The Return of the Rule of 6: Easing out of UK Lockdown March 29th

Who would have thought that we’d all be excited for the rule of 6 to return! With Boris providing us with the roadmap to easing out of lockdown in the upcoming weeks/months, there has been great news that the rule of 6 will be re-implemented from 29^th March and the stay at home order will come to an end. The map has stated that outdoor activities will be acceptable and that basically means PICNICS!! Picnics are a cheap, cheerful way to get people together and at this point anything will do after being in lockdown for so long over winter.

 

1. First things first- Location, Location, Location. Living in London the burning urge to flock to Hyde Park once there is a little bit of sun is almost unbearable lol, I get it, it is centrally located, it’s HUGE, and there are plenty of shops around but I promise you London is littered with many other parks are just as beautiful. Starting off in West we have Holland Park, Regent’s Park and Richmond Park to name a few. In East we have, Victoria Park, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Mile End Park. Down South we have, Battersea Park, Dulwich Park and Brockwell Park. Lastly, North London is home to Gladstone Park and Alexandra Park. Give your local park a go (we are meant to stay local where possible *rolls eyes in fed up*) but if you really must, Hyde Park is the old faithful spot for a picnic.

Hyde Park in the Summer

2. Make everything easy on yourself and get disposable everything. From cups to plates, cutlery to napkins. What you may not have thought of is grabbing a large sized table cover to replace a blanket to sit on. This will help eliminate the need to carry a bulky blanket, it is great for if there are any spillages as it will be easy to clean and it can be disposed of at the end of the day. You can get plastic table covers form as little as £1, and paper plate sets from as little as £5! Don’t forget other essentials such as wet wipes, hand sanitiser, bin bags/ plastic bags, and a corkscrew/ bottle opener. A great find in the Pound Shop, are re-usable ice cubes, these are great because although they melt there is no mess and there is no watering down of drinks- I would highly recommend at 8 cubes for £1, you can’t go wrong. And after such a long stint in lockdown, who really wants watered down wine!

 

3. Bring a portable speaker to set the atmosphere. 

We can’t go to a club just yet but there is no reason why we can’t create a club feel with our friends outdoors. Also, spring is around the corner meaning it is starting to warm up and stay lighter for longer, we’ll probably want to stay out for as long as possible. Music will keep the vibe going! Don’t forget to make sure it is fully charged or bring a portable charger with you. Be mindful of those around you but ultimately, get a playlist going and have fun!

 

4. Grab some games! Let’s be honest, we are all just big kids at heart, so a good game is always welcomed, at the moment my personal favourite card game is Bottoms Up, which can be bought from https://www.bottomsupgame.com/ .

 It’s a fun game that’ll keep you and your friends laughing, it’ll prompt stories out of you and will have your competitive side come out. 

There are so many other card games out there, so I’m sure you’ll find one for you, if this one doesn’t float your boat. If card games aren’t for you, grab a couple of white boards and play Pictionary, or if you’re more of an active person grab a football/ frisbee/ badminton kit. Failing all of that, with everyone and their wife bound to flock out, people watching is always a great pastime.

 

5. Finally, it cannot be a picnic without FOOD! The best things are always going to be sandwiches and finger food. Don’t overdo it, keep it simple and bring enough to keep you going throughout the day but not so much that you're feeding the 5000. You want things that are in bitesize portions and that you can eat cold; you can never go wrong with snack food such as crisps, sweets, and fruit. I wouldn’t recommend chocolate if the weather is good as it’ll melt, similarly stay clear of ice-creams and ice-lollies. Be careful with your drinks, if it is particularly warm weather maybe stay clear of spirits and opt for lower % drinks like ciders, beers, and premixed cocktails. If spirits are more your thing, then I can only suggest making sure a bottle of water is on standby to keep you hydrated throughout the day.

PICNIC CHECKLIST:

Plastic Table cover or blanket

Paper cutlery, plates, napkins, cups

Hand sanitiser, wet wipes, bottle opener/ corkscrew, rubbish bag (s), plastic ice cubes

Portable speaker & charger

Snacks/ sandwiches of choice

Alcohol and mixer, water

Games of choice

Pillows (I prefer blow up airplane pillows) for comfort while sunbathing

Sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat/cap

Change for the ice cream van! 😋

!!!!GOOD VIBES!!!!

Have I missed any picnic must haves? Drop it in the comments below 👇