and the line-up promises some real talent again this year. That’s followed by an acoustic firepit jamming session until late.
During the day, there are performers, workshop activities, flash mob, kids’ clubs, a kids’ disco and a whole host of fun. The whole family can get their inner pirate on for Saturday’s fancy dress! Fridays are glitz and glam, so come as sparkly and glittery as you can. There is no such thing as over the top! wildfestivals.co.uk
Hit the beach!
Obviously no summer of fun and frolics is complete without a visit to the beach, whether for a holiday or just a day trip – and across the Shire patch we have some superb shores to explore
Sun on your face, sand between the toes and the sound of lapping waves… sounds good, doesn’t it? Well, summer is here and beach Crabbing season has officially begun. But we all approach a beach day in our With youngsters in tow, own way – some want to relax and enjoy the what better than peace, others want to keep busy, tire out the kids poking around in rock and tumble home shattered and sandy. We’ve put pools and collecting a together the ultimate guide to the local coastline bucketful of crabs and so you can find the daytrip of your dreams. other unsuspecting creatures. For a good Surfing and swimming crab-to-bucket ratio – and a picturesque If you’re looking for action and want to battle the setting, too – try waves, there are loads of great spots for surfing. dangling a line off Llandudno Pier. Try Rhosneigr in Anglesey, winner of the Green A wander along the prom can be part of your excursion. Coast seaside award. With its Coast seaside award. With its two broad, sandy beaches, Traeth Crigyll and Traeth Llydan, it is a two broad, sandy beaches, Traeth Crigyll and Traeth Llydan, it is a Rest and relaxation popular centre for all watersports popular centre for all watersports For some, the perfect beach day is more about splendid isolation and and has evolved into a very cool and has evolved into a very cool getting away from it all. This is not easy, as any pretty cove that offers and trendy location. and trendy location. a place to relax will appeal to others and soon draw the Playing games crowds! The remotest spot we’ve found is Traeth yr Ora, Beach games such as rounders a small sand and shingle beach or Frisbee need a bit of space, a or Frisbee need a bit of space, a on the northeast of Anglesey. flat expanse where you won’t get Perhaps better for romantic in people’s way or destroy their in people’s way or destroy their couples than families, as you’ll picnics with your cricket ball. We need to navigate a coastal path recommend West Kirby beach on the Wirral – when the tide is out, to reach this hidden treasure. there’s more space than you’d need for Olympic beach volleyball. But check the tides before you go to guarantee a decent sportsground. Walking
“find the daytrip of your dreams” dangling a line off Llandudno Pier. Rhosneigr is the place to be Llandudno: great for crabbing
Where there’s a shoreline, there’s often a coastal path to enjoy too. The Wales Coast Path is hard to beat for seaside exploration and in all there are 841 miles of it to enjoy. We suggest starting Beautiful Welsh coastline with the most accessible section, along the North Wales coast from the launch point at the border, less than two miles from Chester.
Food and feasting
Traeth yr Ora: Obviously you can pack a picnic or find a local restaurant – but the best way to mark a good day at the coast is with an ice-cream break in the afternoon, and fish and chips as the sun goes down. To tick both of these off the list in style, we suggest a trip to Conwy quay. Here you have the world-famous Parisella’s ice-cream
DID YOU kiosk, offering around
KNOW? 60 flavours, and no 60 flavours and vanilla is still the UK’s favourite! fewer than five fine fish and chip shops to choose from.
