Annabelle Thorpe - 52 Great British Weekends: A Seasonal Guide to Britain’s Best Breaks

For my Mum, who always loved autumn best.

Originally published by New Holland

Publishers (UK) Ltd

Published 2015IMM Lifestyle Books

www.IMMLifestyleBooks.com

IMM Lifestyle Books are distributed in the UK by Grantham Book Service.

In North America, IMM Lifestyle Books are distributed by

Fox Chapel Publishing

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East Petersburg, PA 17520

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Copyright 2012, 2015 IMM Lifestyle Books

Copyright 2012, 2015 in text:

Annabelle Thorpe

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3

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eISBN 978-1-60765-288-5

Printed in the United States of America

Although the publishers have made every effort to ensure that information contained in this book was researched and correct at the time of going to press, they accept no responsibility for any inaccuracies, loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by any person using this book as reference.

Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit and resign yourself to the influences of each.

HENRY DAVID THOREAU

To live in each season as it passes; is there any other way on our windswept, sun-kissed, chilly, sultry island? The weather holds an unending fascination for us Brits, but no wonder: winter brings blizzards and bright blue skies, while spring offers torrential showers and glorious sunny days that make us rush to dust off the barbecue and head to the beaches in our millions. As for summer, who can predict? The reservoirs may dry up or overflow, the tennis courts at Wimbledon may be hot with sunshine or hidden from rain. And then autumn, rich in golden hues and soft sunlight, the last days of warmth giving way to crisp, cold air thick with early morning mist in the fields and the bittersweet smell of bonfires.

And for each season there are traditions to observe and natural wonders to marvel at: winter skies thick with thousands of migrating birds, spring streets peppered with vivid pink cherry blossom, tiptoeing into the sea in summer, walking beneath flame-coloured trees in the autumn months. Our food, culture, history and landscapes are indelibly entwined with the changing seasons which shape our island home, reinventing it anew through every stage of the year.

The most joyous of the seasons, spring begins with the violet crocuses pushing up through the frosty soil, quickly followed by buttery daffodils, scarlet tulips and lush banks of bluebells. As the days lengthen, even the most urban streets are blessed with beauty, as almond and cherry trees blossom pink and white and bare branches burst into leaf. Now is the time to dig out the walking boots and head for the hills, when the landscapes are in their first flush of beauty and optimism is in the air.