Summer in the UK: Best Bits

​A summer of language travel in the UK will be an enriching experience, both in and out of the classroom if you put some thought into what you would like to do in your free time. When booking your language school experience, consider if you have the time to spare to tour the UK a bit either before or after, and if not, consider planning what you are going to do at the weekends. In this blog, I’ve put together some options for UK summer activities that will suit all budgets and time frames that take in all the different aspects that the UK has to offer you, whether that’s just in Cambridge, or beyond.

History
The UK is full of history, expertly preserved in old buildings, museums and more. Some of the highlights obviously include Cambridge and Oxford as old university cities, but also further afield there are magnificent feats of architecture, like the Roman Baths, Canterbury and Salisbury cathedrals, the latter of which holds the Magna Carter, and of course, Stonehenge. Speak to our reception about trips you could organise to visit these locations and more. If you’re pushed for time but have a weekend to take in some of the UK’s best historical sites, London is the best plan. British history is crammed into a walk along the Thames, with the Tower of London, The London Eye and The Tate Modern art gallery all brilliant attractions that can be reached in a day. Buckingham Palace, St James’s Park and Trafalgar Square are also top spots to hit on a walking tour through the capital. If you have the time to go even further than the towns I’ve already mentioned, come and speak to us about organised excursions to places like Edinburgh and the Lake District, or even the Making of Harry Potter Studio Tour.  ​

Landscapes
Speaking of the Lake District, Britain has some of the most spectacular landscapes in Europe. There are national parks, mountains, and dramatic coastlines to take in. Some of my top recommendations are The Peak District National Park, Cheddar Gorge in Somerset, and Cornwall on the south coast. Again, don’t worry if you don’t have time for all this, as there are some lovely day trips to be reached from Cambridge, including the Norfolk Coast beaches of Hunstanton and Brancaster, and also High Lodge at Thetford Forest, where you can swing from the tree tops at Go Ape, and if you’d rather stay on the ground, you can try archery or a forest Segway experience. If you need to stay around central Cambridge and are looking for a visit that only takes a couple of hours, the Cambridge University Botanic Garden is a plant collection of over 8,000 species, perfect for nature enthusiasts, or anyone who would enjoy a walk through a collection of wonderful and dramatic plant landscapes. ​

Shopping
There is no question that the UK is excellent for shopping. If you’re studying during the week, a trip to London is a great change of pace for a weekend activity. Oxford Street and Regent Street are world-famous for brand-name shopping, but if you want something more individualised, take the tube to Notting Hill or Camden to find independent shops and outdoor markets. If you get hungry while shopping, you can stop for a bite to eat at one of the many street food stands around Camden Market. ​

Outdoor Swimming
Whether you want to swim in a pool, or do some wild swimming, there’s a spot for you in Cambridge. The outdoor swimming pool at Jesus Green is one of the longest outdoor pools in Europe, with lane swimming and an area for children to play. There is also a free-to-use children’s paddling pool at Lammas Land park near central Cambridge. Cambridge’s beauty-spots really come into their own when it comes to wild swimming. It’s possible to participate in organised open water swim sessions at the lake at Milton Country Park, but the nicest place to wild swim in Cambridge is Grantchester meadows. There are lots of points to swim at on the river here, and there’s even a rope swing into the water for the child-at-heart. ​

Afternoon Teas and Pub Gardens
At Grantchester, as mentioned before, there are a range of village pubs where you can grab a takeaway pint to bring down to the water’s edge, as well as The Orchard, a tearoom with outdoor seating which serves the most well-known afternoon tea in Cambridge. Finger sandwiches, scones with cream and jam and cakes are all part of the British tradition of afternoon tea, and it’s a great activity to try when you come to Cambridge. If you want to try whiling away an afternoon in a British pub garden, The Eagle right in the centre of Cambridge has the perfect walled garden for a sit in the sun, and the Fort St. George by Midsummer Common is also a great choice for a drink with a beautiful view.

Outdoor Theatre
A list of great reasons to spend the summer in the UK would not be complete without a mention of The Cambridge Shakespeare Festival, in which the works of Shakespeare are performed outdoors in the stunning College Gardens, with the actors in full-period costume. This truly immersive experience runs for eight weeks over the summer and is a way of learning about England’s most famous playwright in a totally new way – under the moonlight in one of the UK’s best university cities. Bring a blanket – you might need it!

The River
Lots of summertime activities can be found on the River Cam. Obviously, if you’ve never been punting before, this is a great place to start. Make sure to check with our reception if we are running a punting excursion that you can join. No trip to Cambridge would be complete without a tour of the college backs, but, if you’ve done it already or you’re feeling more adventurous, you either hire a punt for yourself and try to master it, or select a canoe or paddle-board and head down the river in the Grantchester direction to try something completely different.

This blog should help you to think about things you could do to make your UK summer the best summer ever, but as always, let us know if there’s any other advice we can help you with. We’d love to know your favourite thing about summers in Britain. ​

Allegra Goodwin, Student Experience Manager