Recipe | Yogurt, cherry & passionfruit crumble jars

Photography by Rebecca Lewis

Portable puddings mean you can enjoy your dessert whenever you fancy – so start saving your jam jars now

Serves 6

300g fresh cherries, destoned

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 lemon, juiced

180g mixed nuts

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp chia seeds

1 tbsp hemp seeds

1 tbsp pumpkin seeds

1 tbsp honey

450g natural yogurt

15 passion fruits

100g dark chocolate chips

12 edible flowers, optional

6 empty jam jars to serve

1 Heat the cherries, 1 tbsp of the maple syrup and the juice of half of the lemon in a small pan over a medium heat. Stir gently for 5 mins until the start to soften, then set aside to cool.

2 Meanwhile, place the nuts, cinnamon and seeds in a blender and blitz until they’ve formed a crumble-like consistency. Add the honey and give it another quick blitz to combine.

3 Place a layer of the nut crumble (using up half the mix) into the base of each jam jar, then add a layer of natural yogurt.

4 Cut and scrape out 12 of the passion fruits and divide equally between the jams jars, followed by another layer of natural yogurt.

5 Finally, add a layer of the cherry compote and top with the rest of the nut crumble.

6 Cut the last three passion fruits in half and top each jar with one half along with a couple of edible flowers.

This recipe is from our feature ‘A Lovely Arrangement’ in our June issue, a menu for a picnic surrounded by spring blooms. It also includes recipes for Rye Bread & Smoked Salmon Floral Squares, Summer Rolls, Edible Flower Salad, Pea & Goat’s Cheese Quiche and Lavender Lemonade. The recipes are by Kay Prestney and the photography is by Rebecca Lewis.

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How to | Learn to Skip

Skipping is a skill worth honing: it’s fantastic exercise, you can do it anywhere and it looks pretty cool, especially if you can throw a move or two.

The basics

Get these down and it’ll feel like less effort. • Jump low: jumping too high wastes energy and stresses the joints. • Keep on the balls of the feet: avoid kicking your feet back and up as you jump (bending the knees only slightly prevents this). • Keep elbows pointing back, hands close to the body, next to your hips. • Rotate the rope with your wrists not your arms. • Keep your rope shorter: it’s more efficient. • Avoid the double jump if your aim is harder moves.

The trickier bits

Whatever feat you’re tackling, practise without the rope first to get your rhythm right. Start by jumping side to side or forwards and backwards as you skip. Then try jumping toes and heels together (the ‘wounded duck’). The enviable boxer’s skip is simply jumping from side to side (jump right, tap left, jump left, tap right). Once you’re comfortable with your feet, play with the arms: crossing and swinging the rope and the 180˚ turn. And when you get really confident, try doing it with your dog: Purin, a beagle from Japan, holds the record for ‘Most skips by a dog and a person in one minute – single rope’ managing 58 in a minute.

If you like skipping, you might like to get back into these childhood games, this bank holiday

French elastic
Grab two friends and a length of elastic and start chanting: England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales. Inside, outside, inside, ON! You can learn to do it at the Scouts’ website.

Hopscotch
All you need is a piece of chalk, a pebble and to be able to count to ten and you have yourself aan afternoon of back garden entertainment. Learn to hopscotch here.

Cat’s Cradle
Find a length of string, look up the rules and get looping with a cat’s cradle partner.

Hula-hooping
Here’s one you can do alone (and you WILL want to do it alone until you get a bit good and can show off in the park. You can find instructions on how to hula hoop on our blog.

You can find more merriment and silliness in our Miscellany pages each month.

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Wellbeing | Tuesday Choose Day

Photograph by iStock

Make Tuesdays a Choose Day and feel instantly less ‘beginning of the week’ about it

Let’s be honest, Tuesday often isn’t much better than Monday. In fact, research from the London School of Economics found it to be the most miserable day of the week. So we propose reframing Tuesday into Choose Day, where you decide how you’re going to feel and what you’re going to get out of the day.

Start as you mean to go on by doing something you enjoy as soon as you wake up. If your normal routine doesn’t allow for that, set the alarm a bit earlier – even 10 minutes gives you a chance to do some breathing or stretches, write a few pages of a journal, read your book, or whatever makes you feel content. Now you’re feeling calm and alert, set an intention for the day. It might be, “I’m going to listen with an open mind to those I tend to disagree with in my meeting.” Or it might be more about your mindset, for example, “I’m going to think kind thoughts about myself and others.” Writing it down will help to affirm your intention. Before bed, reflect on your intention and whether it made you feel or act differently, noticing any achievements, however small, and how you have the power to shape your day.

To get you started, here are a few intentions you could choose this Chooseday…

1. Choose a change. Walk a new route to work, get your lunch from somewhere you’ve not tried before, or start a TV series that a friend has recommended but you wouldn’t normally have considered.

2. Choose peace. Make this a day when you just let things go. Choose not to respond to an aggressive comment, or to allow something small to get under your skin. Choose to be a bit zen all day and accept whatever life throws at you with grace. 

3. Choose new adventures. Make this the day you sign up for that course in Thai cookery, book a holiday, or join a sports team. If you need to start small that’s fine, too. Take a friend on a microadventure. Maybe hire a boat for an afternoon or climb a hill together. 

4. Choose to be easy on yourself. Give yourself an extra five minutes in bed, delegate a few chores, choose a meal for dinner that only takes five minutes to prepare and doesn’t involve much washing up. Sometimes a poached egg on toast is its own reward.

5. Choose to be creative. Go cloud spotting, make words from car numberplates, doodle in the margins in your meeting and spend your lunchtime reading a book or painting rather than tackling life admin. Just take every opportunity Tuesday gives you to indulge in some creativity.

Be inspired by new ways to experience every day of the week with our feature ‘Could-do Week’ by Rebecca Frank in our June issue, which is in shops now. 

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Sponsored post | Tails.com Tailored Dog Nutrition

See the difference in your dog with 80% off 100% tailored nutrition

As spring arrives, our gardens come alive. New buds burst into bloom, lawns turn a lush green, and mornings are filled with birdsong and soft sunshine. With every sign of growth, one thing stays the same - our loyal canine companions, always ready for a new adventure.

Whether they’re keeping a watchful eye on our planting or bounding ahead on woodland walks, dogs bring springtime to life. Because our dogs are more than just pets; they are our most loyal friends. It’s often their boundless enthusiasm that inspires us to step outside and make the most of the longer days. Whether that's in our own backyard or beyond.

We all know getting out into nature is essential for physical and mental wellbeing. And that goes for our dogs too. New sights and smells are the height of enrichment for our pups. Watching them napping in the sun-dappled grass or going on sniffari walks reminds us to pause and enjoy the season. They remind us to savour every season.

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Project | Make a Scrap fabric Key Fob

If you were inspired by our ‘Scrappy Do’ projects to make a belt bag and lanyard for Summer days out in our June issue, here’s another similar, simple make you might like

You will need: 

Cotton fabric scraps in a selection of prints, each minimum size 7.5 x 46cm 

Medium-weight non-woven fusible interlining, 7.5 x 117cm  

Coordinating thread 

Key fob hardware, 2.5cm wide  

Pliers for affixing key fob hardware 

Tailor’s awl (optional) 

Cutting instructions: 

Print cotton fabric scraps:  

Cut a selection of strips, each 6.5cm wide x 4–7.5cm long 

Medium-weight non-woven fusible interlining:  

Cut one strip measuring 2.5 x 26cm, for the key fob. 

1 Lay out a selection of print-cotton strips with the right sides uppermost to create a strip measuring 30cm. Arrange the fabrics until you are happy with the placement. 

2 Begin joining the pieces of the strip together. Working from left to right, place the first two pieces together with right sides facing. Align the raw edges, pin or clip in place, and sew together. Press the seam neatly open. Continue joining each square in turn..Using the rotary cutter, ruler, and cutting mat, trim the strip to measure 26.5cm. 

3 Place the interlining strip on the strip so the adhesive side is facing the wrong side of the fabric. Position the interlining strip 5mm away from one long raw edge and 5mm away from each short raw edge. Cover with a pressing cloth and iron to fuse in place.  

4 Fold each long side of one of the strips to the wrong side by 5mm and press. Fold the strip in half so that the two long sides meet and press. The raw edges are now concealed inside the folded strip. Pin or clip in place. Make sure the sewing machine stitch length to 3. Taking a 3mm seam allowance from the edges, topstitch along each long side. Zigzag stitch across each short end to neaten.  

5 Fold the key fob strip in half and align the two short edges. Place the short edges inside the key fob hardware and secure in place using the pliers.  

Taken from Mini Quilting by Laura Strutt (CICO Books). Photography by James Gardiner © CICO Books 

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Recipe | Pavlova with Berries and Rose Petal Cream

Taking a giant spoon and smashing into a pavlova you’ve spent hours constructing feels like a radical act. But finding that child-like glee is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Bring on the spring silliness!

Serves 8

For the meringue:
4 egg whites
250g caster sugar
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the topping:
250g strawberries, hulled and halved
250g raspberries
200g blueberries
3 tbsp icing sugar
350ml double cream
3 tsp rose water
Rose petals, to decorate

1Preheat the oven to 150C/Fan 130C/ Gas 2. Using a pencil, draw around a dinner plate on baking paper and use to line a baking tray.

2 Whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, then whisk in the caster sugar, one spoonful at a time, until the meringue looks glossy.

3 Whisk in the white wine vinegar, cornflour and vanilla extract.

4 Using a spoon or spatula, spread the meringue onto the baking paper, using the circle as your template. Make the sides higher than the middle so you have a dip for your filling.

5 Bake the meringue for 1 hr before turning off the oven and leaving it inside to cool completely.

6 For the pavlova, make a berry sauce by putting 100g of the strawberries, 100g of the raspberries and 2 tbsp icing sugar in a food processor. Blitz, then push through a sieve.

7 Whip together the double cream, rose water and remaining 1 tbsp icing sugar. When soft peaks form, spread it over the meringue, top with the berries and drizzle with the sauce. Scatter rose petals over to finish.

The pavlova recipe is one of the ideas from our ‘Kitchen Therapy’ feature ‘Take It Outside’ from our June issue, which includes recipes inspired by the outdoors and that can be partly created (and definitely eaten!) outside. The recipes are by Lottie Storey and the photography is by Kym Grimshaw.

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Nature | Pond-Dipping for Grown-ups

Illustration by Zuza Misko

No longer the preserve of primary school children, pond dipping is a simple and mindful pastime that is fascinating and fun. Here’s how to get started

You will need

A flat plastic tray (white is best for spotting pond life); a small net or sieve; a magnifying glass, a spoon. 

How to pond dip

1. Approach the pond slowly and quietly so you don’t scare off the wildlife. Lower the plastic tray into the water and fill it half full with pond water to put your ‘finds’ into. 

2. Using the sieve, scoop through the water nearish to the bottom of the pond and then quickly empty it into your plastic tray. Leave the tray of water to settle a bit.

3. Carefully and gently use the spoon to search through the water and weed for any wildlife. Use the magnifying glass for a closer look. You can photograph any interesting finds if you wish, and maybe sketch them later. 

4. If you have regular access to the pond you might like to start a notebook and date and log your finds along with any photos or sketches to allow you to track the pond’s wildlife across a year. 

5. Once you’ve finished, carefully lower the tray back into the water to let your finds go. Make sure nothing gets left behind in the tray.

What you might find

Water boatmen, leeches, water snails, diving beetles, dragonfly and damselfly nymphs, whirligig beetles, tadpoles, newts, toads, sticklebacks, backswimmers, pond skaters and much more… 

If you’d like to learn more about some of our native pondlife, don’t miss our Magical Creatures page this month, which is all about water boatmen.

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Sponsored Post | Get your family active with Youth Sport Trust

Learn how small moves can make a big difference with the Youth Sport Trust

National School Sports Week is back from 16–22 June 2025, and this year we’re celebrating 30 years of helping children be Always Active.

We know life is busy. But being active every day isn’t about perfection — it’s about small, joyful moments that add up. Whether it’s a five-minute dance-off before dinner or a walk to the park after school, it all counts towards the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity.

That’s why the Youth Sport Trust is inviting families across the UK to sign up and take part in their annual celebration of play and sport. It’s free to join and packed with quick, fun ideas to help your family move more — together.

And here’s the bonus — when you sign up, you’ll be in with a chance to WIN a £250 Sports Direct voucher to kit your family out for a summer full of activity.

Don’t miss Sports Star Friday on 20 June: it’s like World Book Day… but for sport! Encourage your school to sign up and get the whole family involved by dressing up as your favourite sports hero and sharing your outfit on social, it’s a fun way to celebrate movement and the people who inspire us. #YSTSportsStarFriday #NSSW2025

Make movement a part of your family’s story this summer. Sign up, get active, and let’s create lifelong memories — one joyful moment at a time.

Click here to sign Up now

Playlist | Great Heights

DJ: Frances Ambler
Image: Shutterstock

We’re reaching great heights for our latest playlist, taken from our June 2025 SOAR issue (on sale from 28 May).

Have a listen to our playlist here.
We compile a playlist for each issue of The Simple Things: have a browse of them here.

Competition | Win a two-night stay at Watergate Bay

Enter now for your chance to win a feelgood break at Watergate Bay Hotel, worth up to £2,500, plus land&water skincare, worth £300

What makes your dream getaway? A sea-view lie-in or a sunrise swim? A stress-relieving massage or a skin-reviving facial? Perhaps sunset cocktails on The Living Space deck or sinking your
teeth into an ‘Extreme burger’ in The Beach Hut? If this has captured your imagination, then you’ll be pleased to hear we’ve teamed up with our friends at Watergate Bay Hotel in Cornwall to offer one lucky reader of The Simple Things a naturally rejuvenating two-night stay, plus some land&water treatments and products.

Set on a wide, sandy, surfing beach, Watergate Bay Hotel is all about the balance in life. Big skies, fresh air, exhilarating days in the elements, plus good food, drink and conversation. Born on the shores of Watergate Bay, natural bath and body brand land&water captures the essence of this ‘active relaxation’ lifestyle in its range of products.

Bursting with essential oils and botanical actives, land&water products are made in small batches in the British Isles, using sustainably sourced, ethical ingredients to evoke the therapeutic benefits of time outdoors. Launched this spring, land&water’s new skincare collection extends this idea to recreate the natural radiance and fresh skin invigoration we feel on the shoreline. Used in Watergate Bay’s Swim Club treatment rooms, land&water products stir a warm glow and an elevated sense of wellbeing – from body wraps to reflexology, facials and massages.

The prize includes a two-night bed & breakfast stay for two at Watergate Bay Hotel, two land&water treatments of your choice, plus a land&water skincare bundle worth £300. Best of luck!

For more information, visit watergatebay.co.uk; @watergatebay, plus land-and-water.co.uk;
@landandwater_ 

How to enter 

For your chance to win a two-night stay at Watergate Bay Hotel, enter our competition by clicking the button below and answering the following question by the closing date of 9 July 2025.

Q: What is the name of the luxury product range used in Watergate Bay’s Swim Club treatment rooms?

Terms and conditions

The competition closes at 11.59pm on 9 July 2025. One winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. Prize must be taken by 30.06.26, and excludes school holidays. Subject to availability. The winner is responsible for transport to and from the hotel. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. Details of our full terms and conditions are on p125 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

Make | Summer Scraps Belt Bag Template

Looking for the template to make our bag from the June issue? You’re in the right place

You can make the bag pictured above from a selection of material scraps using the instructions and kit list from our Weekend Project in our June issue. But first you’ll need the template for the bag strap tabs (the orange pieces connecting the bag to the strap) which you can click to print below and then cut out.

Click here to download the bag tab template

You can find all the instructions to make this belt bag, as well as a matching lanyard in our June issue. And look out for a similar project to make a key fob on our blog soon!

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Outdoors | Camping Truths

Camping is full of highs and lows but somehow it’s always worth it. Here, some of the Simple Things team - at least the more seasoned campers - share some of their most memorable camping moments.

You’ve not been camping until…

“...the airbed deflates in the night. It happens every time - and somehow you forget until the next time you're sleeping on one. The most memorable occasion, camping in north Wales, the tent was leaking too. My friend and I gave up and retreated to the car, where we reclined the front seats and slept there.” 

Jo Mattock, Commissioning Editor

You’ve not been camping until…

“...you try and put up a tent on the edge of a cliff in a gale. We bought a new tent for the kids when we went to Dorset and were staying on a campsite that went ups to the cliff edge. Our bell tent went up fine, but when we tried to put up the new one (which obviously we didn’t look at before, seasoned campers that we are) it was a lightweight nightmare. The kids hid in the car as we were nearly blown away and took about three attempts to get it pitched correctly. We had an audience of other unhelpful campers who cheered when we finally got it up and didn’t go off the edge of the cliff (it felt like the same cheer when you’re working in a pub and drop some glasses, I was not very amused).”

Karen Dunn, Commissioning Editor

You’ve not been camping until…

“you’ve gone glamping with friends in September in ‘Jane Austen country’ and listened to the sound of deer rutting in the field next door ALL night, with eight inquisitive children all asking what that noise is and why the stag is called ‘Mr Darcy’.”

Iona Bower, Editor at Large

You’ve not been camping until…

“...you've eaten brioche rolls for three days solid and shared the last tea bag between three.”

Rebecca Frank, Wellbeing Editor

You’ve not been camping until…

“...you've found ingenious ways to utilise every bit of kit. Growing up, we had a yellow plastic crate that was used to ship all the food needed for our holiday. And once in situ, it was turned upside down and used as a side table (all the home comforts!), a portable washing up station and a toddler bath/paddling pool for my younger sister. It even became a makeshift potty at one point, when she climbed in, squatted down, then stood up and proudly remarked ‘Now that's what I call a real tortoise!’ It's now family folklore and still laughed about some 35 years later.”

And finally, from TST’s most seasoned camper… you’ve not been camping until…

“...You’ve watched the stars while having a wee in the middle of the night, you’ve made ‘second breakfast’, you’ve won the prize of ‘the one comfy camp chair’, you’ve listened to the rain ping off the tent and know it is not leaking, you’ve sipped a whisky by the light of the campfire, you’ve not seen the kids for at least an hour, you’ve packed the tent up before the rain arrives. Less positively: you’ve had to retrieve the dog from someone else’s camp larder, you’ve had a six-hour drive and then had a row while putting up the tent, there’s ice on the inside of the tent.”

Lisa Sykes, Editor

This blog was inspired by our ‘Looking Back’ feature, which we’ve called ‘Happy Campers’ from our May issue. You can read it from page 70 of the issue. 

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Nature | Why Birds Sing at Dawn

Photo by Alamy

In the UK, it’s almost exclusively the males that sing, though recent studies reveal that females of many species also sing to their mates and nestlings, especially in the tropics.

But why sing at dawn? In fact, most songsters perform throughout the day, but they save their most forceful, committed singing for the early morning. This may be because there’s less human and other sound at that time and, being cooler, there are fewer insects and other food to find, too. Singing takes a lot of energy, so the male may as well do it when food is less available and his voice travels further in the still morning air. The end result is a torrent of glorious song cascading over park, garden and meadow in the early hours. By April, resident birds are joined by migrant singers such as the warblers who, as their name suggests, add their own melodies to the mix. By early May, the full choir of breeding songbirds is in voice.

Read more about the dawn chorus in our feature ‘The Early Bird’ from our May issue.

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Recipe | Spring Beans on Toast

The classiest kind of beans on toast – using broad beans and elderflower as the secret stars.

Serves 4

1.5kg broad beans in pods

Bunch of fresh mint leaves, chopped

Bunch of fresh chives, chopped

115g ricotta cheese

1 lemon, zested

4 slices sourdough bread

Fresh chive flowers, optional

For the elderflower dressing:

2 tsp djion mustard

2 tsp honey

2 tbsp elderflower vinegar

100ml olive oil

To make

1 Pod the broad beans and bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the beans and cook for about 3 mins.

2 Drain the beans and skin them if the beans are large. Place in a bowl, adding chopped mint and chives.

3 To make the dressing, place the mustard, honey and vinegar into a mixing bowl and season with

salt and pepper. Whisk together and slowly pour in the oil, whisking until it becomes emulsified. Taste

the dressing and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Add enough to coat the broad beans and herbs.

4 Mix the ricotta cheese with the lemon zest and season to taste.

5 Toast the bread and spread with ricotta cheese before spooning the beans on top. Drizzle with dressing and top with chive flowers, if using.

This recipe is taken from our feature, Respect Your Elders, in our May issue, which includes lots of recipes for using elderflowers, including cakes, cordials, curd and vinegar. The recipes are by Philippa Vine and photography by Anna Rubingh.

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Sponsored Post | Holidays with Peace of Mind

Motorhomes and caravans offer a holiday with plenty of adventure, freedom and fresh air. Packing some clever gadgets that make life easier will give you fewer things to worry about, along with having the right insurance for your needs.

There’s nothing as liberating as a holiday. Popping your Out Of Office on and hitting the road to explore somewhere new, or perhaps returning to a favourite destination, but all the while making memories that will last a lifetime. For many of us, that ideal break will be the freedom, flexibility and adventure that a motorhome or caravan holiday affords, with few restrictions other than where to pitch up for the night. Ideal for those who love to get closer to nature, a motorhome or caravan enables you to enjoy the great outdoors, while still enjoying the comfort and practicality of having somewhere to eat, sleep and relax. 

Worry-free travel

However, when it comes to relaxing, knowing that you have a comprehensive insurance policy in place can make your getaway – be it a night or two away or a longer road trip – just that little bit easier. Taking out the right motorhome insurance or caravan insurance for your needs and wants will ensure you have one less thing to worry about, meaning you can concentrate on the more important things, such as where to head to next.

Covering a variety of options and scenarios, InsureMy lets you compare quotes from the UK’s leading online specialist providers to find the best rate for your needs. To make finding the right insurance easier, and to save you even more money, InsureMy is currently offering up to 20%* (valid until 30 June 2025) off motorhome and caravan insurance. The right insurance package  can protect your investment, cover against accidents, damage, theft and breakdown, and will give you peace of mind

Okay, so we’ve made things a little bit easier in terms of finding the right insurance policy to suit your needs, here’s a round-up of what else is available to make life on the open road that touch more comfortable…

Food for thought

One of the beauties of a caravan or motorhome getaway is that wherever you pitch up, you’ll always have a kitchenette at your disposal, so warm meals or just that essential cuppa are always easy to rustle up. However, facilities are often compact, so clever gadgets can make all the difference to your holiday. When it comes to cooking, storage is at a premium, so having one pan that can do the job of many can be handy. Try a multi-section frying pan, which is particularly ideal for nailing a full fry up all in one pan – and better still, it means less washing up! Alternatively, there are also plenty of collapsible or stackable cookware options, too, which allow you to flatten pans and strainers down, or stack several utensils inside each other, meaning you can make the most of your limited storage space. Another essential for a well-organised kitchen includes non-slip drawer liners, which not only prevent your crockery from moving around during transit, they also add extra cushioning to breakables. A sturdy cool box will not only give you extra chilled storage if your fridge is on the small side, but it also means that once you find your dream destination, you can head out for the day and still keep a picnic as fresh as the moment you made it. Waking up to a good cup of coffee is another key element of holiday happiness – and sometimes a spoonful of instant granules just won’t do, so consider a travel French Press mug that allows you to brew a freshly ground cup of coffee, so you’ll be full of beans and ready for your day.

Work it

Just because you’re on your holidays, those basic chores needn’t be difficult. Investing in a good hand-held vacuum cleaner with a reliable battery life means you can keep on top the crumbs, dirt and dog hair that invariably mount up. Laundry day may involve a trip to a laundrette or perhaps some simple hand washing, either way, there will be clothes to dry and a fold-out dryer will be invaluable. There are a range of options available, from simple clips that hold a handful of hangers, to a self-standing, pop-up portable airer that stows away in a drawstring bag when not in use. Of course, you could also get away with a length of rope tied between two points; just don’t forget the pegs. While a motorhome is a wonderful base for a getaway, the downside can be that every time you want to go anywhere or get some groceries in, you have you pack up and ship out. With this in mind, a foldaway bicycle will be a godsend, as will a folding cart for getting things from A to B without having to get behind the wheel and drive.

Lights, camera, action…

At the end of the day, a holiday is all about relaxing and enjoying yourself, so setting up your pitch for an evening of fun, will be what those memories are all about. A rechargeable lantern will ensure you can enjoy the great outdoors long after the sun dips. There are plenty of lanterns available that offer added extras, such as inbuilt speakers or a phone charger. Meanwhile, solar-powered fairy lights will pretty your pitch up and will create ambience, ideal for an evening of chatting over a glass of wine, or perhaps competing in a family board games championship. However, if you’re exhausted after a day spent exploring, then how about sitting back and enjoying a film? There are a multitude of portable projectors on the market, many of which are compatible with a smartphone. Simply hang a flat sheet between two trees and create your own outdoor cinema. Why not enjoy the film in extra comfort? Look for a collapsible camping chair with plenty of padding and ideally a holder for your drink and popcorn. Then, sit back and enjoy the film, and your holidays.

Folklore | Guernsey Superstitions

Islands tend to be rich in folklore and perhaps nowhere more than Guernsey. Perhaps it’s due to being even more at the mercy of the weather and other elements than most of us… Maybe some of the stories were simply invented to discourage islanders from venturing to the caves and other spots where smugglers and pirates hung out. But they’re great tales either way. Here are a few of the superstitions and folktales that have shaped the island. 

1. Guernsey fishers believe it’s unlucky to say they’re ‘going fishing’ as the fish may hear. They say they’re ‘off out on the boat’ instead. 

2. Herbs are often believed to hold cures for all manner of ills but Guernsey gardeners believe their magic will only work if you swear as you plant the herbs. So much for gardening being good for your wellbeing.

3. Apparently if you walk around the fairy ring at Pleinmont three times and make a wish, it will come true. 

4. In the west of the island, many of the houses have seats outside for witches. They were built in times when witches were prolific on Guernsey, so locals built seats so they could stop and rest, rather than create more mayhem. 

5. Friday is believed to be an unlucky day, partly because Christ was crucified on a Friday and partly because that was the day the witches met. Superstitious Guernsey dwellers tend not to have a hair cut, use a new tool or try any new venture on a Friday. 

6. Sore throat sufferers wrap a worn sock around their necks as they sleep at night to cure it by morning.

7. Islanders ‘let the bees know’ of any big family news. Bees and their honey were much prized in the Guernsey countryside historicaly, with many having a hive in their gardens, and folk still ‘let the bees know’ of any big news today. 

8. Great attention is paid to the colour of flames inside the home. If the fire or a candle in a Guernsey home burns green rather than orange it’s said to be caused by the presence of evil. We’d argue it was caused by the presence of copper, but we’ll keep that to ourselves in case the witches hear.

If the superstitions above have inspired you to plan a trip or just learn more about this beautiful spot, don’t miss our ‘My Island’ feature in our May issue, in which Holly Farrell shows us around a few of her favourite island haunts, including the neolithic statue called ‘The Grandmother’ pictured above.

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How to | Brocante Successfully

Planning to hit the flea markets and vintage stalls this summer? We enjoyed a day trip to a French ‘brocante’ in our Home Tour pages in our May issue. If you’re inspired to try a bit of vintage market shopping yourself, here are a few tips to get you started, whether you’re mooching in Maroilles or pottering in Paignton

Be prepared

If you’re in France there’s a small book that you can get from a newsagent (tabac) which lists where all the local markets are, or see brocanciel.fr or brocabrac.fr. Wear comfy shoes, and bring a tape measure, bags and packaging to take any items home with you. In the UK try fleamapket.com.

Arrive early or late

The best items are often snapped up quickly, so arrive as sellers are unpacking to get the best finds – or at the end, as prices will drop because the sellers want to get rid of things. If something catches your eye, don’t hang around, items go quickly.

Don’t be afraid to dig

Check out the baskets and boxes alongside the stalls. This is where treasures are often found.

Take cash and negotiate gently

Make sure you’ve plenty of cash as many brocantes and flea markets are in the countryside with no cash machines or card purchases available. Always smile and ask a few questions about the item before negotiating. Only offer a little lower than what you would want to pay.

How to speak second-hand in France

Brocante: Open-air flea market or bricks-and-mortar antique shop Marché aux puces: Flea market Vide grenier: Loft clearances Foire à tout: Similar to a car boot sale Depôts vente: Buildings where second-hand goods are sold.

If the French country lifestyle appeals, don’t miss our feature The French Connection in our May issue, in which we meet Cathy and Peter Bullen and have a nose around their house and home town. The words are by Kay Prestney and photography by Brent Darby.

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Competition | Win a Cornish Holiday worth £500

Choose from 250 self-catering properties by Beach Retreats, each located alongside
Cornwall's finest beaches

With vibrant surf apartments to stylish family homes and large, luxurious coastal retreats, you are sure to find a property to suit you.

Start the day with an exhilarating sea dip with just the gulls for company, spend the day walking the breathtaking coastal paths and enjoy evenings watching the sun setting over the ocean. Relax and unwind in a beautiful coastal setting, with everything an easy walk from your chosen property.

Beach Retreats offers 250 self-catering properties across Cornwall, all located within easy walking distance of the finest beaches. Less time in the car means more time making the most of your precious time on the Cornish coast.

As a Cornish-owned, family-run businesses, the Beach Retreats team are beach experts and are on hand to ensure your holiday on the coast is one to remember.

To find out more and browse the holiday properties visit beachretreats.co.uk.

How to enter

To enter, simply click on the button below and answer the following question by the closing date of 9 June 2025.

Q: What do all Beach Retreats properties have in common?

Terms & conditions

The competition closes at 11.59pm on 9th June 2025. One winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. The prize is a £500 voucher which can be used towards any available property on the Beach Retreats website. To use the voucher, you will need to contact Beach Retreats directly by phone. The voucher must be used by 30 December 2026. Beach Retreats booking terms and conditions apply (see website for details). If due to circumstances beyond their control, Beach Retreats is unable to provide the stated prize(s), they reserve the right to award a substitute prize of equal or greater value. The prize cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. The prize is non-transferable and there is no cash alternative. Transport is not included. This prize must be booked by someone aged 18+. Details of our full terms and conditions are on p125 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules

How hard can it be | To Maypole Dance

What do you mean you’ve never danced around a maypole? What kind of misspent youth did you have? Don’t worry; we have some simple step-by-step instructions just in time

First, catch your maypole
If you’ve access to an already-standing pole, you can skip (hop and dance) this step. Otherwise, get a pole of at least 4m (try B&Q) and attach a number of long ribbons to it. You’ll need one ribbon per dancer, of which you’ll need eight, including yourself if dancing. Are you dancing? (Response: Are you asking?) Sink your pole firmly into some soil. In front of a church looks pretty but you’ll need to work with what you have.

Start choreographing
Gather your dancers and split them into an A team and a B team. Stand them around the pole at equal intervals from alternate teams, so A, B, A, B and so on. Brook no complaints from dancers; things are about to get a lot trickier.

Go in, out, in, out (but don’t shake it all about)
Concentrate now – this is no May Day Picnic. The A team dancers should skip clockwise around the maypole and B team dancers, anticlockwise. Don’t worry, you shouldn’t collide because… Dancers should skip alternately left and then right of the dancers they pass, going ‘over, under, over, under’ with their ribbons. Still with us? Good. On an ‘over’, pass your ribbon over the dancer coming towards you. On an ‘under’ duck under the ribbon of the dancer coming towards you. If you’re untangled at the end treat yourself to a flagon of mead.

The instructions above are from our May issue’s Miscellany pages, which are packed with seasonal silliness each month.

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Recipe | Bakewell Tart Squares

These sweet squares can be eaten on the hoof or while reclined on a picnic blanket. Cream optional but very much recommended

Serves 6-8

For the pastry:
150g butter or margarine (margarine makes an easier to handle pastry, but use butter if you prefer)
300g plain flour
50g caster sugar
1 egg

For the filling:
5 tbsp raspberry jam
200g raspberries
250g butter, softened
250g ground almonds
250g caster sugar
5 eggs
50g flaked almonds

To serve:
Icing sugar
Whipped cream
Mint leaves

1 Start off by making the pastry. Rub the butter/margarine into the flour and sugar until you have a sand-like consistency.

2 Beat the egg and then bring it together with the flour mixture on a lightly floured surface to form a smooth pastry.

3 Roll the pastry out to fit the tin you’re using – you can use a 30cm diameter round tin or a 22 x 33cm tin. It should be about 3mm thick but make it 5mm if you love pastry!

4 Preheat the oven to 180C/ Fan 160C/Gas 4. Place baking beans or rice on top of the pastry and bake for 45 mins, or until pale golden.

5 Once baked, remove the beans or rice and allow the pastry to cool, although keep the oven on.

6 Once cooled, spread the jam over the base and distribute the raspberries evenly.

7 Put the butter, ground almonds and caster sugar in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Dollop the mixture into the pastry case and smooth out, then sprinkle the almonds over the top. Return to the oven and bake for 45 mins more, or until golden and set.

8 Once cooled, dust with icing sugar, cut into squares or slices and serve with whipped cream, fresh berries and mint leaves.

This recipe is taken from our May ‘Gathering’ feature, which this month is a menu for a woodland picnic. It also includes recipes for Cornflake Chicken, Egg, Beetroot & Potato Salad with Dill, Baby Carrots with Whipped Feta and Apple & Mint Punch. The recipes are by Becky Cook and the photography is by Will Heap.

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