Choose the perfect picnic venue

Location, location, location
Woodland, meadow, beach, park or garden?

Fresh air sharpens the appetite and makes even the most banal food taste better. However, sometimes fresh air isn't always "fresh", if you know what I mean!

Sometimes it can be clogged up with exhaust fumes and then it's best avoided!

If you're having a picnic en route to somewhere, it only takes a few extra minutes to turn off the main road and find a pretty lane, a wood, field, or a town’s park to picnic in.

A few minutes off your route can turn a simple sandwich and a drink into something much more memorable.

If the picnic is more of an event, then a meadow, park or beach is probably what you're looking for.

Instead of searching for the perfect meadow or deserted beach, you could also head for the grounds of a stately home. They often offer stunning landscapes for your picnic.

Try The National Trust or English Heritage sites, if you’re in the UK. They offer many ideal picnic spots.

Not in the UK? - then please suggest somewhere to picnic in your country (or somewhere you've visited) so that we can build a list for other picnickers.

Check out what contributions have been made so far by going to the foot of this page.

Nature adds so much to the joy of al fresco dining. The flavours mix with the scents, colours and sounds of the outdoors, so that you can create your own little piece of paradise.

I particularly like being on a beach with sand dunes to shelter in – somewhere like Newcastle, Co. Down, which brings back many happy picnic memories. However any clean beach will do and the sun tends to shine more on the beaches I know in Spain!

Family picnics can also be enjoyed on the sand of course, as they have been for generations. We have been a race of determined picnickers and many a sandy sandwich has been enjoyed on a windswept British beach!

A river-bank makes a great picnic venue too – even better if you can fish and grill your catch over some hot embers! The smell of smoke from a wood fire adds another dimension to an outside meal.

By the way there is the most brilliant camping grill, the Grilliput for sale from IWOOT for £24.99. You can put it in your pocket!

Where in the world is YOUR favourite picnic spot?

Do you know of a great picnic site in your part of the world - or somewhere you visited? Share it here.

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

The Chimneys in the Great Smoky Mountains 
Chimney. I suppose the first image that would come to one's mind when they hear or read that word would be something that is attached to a fireplace. When ...

South Africa - Cape Town - Kirstenbosch botanical gardens 
I've just returned from a wonderful holiday in Cape Town, staying with friends.

One Sunday evening we enjoyed a picnic on the lawn at Kirstenbosch botanical ...

Ontario, Canada - Springwater Conservation Area (between St Thomas & Aylmer) 
My family has always enjoyed having picnics and our children range from 32 down to 10 years old - so we have had lots of them with children!

When I ...

Jubilee Park, Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, England  Not rated yet
I have great memories of going here as a child and am looking forward to taking my toddler. There is a heated outdoor swimming pool, camping and caravanning ...

Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire, England  Not rated yet
Great Place for a family picnic, loads of open space for children to play, with woodland and lakeside walks, bike hire available. Our 18 month old loves ...

Monsal Head, Derbyshire, England  Not rated yet
Monsal Head is just off the A6 at Ashford in the Water. There are stunning views of the Valley from the car park (gets very busy at weekends) and there ...

Blues Point in Sydney, Australia  Not rated yet
Looking out over the Harbour to the Bridge and the Opera House. My boyfriend and I had our first kiss there and five years later still head down for most ...

Go to UK picnic spots
Go from picnic venue to Home Page