The C&TH Guide to Summer 2022

Long days. Balmy evenings. Sunsets that seem to last forever. There’s nothing quite like summer… and the UK is filled with endless things to do. Here are 20 ways to make it one to remember.

Looking ahead to autumn? Here are some autumn holiday ideas to book now

The C&TH 2022 Summer Guide

1. Glamp in the Brecon Beacons

Set in the Brecon Beacons National Park, Starry Meadow is a festival-inspired pop-up glamping site featuring boutique bell tents alongside street food, starlit storytelling evenings and acoustic music around the campfire. 22 July – 22 August 2022, starrymeadow.co.uk

2. See ABBA Perform as Digital Avatars

Book tickets to ABBA Voyage, which uses ground-breaking new technology to recreate the band in their 1970s prime, playing some of their greatest hits as digital avatars. The concert takes place in a purpose-built ABBA arena at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London. Until 28 May 2023, abbavoyage.com

3. Shop at Oxfordshire’s New Country Fair

A new park fair taking place at Great Tew Estate will offer a mix of shopping, entertainment and food. Browse brands like RIXO and Desmond & Dempsey, take part in interactive workshops and try food from local favourite Quince and Clover. 18 – 21 August 2022, parkfair.uk

4. Eat Seafood in Padstow

Heading to Cornwall this summer? Pay a visit to Prawn on the Farm at Trerethern Farm near Padstow. The pop-up from fishmonger-cum restaurant, Prawn on the Lawn, serves seafood fresh off local day boats. prawnonthelawn.com

Need Somewhere to Stay? These Are the Best Hotels in Cornwall

5. Visit Home Farm

Elstree’s Home Farm is back for the second year running, hosting a festival-style extravaganza complete with open-air theatre, music and culinary events. Head there on Friday 29 or Saturday 30 June for their Rogue Otherworld immersive theatre experience. athomefarm.live

6. Go on a Rewilding Retreat

Rekindle a relationship with nature at one of Thera-Sea’s Cornish rewilding retreats. Think foraging walks, moonlit kayaking tours and stargazing – plus a digital detox thrown in for good measure. thera-sea.co.uk

Read: The Best Meditation & Wellness Retreats in the UK

7. Sip Campfire Cocktails at the Midnight Apothecary

Hidden atop the Brunel Museum in Rotherhithe is an atmospheric candlelit pop-up roof garden, covered in edible herb planters. The ingredients grown in these are then used to infuse and garnish botanical cocktails, to be enjoyed by firepits alongside toasted marshmallows. themidnightapothecary.co.uk

8. See an Open-Air Show at The Minack Theatre in Cornwall

As theatre settings go, it doesn’t get much better than the Minack Theatre, situated on the rugged cliffs of south-west Cornwall. Upcoming shows for this summer include a musical version of Little Women, a retelling of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre and David Mynne’s The Odyssey. minack.com

9. Bastille Day: Party Like the French at Le Pont de la Tour’s Pop Up Terrace with Maison Mirabeu

Seafood and rosé – what could be better? With panoramic views of the Thames and Tower Bridge to boot, Le Pont de la Tour X Maison Mirabeau is a pop-up terrace you shouldn’t miss this summer. If you’re in the city on 14 July, head over for their festive Bastille Day party, featuring free-flowing food and rosé, oyster shucking, and a live band. Allons-y! lepontdelatour.co.uk

10. Go Wine Tasting at Gusbourne Estate

Book a vineyard tour and picnic at the picturesque Gusbourne Estate. Soak up the views across Romney Marsh and out to sea as you taste English wine made on site and feast on locally produced cheeses, charcuterie and bread. gusbourne.com

11. Paddle to a Brewery Through London’s Oldest Canal

Earn your pint by embarking on a five-kilometre guided canoe trip from Limehouse to Crate Brewery in Hackney Wick, spotting swans and other birdlife along the way. secretadventures.org

12. Head to the Chilterns for Oxmoor Farm’s Supper Club

There’s nothing quite like watching the sun set over a field of green with a glass of wine in hand. This summer, Oxmoor Farm – located in the idyllic Chiltern Hills – is hosting a series of ‘Wild Feast’ supper clubs. With a hot line-up of chefs on summer’s agenda, a short train from Marylebone, and a minibus from the station to the farm to boot, you’ll laugh at how easy it feels to escape the city for a balmy summer evening. This one’s not to be missed. oxmoorfarm.co.uk

12. Discover Secret Cycling Routes Near London

Two-wheeled travel convert? Show off your new hobby alongside veteran British cycling coach Charlie Codrington, who runs off-road guided bike tours for all levels of experience through his company Hidden Tracks Cycling. hiddentrackscycling.co.uk

Looking for Family-Friendly Things To Do? Read the C&TH Summer School Holidays Activities Guide

13. Celebrate Pride in Brighton

The UK’s biggest Pride festival is back and better than ever. There’s a star-studded line up – Christina Aguilera, Paloma Faith, Jake Shears and Sophie Ellis-Bextor are all set to perform, amongst many others – as part of a weekend stacked with events, including the famous Pride Parade, belatedly celebrating its 30th anniversary. brighton-pride.org

Need Somewhere to Stay? These Are the Best Hotels in Brighton

14. Go wine tasting on the Isle of Man

Take a trip to the Foraging Vintners Craft Winery on the Isle of Man, which creates sparkling wines, ciders and ginger beer using homegrown produce. This summer, the winery is hosting a pop-up at the Cosy Nook Beach Bar & Café, where you can enjoy coffee, baked goods and Foraging Vintners’ fizz – all while enjoying spectacular sunset views. foragingvintners.com

15. Catch a Movie on a Rooftop

Elevate your cinema experience – literally – at Rooftop Film Club, which sees films old and new screened across two London rooftops: Bussey Building in Peckham and Stratford’s Roof East. With huge screens, comfortable deckchairs and bottomless popcorn, outdoor film setups don’t get much better than this. rooftopfilmclub.com

16. Spot wildlife on the Calf of Man

Visiting the beautiful Isle of Man this summer? At the most southerly point of the isle, you can hop on a boat to a small islet called the Calf of Man, a Manx National Heritage site which is no longer permanently inhabited by people. Along the way you’ll see plenty of sights – the infamous Drinking Dragon, the Chasms, and lots of wildlife including seals, puffins and, if you’re lucky, basking sharks and dolphins. visitisleofman.com

The Calf of Man

17. Meet the Peaky Blinders

A new Peaky Blinders-themed immersive experience is launching in London this June. Taking place in Camden Garrison, just moments away from the actual film set, the show plunges guests into 1920s London – around series two – as Tommy Shelby fights to gain control of London city. From 24 June 2022, immersivepeakyblinders.com

18. Try Falmouth’s New Restaurant

The latest Cornish culinary opening to know is Culture, an eco-minded restaurant from acclaimed chef Hylton Espey. Opening this June in Falmouth, just moments away from the sea, it’s all about championing local suppliers – from pasture raised Footes Farm chickens to regeneratively farmed Trenow Fields vegetables. culturerestaurant.co.uk

19. Channel your inner Baby at Secret Cinema

Dust off your dancing shoes and don your pineapple for Secret Cinema’s latest experience, which is all about Dirty Dancing. Visitors will be transported to the ‘60s, where they’ll have the chance to learn the Cha Cha with Johnny and try that epic lift. July 2022, secretcinema.org

The Royal Opera House (c) Gabriel Varajay, Unsplash

20. Have a Sneak Peek Backstage at the Royal Opera House

NoMad London hotel has partnered with its neighbour the Royal Opera House to launch a very special new overnight experience. You’ll enjoy a backstage tour of the Royal Opera House and have the chance to watch a performance from the Royal Box, such as Swan Lake or Samson et Dalila, then reside in the hotel’s luxurious Royal Opera Suite. thenomadhotel.com

21. Check out the V&A’s Summer Exhibition

Opening at the V&A this July, Africa Fashion will take visitors across the globe through a celebration of ‘the irresistible creativity, ingenuity and unstoppable global impact of contemporary African fashion creatives’. Over 250 objects will be on show, spanning from the mid-twentieth century to modern day, alongside works of art, photographs, textiles and music. From 2 July 2022, vam.ac.uk

Read the C&TH Review: African Creatives Wow Audiences In New V&A Exhibition, ‘Africa Fashion’

Featured image: GettyImages

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