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Wild About Flowers

Thu, 17 May 2012 10:25:18 +0100

Wildflower season is in full swing, and so here are our 10 most breathtaking places for enjoying Britain’s wildflowers.

1. Ducklington Fritillaries, Oxfordshire

Lesser known than the nearby fritillary meadows of Magdalen College, Ducklington Fritillaries is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) which, thanks to its traditional farming methods that leave the field vacant from 1^st March to 1^st July, offers a wonderful display of snakeshead fritillary each summer. There are also around 70 other species of wildflower to be found here, and it is the only site where visitors can actually walk among the fritillary, rather than just view them from the sidelines.

2. Hayley Wood, Cambridgeshire

This ancient woodland comes alive with bluebells, wood anemone and dog’s mercury in the spring and summer, but is also a haven for plant lovers throughout the year, with a host of fungi, plus an 800-year-old hedgerow. The woodland is particularly well known for its population of oxlip flowers.

3. Samphire Hoe, Kent

Located in the beautiful White Cliffs area of the Kent coast, this nature reserve is seeded with thousands of early spider orchids that come into full bloom in the spring. Return in the autumn time, and you’ll be treated to the latest wildflower species to be found at Samphire Hoe, the late August and September flowering autumn gentian.

4. Cwmdu Wildlflower Meadows, Llandeilo, Wales

The hay meadows at Cwmdu, have escaped the deep ploughing, re-seeding and chemical fertilizers of modern agriculture, and as a result are bursting with beautiful native wildflowers. Take a walk here in midsummer, and you’ll see orchids, ox-eye daisies, bright-eyes and yellow rattle, as well as flourishing insect and bird life.

5. Augill Pasture, Cumbria

This pasture near Brough in the Lake District, is home to rich grasslands thanks to its past use as grazing for pit ponies. As a result a wide variety of wildflowers proliferate here, including great burnet, Devil’s-bit scabious and betony, along with the rarer butterfly-orchid, twayblade and bird’s-eye primrose. The surrounding mixed woodland of ash, birch and rowan is also home to bluebells, sanicle and wood avens, while red squirrels can be spotted among the trees.

6. Greena Moor, Cornwall

Culm grassland is only found in south-west England and south Wales, and sadly in Cornwall has declined dramatically in recent years. That is why these meadows at Greena Moor, home to one of the last areas of culm grassland in Cornwall, are a vitally important reserve. Managed by light cattle grazing, the meadow is home to bog pimpernel, marsh violet, saw-wort and abundant meadow thistle and Devil’s-bit scabious. If you’re lucky, you might also spot rare species such as wavy St John’s-wort, and whorled caraway.

7. Furnace Meadow and Brick Kiln Rough, West Sussex

Furnace Meadow comes alive with colour in May and June with its vibrant mix of wildflowers, while the oak-dominated woodland of Brick Kiln Rough, peaks in the spring with daffodils, bluebells and birds-nest orchid. This 16-acre site is a treasure trove of native plants including the lesser hawkbit, pepper saxifrage, musk mallow and oxeye daisy. A stream also runs through the area, alongside which you can spy the beautiful yellow iris, hemlock-water-dropwort, lesser spearwort and brooklime.

8. Davies Meadow, Herefordshire

Colourful old hay meadows such as this on the northern side of the Wye Valley, are a rare sight in the British countryside these days. Summer visitors can enjoy wandering amongst an array of wildflowers on this 20-acre reserve made up of three West Herefordshire meadows. Flowers include green-winged orchid, yellow-rattle, knapweed, pignut and meadow vetchling, while there is also a perry orchard that is currently being restored.

9. Carr House Meadows, Sheffield

Bursting with bluebells, yellow rattle, red and white clover, scabious and orchids, as well as the rare pink ragged robin, these meadows just outside the village of Wharncliffe Side, are at their best in June and July. The diversity of plant life here also means the area is abuzz with butterflies, beetles, spiders and grasshoppers which thrive in the rich foliage.

10. New Grove Meadows Reserve, Gwent

The northern two meadows at New Grove are among the very best wildflower meadows in Britain. This is because of its unbroken history of traditional management. From April through to autumn, these meadows dance with some of our most beautiful native flowers, including cowslip and spring sedge at the beginning of the season, giving way to May’s early purple orchids and then turning pink in June with an array of common spotted orchids. Meadow vetchling, rough hawkbit and milkwort are also abundant.

Picture: Plantlife

Still time to win tickets to the Hay Festival!

Mon, 14 May 2012 10:59:50 +0100

Hurry if you want to win the Silver ticekt we're giving away to this year's Hay Festival (31 May – 10June 2012). Highlights include Booker Prize winner Hilary Mantel, former Children’s Laureate, Michael Morpurgo, and the best-selling authors Philippa Gregory and Ian McEwan. To find out how to enter, click here.

WIN TICKETS TO BBC GOOD FOOD SHOW!

Mon, 14 May 2012 10:52:57 +0100

Looking for some foodie heaven? Well, we’re giving away three pairs of tickets to the BBC Good Food Show Summer (13-17 June 2012) to three lucky Jordans fans. All you have to do is email us telling us which Jordans Cereals product is your foodie heaven, and you could be on your way to the NEC Birmingham for a day of seasonal food, celebrity chefs, and stall after stall of fantastic specialist produce. This year’s highlights include James Martin presenting a live show in the Summer Kitchen, demos from the Hairy Bikers, plus the fantastic Producers Village where you’ll find the best of Britain’s small artisan producers, makers and bakers.

Competition closes 00.00hrs Wednesday 30^th May 2012. Click here for Competition T&Cs.

Competition: Is your garden a wildlife haven?

Mon, 14 May 2012 10:13:22 +0100

If bumblebees love your borders, hedgehogs hog your hedgerows, and creepy crawlies live among your log piles, there’s still just enough time to enter The Big Widlife Garden Competition. The Wildlife Trusts and the RHS are looking for the UK’s best garden nature reserves to inspire others to take action and make their outdoor space havens for our birds, bees, butterflies and mini beasts. It doesn’t matter if you’ve an urban patio, or a rambling country plot, if you garden for wildlife, there’s a category for you, from Small Residential, all the way through to Businesses doing their bit for nature. With great prizes including a year’s membership of the RHS and your local Wildlife Trust, plus the chance to attend a wildlife gardening master class at Hampton Court Flower Show, what are you waiting for? Go to The Big Wildlife Garden website here for more details.

Picture: Painted Lady, Adam Cormack

VISIT A MILL THIS WEEKEND…

Fri, 11 May 2012 08:38:28 +0100

If you love home baking and fancy picking up your very own bag of freshly ground flour to take home, you’ll love National Mills Weekend, the annual festival of our milling heritage. With more than 200 water and windmills across the country opening their doors to visitors this Saturday and Sunday, there will be tours, demonstrations and the chance to see one of Britain’s oldest rural skills in action. We’ve handpicked three of our favourite open mills offering that little bit extra this weekend.

Little Salkeld Flour Mill, Cumbria

One of the country’s few working water-powered corn mills, Little Salkeld produces 100% organic stoneground flour, made by traditional methods. In fact, the flour from this 18^th-century mill is so good, it’s even used in top-class kitchens such as the award-winning L’Enclume. This weekend, visitors will not only be able to see the mill in action and talk cogs and millstones with the resident miller, but also try delicious “Miller’s Pizzas” and Millie’s Jam Turnovers” cooked in the outdoor cob oven. If that doesn’t tickle your taste buds, there’s also the popular tea room serving organic and vegetarian lunches and pots of tea, while the shop sells bags of their own organic and biodynamic, stoneground wheat, rye, barley and spelt flours.

Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 May 2012, 10.30am-5pm, www.organicmill.co.uk

Daniels Mill, Shropshire

Set in a picturesque wooded valley, and with the largest working water wheel powering a corn mill in England, Daniels Mill in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, has been in the same family for more than 250 years, and remains largely unchanged since the 18^th century. This weekend the mill will play host to milling displays and guided tours for all the family, while the Stables Tea room (11am-4pm), will be serving up tasty home-cooked food.

Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 May 2012, 11am-5pm (last tour 4pm); www.danielsmill.co.uk

Stanwell Water mill, Gloucestershire

Situated on an 8^th Century estate, this mill in the beautiful Church Stanway with its idyllic mill pond and 24-foot overshot wheel – the eighth largest in England – has been fully restored to working order in recent years. It now produces stoneground Cotswold flour made from wheat grown less than one mile away on the Stanway Estate. This weekend, visitors can enjoy guided tours and watch milling in progress. If the weather is good you can also take a walk along the nearby Cotswold Way before stopping in to The Old Bakehouse Tearoom for a traditional Cotswold Cream tea.

Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 May 2012, 11am - 5pm; www.stanwaymill.co.uk

For more information on National Mills Weekend and to find an open mill near you, go to www.nationalmillsweekend.co.uk.

Photography comp for country lovers!

Thu, 10 May 2012 09:17:33 +0100

If you fancy yourself as the next David Bailey and love the countryside, you could be in with the chance of winning one of six £500 prizes in the latest National Countryside Photography Competition. Organised by our friends at The Prince’s Countryside Fund, this year’s theme is ‘Life in the Country’ with the six categories including Down on the Farm, Finest View, Countryside People and Wildlife. Entry closes on 22^nd June, so if you’re out and about in the countryside don’t forget your camera, and you could not only be a winner, but your contribution will help build a picture of what Britain’s rural areas look like in 2012. For more information on how to enter click here.

Rural personality: The Bee Keeper

Wed, 09 May 2012 09:00:41 +0100

An interest in green living inspired Nicky Smith, a working mum of two, to become a beekeeper. She now has two hives in her Oxfordshire garden and has launched an Adopt a Beehive Scheme to help British honeybees. We talk to Nicky about getting started, fitting her bees around her busy life, and harvesting her first pots of honey.

Where did it all begin?

I read an article about how honeybees were under threat because of increasing monoculture in our countryside. I wanted to help because I’ve always been interested in the environment, so bought my husband and myself a course on beekeeping for Christmas through our local British Beekeepers Association. It lasted about 12 weeks during which time we also read up on bees like crazy and became totally addicted.

What did the course involve?

It’s a mixture of theory and practical work. We started in the January and spent the winter learning about everything from where to get our bees from and how to identify if they are unwell or lacking in something, right through to opening up your hive for the first time and harvesting your honey which is really exciting. It’s all taught by local volunteer beekeepers and everyone is so enthusiastic and helpful. If you have a problem, there’s always someone to help.

Is beekeeping expensive?

It costs £25 to join the British Beekeepers Association, which I would advise, because it includes insurance for situations such as if your bees ever cause any injuries to livestock, or became infected with a disease that would require you to burn your hive. After that, it can be as expensive or as cheap as you make it. In most Beekeeping Associations you’ll find a member willing to give you your first nuc (group of bees) free of charge. You’ve then got to buy a suit, a smoker and a hive. I bought a kit and built my own hive which is definitely the most cost effective way. My husband on the other hand didn’t think my homemade hive was attractive enough, and bought himself a much more expensive hive made of cedar wood. Companies such as Beechwood Bees do entire starter kits for beginners including hive, smoker and protective gear for around £350.

Who keeps bees?

All kinds of people. I think it’s assumed that all beekeepers are old men with beards, and although there are a fair share of those, beekeepers come from all walks of life – one lady I know, Hannah, fits her beekeeping around being an airline pilot.

Is it a big time commitment?

It’s more time-consuming than you think, but I run my own PR Agency and have a family, and am able to fit it all in. From April until the end of the summer you probably have to check your hive every week to make sure there are no problems. To do this you have to put your suit on and get out the smoker (the smoke makes the bees think there is a fire, so they start eating lots of honey which makes them drousy meaning it’s easier for you to open up the hive). This takes about an hour. In the winter the bees are less active and so a check once every couple of weeks is fine.

When do you harvest your honey?

You don’t harvest your honey until right until the end of the season, but we’ve done four seasons in total and only harvested our first pots last year. This is because we didn’t think there was enough honey for the bees themselves in our first few seasons, but we didn’t mind because the bees are always our top priority. It was worth the wait though, because last year we harvested 80 jars. It was so exciting. I love giving them away to family, friends and neighbours as gifts – as well as eating it ourselves of course!

What’s the best thing about keeping bees?

I love that I’m doing something to help Britain’s wildlife – it makes me feel closer to nature. It’s changed so many things in our lives, not to mention our garden. Before, we had a normal lawn just like anyone else, but now we’ve taken all the grass out and planted our own meadow while our borders are full of bee-friendly flowers such as catnip, rosemary, thyme and marjoram.

Why did you set up the Adopt a Beehive Scheme?

I wanted to do something to help, so I approached the British Beekeepers Association with the idea and they liked it. It costs £30 for a year, and you get seasonal updates from your local adopted hive, as well as a welcome pack full of goodies including a jar of British honey or honey mustard, a pack of pollinator friendly wildflower seeds, and some Burt’s Bees lip balm. All the money raised goes to research in to helping our honeybees. Last year we raised £50,000. I was delighted.

We're great supporters of the honey bee here at Jordans, which is why we've arranged a special 10% discount off an annual subscription to BBKA's Adopt Beehive scheme just for you. You will also receive a box of bee goodies, plus three newsletters across the year. Quoting the offer code JC112, simply choose which beehive you would like to Adopt and buy online or call 0845 680 7038 where a member of BBKA staff will be able to help.

HEDGEROW HUMOUR

Tue, 08 May 2012 07:40:41 +0100

With nearly 6000 entries to our Hedgerow Howlers caption competition, it wasn’t easy picking winners, but it sure was a lot of fun! Thanks so much to all of you who put your comedy skills to the test, and brought the Hedgerow Hero stars of our adverts to life with your wittiest wisecracks. Even if you weren’t one of our winners, you certainly helped brighten up a very wet and windy April here at Jordans HQ. If you fancy a chuckle and want to know which captions really had our sides splitting, check out all the winning entries on our Facebook page here.

HONEY LOVING

Mon, 07 May 2012 15:33:13 +0100

Three reasons to love National Honey Week (7-13^th May 2012):

1. This magnificently moreish Very Berry Fruity Porridge topped with a drizzle of sweet clear English honey.

2. A bowl of our brand new Super Three Seed Granola served with a dollop of Greek yoghurt and topped with a spoonful of the runny stuff.

3. This delicious honey-sweetened Breakfast Loaf for those days you want some of the tasty slow-release energy of our porridge oats, while you’re on the go.

But it’s not just about being totally delicious – National Honey Week is also a really important awareness campaign. One in three mouthfuls of the food we eat is dependent on pollination, and when you think that one of our most important pollinators, the honeybee, is in crisis, that’s quite scary. So this week, we’re going to be talking a lot about how you can help, including what it takes to become a beekeeper (see our special interview with British Beekeeper Nicky Smith on Wednesday), to supporting British bee-keepers by buying local honey, or even adopting a hive…

Picture: Piyato

Foodie Friday: Get in a flap with these Truly Fruity Wholesome Flapjacks

Fri, 04 May 2012 10:04:24 +0100

No matter how healthy you try to be, you’ve got to let yourself have the odd little treat. Luckily, these fabulously fruity flapjacks are jam-packed with pre-soaked dates meaning they’re not only moreishly moist and sticky, but nowhere near as naughty as they taste!

Makes: 12 Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 20/25 mins

150g reduced fat margarine

150g ready to eat, stoned dates – presoaked for at least an hour in 3 tbsp apple juice (try prune juice for a different twist.)

225g Jordans Truly Fruity Muesli

Preheat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Grease and line a shallow 17.5cm tin with greaseproof paper, then grease again to prevent the flapjacks sticking.

Put the dates and juice in a food processor and blend until smooth, this will look very sticky but don't worry, the fruit will stick the flapjacks together. Melt the margarine in a pan over a low heat. Add the date puree and the muesli (or oats). Stir well, then press into the tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.

Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Cut into squares in the tin, and then allow to cool completely before turning out.

Enjoy with a nice cup of tea, or even pop one in your handbag for a wholesome snack while on the go.

Makes: 12 Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 20/25 mins

150g reduced fat margarine
150g ready to eat, stoned dates – presoaked for at least an hour in 3 tbsp apple juice (try prune juice for a different twist.)
225g Jordans Truly Fruity Muesli

Preheat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Grease and line a shallow 17.5cm tin with greaseproof paper, then grease again to prevent the flapjacks sticking.

Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Cut into squares in the tin, and then allow to cool completely before turning out.

Enjoy with a nice cup of tea, or even pop one in your handbag for a wholesome snack while on the go.

Birdsong 101

Thu, 03 May 2012 07:57:30 +0100

Can’t tell a robin’s warble from a blackbird’s staccato call? Well, since this Sunday is International Dawn Chorus Day (find your nearest Dawn Chorus Walk here), it’s a happy coincidence that we came across this wonderful new book, Birdsong, that is not only full of gorgeous and detailed photographs of 150 British and Irish birds, but plays their songs for you as well! Who said books with sound effects were just for kids? We absolutely love it, which is why we’ve arranged for a special offer so that you can buy Birdsong at the special price of £20 (RRP £30), with free p&p. Just call 01256 302699 quoting reference 6ZO (number six, letter z, letter o). So even if you can’t bring yourself to be up with the birds this Sunday, you can at least make yourself a cuppa and listen to your favourite birdsong from the comfort of your bed…

WIN TICKETS TO THE HAY FESTIVAL!

Wed, 02 May 2012 07:31:50 +0100

The Hay Festival is just around the corner with yet another incredible international programme of writers and thinkers to sink your teeth in to. This year’s highlights include Booker Prize winner Hilary Mantel, former Children’s Laureate, Michael Morpurgo, and the best-selling authors Philippa Gregory and Ian McEwan. It’s also the festival’s 25^th Anniversary, and to celebrate we’ve teamed up with the lovely people at Hay to giveaway one Silver ticket entitling two people to choose five events to attend over the entire festival (31 May – 10 June 2012). To win, simply email us the answer to the following question, with the subject line: 'Hay competition'.

Q: How did Bill Clinton describe the Hay Festival?

Hint: you’ll find the answer here.

Good luck!

Terms and Conditions

Blossom and bluebells

Tue, 01 May 2012 11:00:00 +0100

This month is Walk in the Woods, The Tree Council’s month-long festival in celebration of trees. From the 1-31 May 2012, woodlands across the country will be running special guided walks to help you get out and about and interested in your local woods. From bluebell trails, and glades of wildflower meadows, to woodland crafts and storytelling, there are events to suit every tast. Find one near you here, or if you’d rather go off exploring on your own, search for your nearest woodland at the Woodland Trust’s Visitwoods.org. Wherever you find yourself, don’t forget to take part in the National Trust’s Bluebell Watch – so if you stumble across a bluebell wood on your wanderings, simply tweet the location’s postcode and tag #bluebellwatch.

Bumble Bees Buzz Back!

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 07:55:58 +0100

The good news just keeps coming for Britain’s bees. Last week we told you all about how Britain’s native black bees were making a comeback; this week, it’s the exciting news that the short-haired bumblebee – extinct in Britain for nearly a quarter of a century – is on its way back to our shores, thanks to a joint project between the RSPB, Natural England, Hymettus and Bumblebee Conservation. Conservationists are on their way to Sweden right now to collect 100 short-haired bumblee queens that will be released at the RSPB’s Dungeness Reserve in Kent later this spring. It is hoped that the bees, last recorded in the UK in 1988, will recolonise meadows and farmland in the South East and give a boost to our ailing bumblebee population. According to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, two bumblebee species have become extinct in the last 70 years and many more have declined. That’s why at Jordans we are committed to our Conservation Grade farming, which encourages our farmers to create homes for bees and other wildlife on their farms.

All of a flutter…

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:03:21 +0100

Keep your eyes peeled while out and about this summer, and you could be lucky enough to spot one of Britain’s rarest butterflies. That’s because, thanks to last year’s record-breaking spring, numbers of some of our most threatened species are on the up! According to a recent report from Butterfly Conservation, the hot, dry weather we experienced this time last year, saw numbers of the previously declining Duke of Burgundy butterflies (pictured) rise by 65%, while grizzled skippers shot up by 96% and the pearl bordered fritillary by an amazing 103%. It’s not all good news though, as some of our most common garden butterflies still need your help– last summer was our coldest for 18 years which saw peacock, tortoiseshell and common blue butterflies all experience major declines. So how can you help? Well, according to Butterfly Conservation you should:

Plant butterfly-friendly flowers such as lavender, buddleia and sedum.
Leave some weeds – they’re very important for the survival of adult butterflies and caterpillars, so make sure you leave a small patch of your garden to go wild.

For more inspiration on how to help the butterflies and other creatures in your garden, read our top ten tips for gardening for wildlife here.

Picture: A Duke of Burgundy Butterfly, Keith Warmington

How to use up that ‘eggstra’ bit of chocolate…

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 08:02:55 +0100

The Easter Holidays are a distant memory, and yet while everyone's enjoyed their fill of Easter eggs, still the chocolate lingers on – in unopened boxes, cupboards and under beds… why not use it up once and for all by turning it into something even more delicious, like these rich, chewy and totally indulgent Country Crisp Brownies.

Makes 18 Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 35 mins

150g dark chocolate, preferably 70% cocoa

120g unsalted butter

2 large eggs

150g soft dark brown sugar

1tsp vanilla extract

50g plain flour

1tsp baking powder

240g dried cherries

100g Jordans Dark Chocolate Country Crisp

1. Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4/180C/160C fan. Line a 20cm/8” square baking tin with non-stick baking parchment.

2. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar, using an electric hand whisk, until light and doubled in volume. Stir in the vanilla extract and melted chocolate mixture.

4. Fold in the cherries, and Jordans Chocolate Country Crisp. Pour into prepared tin and smooth the surface with a spoon. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the cake is set and no longer wobbles when the tin is shaken slightly (it will still be quite sticky, but will firm up once cooled). Leave to cool completely in the tin, before cutting into bars.

Bee News: Native black honeybee makes a comeback!

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:55:23 +0100

The plight of the humble bee is something we really care about here at Jordans – so it’s good news that one of Britain’s native pollinators, the black honeybee, is making a comeback! Britain’s black honeybees were previously thought to be extinct everywhere except our most northerly reaches, but according to a project carried out by the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders’ Association (BIBBA) and funded by the Co-op’s Plan Bee scheme, Britain’s black honeybees can now be found in North Wales, East Anglia and as far south as West Sussex. Experts at BIBBA believe that this discovery could mark a decisive turnaround in the future of Britain’s bees. The turbulent British weather is thought to be one of the reasons for the dramatic decline of our honeybees, but because the British black honeybee has evolved to have a larger body and long black hair to keep it warm, it is more suited to Britain’s cooler climate than the southern European honeybees that most British beekeepers currently favour. Apparently, BIBBA plan on having native black honeybees ready for sale in the next three years, so watch this space!

Want to see if there are any British black honeybees in your area? Click here for a map of where these native bees can currently be found.

At Jordans, we’re passionate about helping Britain’s pollinators, and as you know, ask all of our farmers to put 10% of their productive land aside to help British wildlife. Find out how you can do your bit too by becoming one of our Wildlife Heroes.

Happy St George's Day!

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 07:49:21 +0100

Celebrate St George's Day this Weekend...

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:29:56 +0100

From dragon slaying to Morris Dancing – how are you celebrating St George’s Day?

It may not officially be until Monday, but towns and villages across the country will be celebrating England’s legendary dragon-slaying patron saint this weekend in a mass of St George’s Day festivals, fetes, parades and displays. Make sure you don’t miss the party with our pick of some of the best celebrations.

Medieval Jousting, Bedfordshire

A St George’s Day Festival that will take you back in time. Watch a gallant St George slay his dragon, Prince Malik’s Lancers in fast and furious horseback displays, and find out what the Ancient Egyptians ate in one of the live cookery demonstrations, this year focusing on historical cuisine.

Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 April 2012, 10am-6pm; Wrest Park, Bedfordshire; Adult £14.50, Child £8.70; www.english-heritage.org.uk

Hunt Dragons, North Yorkshire

Calling all dragon hunters! Find the dastardly dragons hiding in Clifford’s Tower and you could be lucky enough to receive a little prize...

Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 April 2012, 10am-6pm; Clifford’s Tower, North Yorkshire; Adult £4, Child £2.40; www.english-heritage.org.uk

Meet Merlin, Warwickshire

Where’s more appropriate to celebrate St George’s Day than in a castle? And Warwick Castle has got plenty to keep you entertained, from the chance to meet St George’s namesake to a Dragon Trail.

Saturday 21 April and Sunday 22 April 2012, 10am-6pm; Warwick Castle, Warwickshire; www.warwick-castle.com

Join the Jamboree, Lancashire

Everyone loves a jamboree and Clayton-le-Moors St George’s Jamboree is packed full of fun activities to celebrate all things English, from living history demonstrations including equine skills and weaponry, to a mobile archery workshop, arts and crafts market and tricycles!

Saturday 21 April, 2012, Mercer Park, Clayton-le-Moors, Lancashire; www.mercerhouse1842.org

Go the whole hog, Devon

It’s a party for all the family in Plymouth this weekend, with live music, face painters, clowns and of course, the obligatory Morris dancers. Work up an appetite and then tuck in to some of England’s favourite fare, from a hog roast or a cream tea, to a spicy Indian curry.

Saturday 21 April 2012, Armada Way Piazza, Plymouth, Devon; http://www.facebook.com/plymouthstgeorgesday

Maypole Dancing, Dorset

There’s nothing like a good old-fashioned English fete, and this one has everything you’d expect from morris dancing to maypole dancing.

Sunday 22 April 2012, Redhill Park, Moordown, Dorset

True English Fare, Essex

Expect a true taste of England at this family festival with hearty English cooking, Real Ale and Cider, plus archery, Aston Martins, Donkey Rides and entertainment from tribute and marching bands.

Sunday 22 April 2012, 10am-4pm; Wat Tyler Country Park, Basildon, Essex; www.stgeorgesdayessex.co.uk

Raise a toast, West Yorkshire

Head to Standedge, home of Britain’s longest canal tunnel where there will be sword and shield-making crafts in the visitor centre, along with some lip-smacking St George’s brew for the adults and some fiery ginger beer and patriotic St George’s day cakes and bakes.

Sunday 22^nd April 2012, Standedge, Huddersfield, Yorkshire; free; www.standedge.co.uk

Marching bands and Morris dancing, Wiltshire

It’s tradition with a twist in Swindon Town Centre this weekend, with festivities kicking off with a giant statue of St George parading through the streets along with a marching band and Morris dancers, followed by live music, juggling, and a fairground for a real carnival atmosphere.

Saturday 21 April 2012, Swindon Town Centre, Wiltshire; www.visitwiltshire.co.uk

Legendary re-enactments, Shropshire

Experience the thrill of a legend in action as players perform the story of St George and the Dragon at this open museum, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ironbridge Gorge.

22-25 April 2012, twice daily performances, 12pm and 2.30pm; Blists Hill Victorian Town, Shropshire; Adults £14.60, Children £9.35; www.ironbridge.org.uk

Spring treats and old-fashioned fun, Oxfordshire

Foodies will be in their element at Wallingford’s St George’s Day Festival with a host of local producers offering their tastiest spring treats. There will also be a town crier, clog dancing, while the kids will love the traditional Punch and Judy Show, face painting and fairground ride.

Saturday 21 April 2012, Wallingford, Oxfordshire; www.wallingford.co.uk

A Medieval Extravaganza, Staffordshire

Step back in time to the days of knights and damsels in distress at this historic castle. There will be spectacular medieval jousts, street entertainers, a family trail and even the chance to try your hand at some archery.

Saturday 21 April 2012, 11.30am-4.45pm; Tamworth Castle, Staffordshire; Adults £6.50, Children £4; www.tamworthcastle.co.uk

To find more St George’s Day celebrations near you, or to set up your own go to www.stgeorgesholiday.com

While we’ve tried to make sure that all the information here is as accurate as possible events can be subject to change, alteration and cancellation, so please check before setting out.

PICTURE: Courtesy of English Heritage

Enjoy, respect and protect the countryside…

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 10:30:00 +0100

…that’s the message of the new Countryside Code released last week by Natural England, and we couldn’t agree more. If you want to refresh your memory about the dos and don'ts of enjoying the countryside while keeping your impact on nature, farms, people and the environment low, download your copy here.