Megan Geall

It’s Christmas. Well, almost. If you’re anything like us and are obsessed with the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year then you’ll have already started thinking about how you’re going to make the most of the festivities. Maybe the tree is already up. Maybe your shopping is already done. Or maybe you’ve already started planning your visit to as many Christmas markets as physically possible.  From wholesome activities like ice skating and carol singing, to glam Christmas parties and feasting on Christmas-dinner themed burritos, you can find all sorts of fun festive-themed things to do throughout the winter season.  Not sure where to start? We’ve picked out some of most essential British festive happenings that you need on your Christmas list – just call us Santa Claus.  RECOMMENDED: The best Christmas light trails in the UKThe best Christmas markets in the UK

Before we all get too excited about Christmas and Michael Bublé starts his annual defrost, let’s not forget about bonfire night: an evening of fireworks, sparklers and burning a dummy. It’s a uniquely British celebration – and one which might look a bit alarming if you’re not from the UK – but we love it all the same. The yearly festivites are held on November 5, marking the anniversary of a failed attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in the historic Gunpowder plot. It may have happened more than 400 years ago, but we’re still proud of our whizzing, popping, sparkling tradition. Standing out in the cold, enjoying a feast from a food stall, and staring up at the sky for half an hour going ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ is an event in our calendars which we look forward to as soon as autumn leaves start to fall.  That’s why we’ve rounded up the best bonfire night events around: the biggest processions, the most incredible firework displays and some quieter activities for our furry friends so that everyone can enjoy the evening. Without further ado, here are the best bonfire night events in the UK.  RECOMMENDED:The best winter walks in the UKThe most magical places in the UK  

From pumpkin-forged masterpieces to immersive scare experiences, each year Halloween seems to get bigger and better. We no longer stick to a single evening for trick-or-treating or gorging on endless sweets. You’ve probably got the last weekend of October carved out in your calendar, reserving it for any spooky shindigs that might pop up. Halloween has morphed into a spectacular that runs throughout the end of October, testing our nerves with tonnes of events, festivals and paranormal activities.  If you’re looking for the most exciting ways to spend your Halloween this year, you’ve come to the right place. Rather than watching the same scary films or heading out to yet another fancy dress party as a basic devil, witch, or zombie, we’ve been on the search for the ultimate ways to get your fright-night on this Halloween. So, guys and ghouls, from family-friendly to spine-chilling events that really, really aren’t for the faint hearted, these are the best Halloween events happening across the UK this year.  RECOMMENDED: The most haunted places in the UKThe UK’s spookiest ghost townsEerily beautiful graveyards to visit

Treks, walks and rambles are obviously nothing new, but it’s no surprise that TikTok has come up with a way to re-brand them. ‘Soft hiking’ is taking the internet by storm – and, honestly, we’re kind of into it. We hear you: not another TikTok term. We’ve survived cottagecore, Barbiecore, the vanilla girl aesthetic and the hot girl strutting (on a treadmill) into our lives, but now there’s a gentler trend in town, and it’s all about taking things at a slower pace. Soft hiking is pretty self-explanatory and not only does it have tons of obvious physical and mental benefits, it’s also a great excuse to take advantage of the UK’s great outdoors.   ‘It’s a hike, but softer,’ says Lucy Hird, co-founder of the Soft Girls Who Hike TikTok account. ‘It’s not about the actual activity of the walk or the hike; it’s about being soft with yourself.’ So what does ‘soft’ mean, exactly? In essence, it means understanding your limits and recognising that they might be completely different to someone else’s. It’s about getting in touch with your emotions in a healthy way, without stepping too far out of your comfort zone. We’ve survived cottagecore, Barbiecore, the vanilla girl aesthetic – but now there’s a gentler trend in town  Hird and her friend Emily Thornton started their soft-hiking adventures after they became sick of sticking to the pace of hiking groups. The pair have built up more than 21,000 followers on TikTok by posting videos of their relaxed hikes under the hashtags #softhike

The sun is (hopefully) shining, the weather is (occasionally) warm, and the first taste of a crisp pint touches your lips. Yes, my friend, what better way is there to spend your summer than in one of the city’s pop-up restaurants or beer gardens?  The city is always full of excitement but the list of things to do in London really ramps up in the summer; from attending one of the best music festivals in London to hunting down the best spot for ice cream. But some of the most exciting options come from the less-permanent spots, which bless the capital with fantastic food and refreshing cocktails for a few weeks before disappearing along with the beer garden weather.  So if you don’t want to miss out on some of the best experiences of the summer, you’ve come to the rest place. Here’s our round up of TikTok-worthy foodie spots and temporary sun-traps hitting London. RECOMMENDED: Find more fun in the sun in our guide to outdoor London.

Small plates and Euro-centric natural wine bars have dominated the trendy neighbourhood restaurant scene from Hackney to Brixton for the past decade. They used to boast innovation but we’ve reached a point where the giddy excitement of splitting halloumi fries and calamari with your mates has started to wear off. What makes Ploussard different is that it offers the expected Clapham and Battersea vibes while still being surprisingly good value when you compare it to the punchier prices currently plaguing London. Ploussard’s founders are also behind Battersea and Brixton’s Other Side Fried, who specialise in ‘dirty’ chicken burgers. It’s something of a pleasant surprise, then, to see them behind these elegant, Parisian-inspired dishes. Under chef Matt Harris, the team offers a weekly-changing, seasonal selection in a 34-seater spot which encapsulates everything that makes Battersea Rise so… well, so like Clapham. You’ve got neutral coffee-coloured walls (after all, their target millennial market is most at home in independent coffee shops), warm lighting from fancy fixtures, numerous trailing plants, and an open kitchen which spills out into a bustling, sociable dining area. Taking a seat at the counter, we started with savoury eclairs stuffed with creamy, saucy Lincolnshire poacher cheese. The pastries weren't life-changing, (as some cheese dishes are), but with a mustard mayo piped on top, they were perfect for munching on while looking over the rest of the menu.   Part of th

Keen camper? Fancy switching up your usual tent pitch for a more colourful patch? We might have just the spot for you.  What started out as a drunken 2am Ebay purchase of a 1960s Maltese public bus ended up with comedian Johnny Vegas being the proud owner of a glamping field full of retro, repurposed vehicles- the so-called ‘Field of Dreams’. His journey was captured on Channel 4’s Carry on Glamping series, and while it has apparently been a bit of a rollercoaster, the new site is finally open and ready for business.  Where is Johnny Vegas’ camping site? Its original site in was Harrogate, but it has recently relocated to a new, permanent home in Melbourne Hall, Derbyshire – and it looks pretty damn gorgeous. Photograph: Field of Dreams Photograph: Field of Dreams When arriving at the Field of Dreams, you’ll find two glamping areas. One houses the Maltese bus called ‘Patricia’, a restored 1960s fire engine and a 1960s French Citroën, alongside a communal fire pit and a horse trailer-turned-bathroom.  Vegas’s glamping resort also offers a stay with picturesque waterside views. The second field is home to a lake as well as a converted boat bolthole with its own bathtub, in addition to a 1970s Morris Minor pickup, a 1960s caravan and ‘Dino’, former ice-cream van dating back to the 1960s. Photograph: Field of Dreams Photograph: Field of Dreams Intrigued? You can find out more about the Field of Dreams and book a stay here. But you’ll want to act fast – the original glam

Phwoar. What an event the King’s coronation turned out to be. We had two royal processions, the secret sacred anointing, the sight of all sorts of politicians and world leaders rubbing shoulders in one room, plus loads of fantastic music composed especially for the event. Quite the blast. If you were watching the ceremony at Westminster Abbey, then you may well have spotted the likes of Katy Perry and Lionel Richie in the crowd. Puzzling, right? But there’s a good reason why they were there: today (Sunday, May 7) they will be serenading our new monarch at a coronation concert in the grounds of Windsor Castle. The line-up is looking pretty fun, with Paddington star Hugh Bonneville hosting and Take That also performing. For those unable to attend the concert in person, don’t worry: just like the religious service, you will be able to watch it on BBC One and iPlayer. And if you want to be in the middle of the action you could always head to St James’s Park in London to watch the gig on the big screen. Need to know exactly how to plan your day? We’ve got all the vital deets about the coronation concert right here. When and what time is King Charles’s coronation concert? The gig is set to start at 8pm on Sunday, May 7. What time does TV coverage start of the coronation concert? The coronation concert will be broadcast live from Windsor Castle on the BBC from 8pm. How long will the event at Windsor Castle last? The concert is expected to last approximately two to three hours and

Today is the big day: the coronation of King Charles III, or as we like to call it, the Corrie Naish. A grand procession is gearing up to parade through town, and even if you’re not the biggest fan of the royals, it’s going to be hard to escape getting swept up in all the drama. There are coronation events galore, but if you want to see it all first hand then head into the centre of town on Saturday May 6 2023 and see history being made. It’s going to be seriously busy, with road closures and diversions galore that’ll make getting around London during the coronation something of a struggle. Still, an event like this doesn’t come around often, so we’re inclined to be forgiving. Here’s everything that you need to know about King Charles III’s procession route. King Charles’s procession route: everything you need to know Hate crowds? Steer clear of central London on the day of the procession, because it’s pretty much guaranteed to be rammed. Its organisers decided not to do a ballot for tickets, and the route is pretty short, which means hardcore royalists have already camped overnight for the past two days to make sure they get a spot at the front of the viewing areas, which opened at 6am this morning. Eighty-five central London roads will be closed, so plan to use public transport to get there early in the morning for a spot. Or make life easier by opting to watch the action from the giant screens being erected in Hyde Park, Green Park and St James’s Park. The 1.3-mile route

As surprising as it sounds, one of the world’s biggest augmented-reality art trails has just launched in Sheffield – and it’s looking pretty exciting. In a similar concept to Pokémon Go, people across the city can scan QR codes near iconic buildings and watch as animated creatures and artistic figures pop up on the roofs. The trail is called ‘Look Up!’ and includes QR codes on four buildings including the former John Lewis, the Central Library, Sheffield Hallam University building and the Faculty of Engineering at the university. Organised by Marketing Sheffield, the aim of the project is to bring a little excitement to the city following the close of John Lewis when the pandemic hit, and to make the subsequent construction work look a little less, well, like construction work. Enter Hank, a huge grey cat that slowly emerges on the roof of the library, peering down at you as you look at the building through your phone screen. The app has had a pretty paw-sitive reaction so far (sorry not sorry). In the first week of the launch, more than 1,500 people had downloaded the app, almost 2,000 QR codes had been scanned and Sheffield’s skyline had become home to a variety of animated artworks, all created by two local companies, Universal Everything and Human Studio. The team behind the project, Marketing Sheffield, have hopes to expand the art trail to include more buildings soon. On their website, the team write that they wish to ‘celebrate all that is great about Sheffield makers

A boutique flight operator is offering people a private plane tour over one of the UK’s most beautiful landscapes for just £103. The Lake District National Park is known for its stunning scenery, with around 15.8 million visitors travelling to the area every year. Now, though it may go against the eco-conscious tide, Wingly is giving people the chance to avoid the crowds and take to the skies for a private bird’s-eye tour of the park, reports The Manchester Evening News.  Taking off from Blackpool Airport, the route begins by heading north over the Flyde coast and Morecambe Bay. Then customers will get the chance to see the National Park stretch out beneath them, passing famous hotspots including Lake Windermere, Scafell Pike and Coniston Old Man.  On the return journey, the views are just as impressive as you’ll pass over Arnside and Silverdale, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  Of course, the route may vary depending on the weather and cloud cover (this is Britain, after all) but there’s also a room for adding in detours to landmarks such as Aira Force, Levens Hall and Lancaster Castle and the service will try to accommodate any special requests. Overall, the journey should last around an hour and 15 minutes, and the pilot will provide commentary throughout so you’ll know exactly what you’re looking at. While you might be missing out on the hiking part of your trip, the flight does give you – and only two other passengers – a private tour of the Lake District’s best s

If the Corrie Naish wasn’t enough to get you excited about the coming weeks, then the weather certainly will. A heatwave is set to arrive in the UK just in time for the royal celebrations to kick off, with hot temperatures drifting over from Spain and the Canary Islands. The Met Office says to expect temperatures that are ‘much warmer than average’ as we approach summer with highs of 26 degrees and up to four heatwaves in May.  Kicking off the heatwave schedule is the May Day bank holiday weekend, where temperatures are set to reach 22C in parts of the country. Spain will be sending more hot weather over for the coronation weekend, where we will likely see clear skies and 20C temperatures, so you won’t be needing brollies for all those street parties. Forecasters are, however, predicting a little dip mid-month with some rainy weather creeping in. After all, it would be too good to be true for Britain to have a whole month without some showers. Things will start to look up again by the end of the month with two further heatwaves in store, with temperatures as high as 26C. A Met Office spokesperson said: ‘May has an increased likelihood of high pressure having a greater influence than normal. This favours drier and warmer than average conditions.’ Yep, it’s officially time to stock up on ice lollies, sun cream and BBQ food: summer is just around the corner.   ICYMI: Everything you need to know about the UK’s current hosepipe bans.  Plus: These are officially the most polluted b

Imagine going to bed on a Sunday night without the ‘Sunday scaries’, fearing for the working week ahead. That’s the life of Jonathan Grant, the current holder of the so-called ‘best job in the world’. But soon enough, that job could be yours, because he’s planning to retire after 13 happy years. The 65-year-old, originally from Riddrie in Glasgow, is the proud caretaker of three tiny islands – Mingulay, Pabbay and Berneray – all just off the coast of Scotland, south of Barra in the Western Isles. All three of the islands are uninhabited, so the job involves monitoring vegetation and checking in on all the wildlife. But it’s not quite as simple as it sounds. Since the islands lie in fairly rocky waters and don’t have any piers, they are very difficult to access – meaning Grant will often have to spend weeks camping out on the islands in order to get the job done.  Don’t be put off, though. If you take over the role, you’ll be accompanied by groups of seals, basking sharks and seabirds like puffins and razorbills, which all live just off the islands’ shores. The National Trust for Scotland manages the three islands and will begin recruiting for Grant’s replacement later this year. Keep your eyes peeled for that job ad and apply quickly if you want to finally say goodbye to morning commutes and dire office chatter. ICYMI: You could own this entire Scottish island for just £150,000. Plus: The most popular staycations of 2023 have been revealed.

This beach has just been crowned the prettiest in Britain, and you might be surprised to learn that it’s not in Devon or Cornwall. While the south west has some pretty good contenders, it was a beach in Wales that came out on top. Three Cliffs Bay in Gower was awarded ninth place in Big Seven Travel’s ranking of the ‘50 most beautiful places in the UK’, making it the highest placed beach in the country.  The beauty of Three Cliffs Bay, apparently, is that it isn’t filled with your usual seaside attractions, and as a result is pretty damn tranquil. Big Seven described the bay as a ‘spectacular mash-up of misty dunes, endless salt marshes and giant limestone cliffs’ – so you won’t find an endless row of fish and chip shops, ice cream vans and an arcade on this shoreline (in fact the nearest ice cream is around a 30-minute walk away).  Instead, beach-goers can take a dip in the sea, admire the views and enjoy scenic walks on the circular route to nearby Penmaen.  To get down to the beach, visitors will need to complete a 400-metre walk from the car park which involves a short ‘scramble’ down to the sand. Apparently, you’ll also have to do that every time you need the toilet, as there aren’t any facilities on the beach. So it’s perhaps not the best day-trip location if you’ve got young children. Loos, ice cream and short scramble aside, there’s no denying that this beach has earnt its crown.   Just take a look at the TripAdvisor reviews. ‘Stunning views and so fun exploring all t

With the first semi-final less than two weeks away, Liverpool is truly in the Eurovision spirit. Now, they’ve gone one step further in their party planning and are spreading the joy across the city’s public transport with some brand new artwork.   Buses and trams, including new zero-emission hydrogen buses, will be sporting the yellow, blue and pink designs and the official slogan for this year’s contest, ‘United by Music’.  Initially, the buses will be used for driver training before being introduced into passenger service. You’ll also be able to spot the artwork at train and bus stations, bus stops, ferry terminals and tunnel entrances across the city. The theme of this year’s Eurovision is a nod to last year’s winners, Ukraine, who have been unable to host the 2023 contest due to Russia’s invasion of the country. Instead, organisers agreed that the UK would host the show after last year’s British entrant, Sam Ryder, came second behind Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra.  Of the new themed buses, Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram told The BBC: ‘We’ve commissioned these new liveries to celebrate this global spectacular coming to our region. ‘We want to use the contest as a chance to showcase what makes our region fantastic, so that visitors and investors alike return time and time again. I’m enormously proud of the investments we’ve made to deliver a publicly owned, public transport network run in the interests of the public.’ ICYMI: Giant animated creatures are taking ove

If you’ve not already, it’s probably about time you started planning how you’re going to use that shiny extra bank holiday – right? King Charles III’s coronation weekend is just around the corner, taking place from May 6 to May 8. And however you may feel about the royals, there’s absolutely no getting away from it.  In addition to the grand coronation ceremony and massive official concert, there will also be a heap of other festive events happening across the country as Chazza takes to the throne. They look pretty fun, and not all of them involve flag-waving.  RECOMMENDED: How you can volunteer for the King’s coronation We’ve rounded up some of the best – from properly posh coronation balls to family-friendly days out at Legoland. Go on, grab your calendar: it’s time to get inspired. Here are 12 of the very best coronation events happening in the UK.  Coronation weekend events in the UK 1. Bop along to a bad-ass brass band in Norwich Nothing says ‘coronation’ like a brass band, right? The good guys at the East Anglian Brass Band Association are bringing the Foden’s Band – who also happen to be the second best in the entire world – to Norwich for a special coronation Sunday concert. The programme includes music played at the 1937 and 1953 coronations, such as ‘Crown Imperial’ and ‘I Vow To Thee My Country’, as well as a selection of music from ‘The Last Night of the Proms’. Oh, and don’t forget: it’s BYOF (bring your own flag).The Halls, St Andrew’s Plain, Norwich. May 7 f

Fancy owning a private island where you don’t have to speak to anyone else? Introverts, this one’s for you. An isle off the coast of Scotland has just gone on sale for £150,000, and the only current inhabitants are birds. Barlocco, one of the Islands of Fleet in Wigtown Bay, Dumfries and Galloway, has gone up for sale and has been described as ‘stunning’ thanks to its privacy and the wildlife that inhabits it.  The 25-acre island is only accessible by boat, or on foot, tractor or quad bike at low tide. It also lies within the Borgue coast Site of Special Scientific Interest.  On the western side of the island, there’s a gorgeous pebble beach – perfect for topping up your tan in the summer months or hosting a sunset beach party. You can even anchor a boat at the beach, so you can invite friends across to your private island if you fancy some socialising.  Barlocco also has a flood pond which provides water for wildlife and livestock, so you could spend your time raising your own herd of Scottish cattle, if you fancied it.  You might be thinking: what’s the downside? A whole island to yourself? Sounds like paradise. The catch is that there currently aren’t any buildings or properties on the island – it’s literally just an island. There aren’t any current or historic planning consents relating to it, either, so you’d have to submit proposals to the local authority.   Listed on the Galbraith website, Barlocco is up for sale with a guide price of more than £150,000. You’ll have to

First-time buyer? Look away now. In the current UK property landscape, £300,000 will just be enough to get you a seven-foot-wide house – with only one bedroom.  Located in The Old Brewery in Stokes Croft, Bristol, this home sits in a gap that you literally couldn’t fit many cars through. And, despite only taking up a measly 567 square feet of space, the pad is only just below the average price for the city – £397,430 last year.  As the owner of this property, you’ll have a kitchen and lounge space on the first floor with enough room to squeeze in a TV in front of the sofa and a few houseplants. On the next floor up, you’ll find your bedroom, which has a vaulted ceiling, a newly fitted bathroom and a feature wall of exposed brickwork. Photograph: Maggs & Allen The bottom floor, however, holds the least promise. It’s home to a small cellar, but not much else – and it’s even described as having ‘limited head height’. Yikes.  The house does have some good features, though: it’s split over three floors and has a balcony with views over Bristol. And the best part? It has its own private balcony with space (at last) for alfresco dining.  Photograph: Maggs & Allen Listed by estate agents Maggs & Allen with a guide price of £300,000, the property is described as ‘a truly unique one-bedroom town house’. The listing reads: ‘The house has been tastefully refurbished to a high standard to provide a highly individual home, conveniently located for access to the city centre and a wide