National Picnic Week returns between 18th and 26th June and with the abundance of picturesque picnic spots and incredible producers, Dorset is the best place to be! If you want to take advantage of National Picnic Week and get out and about with a picnic of your own, here are our suggestions for the ultimate picnic.
The picnic itself
Choose a centrepiece
While you might think a picnic is just a bunch of snacks thrown into a hamper, you couldn’t be more wrong. A picnic is a dining experience, so you should treat it as such, plus you can make the prep so much easier by bringing a main dish which can be divided between everyone. Items like quiche, tart, pies or large artisan loaves of bread are a great choice for a centrepiece.
The rest of the snacks
Once your centrepiece is decided, you can pack the rest of the food. Classic picnic treats include sausage rolls, scotch eggs and sandwiches and there is a reason for this – it’s because they are timeless and who doesn’t love a good sandwich? Finger foods generally work well in a picnic, so grab some bits that you can pick at.
Salads and sides
Pastas and potato salads are a great way to bulk out your dinner when on a picnic. Not only that, but pastas and salads are easy to pull together, either before you are about to leave or the night before. Just make sure to store them properly to avoid any wilting. If you’re bringing a salad, make sure to keep dressings, fillings or anything similar in separate containers – that way you can avoid them going soggy before their time.
Sweets
When packing sweet treats for a picnic, you need to avoid anything that might melt or need to be kept at a certain temperature. Good choices are traybakes and loaf cakes, just make sure to pre-slice them if you don’t plan on bringing a knife. Brownies, shortcake and cookies also make good options.
Drinks
Whether you’re planning on a boozy picnic or one with the kids, there are loads of great drinks you can take with you. Bringing drinks with you will also limit your use of single use plastics too. You can take a flask of tea, coffee or hot chocolate or some bottles of lemonade or juice. For a boozy picnic, pack a bottle of wine or make up some pimms or a cocktail.
Once the food is sorted, you need to think about what equipment you need to take with you. Plastic cups, bottles and plates are a good way to avoid leaving litter behind and can be easily cleaned when you get home, plus they are hard to break should you get a bit over excited when running away from a bee or a seagull. Even if you don’t bring food that will spoil easily, bringing a cool bag or some ice to keep it cool is always advisable. You should also have hand wipes or anti bac gel with you to make sure your hands are clean before and after you eat.
Location
Once you’ve got your picnic sorted, you need to find the perfect location. There are a several wonderful places to stop off for some al fresco dining when in Dorset, so here are our top picks for picnic spots in the county.
Ringstead Beach, Weymouth
Ringstead is a shingle beach which means you can eat without accidentally getting any sand in the food! Getting here is easy too, there are two car parks, one of which is on beach level, while the other is a little higher up giving you a chance to walk off the picnic on your way back! The walk from this car park is a little steeper but there are some amazing views to enjoy on your way.
Fontmell Down, Shaftsbury
If you want to spend some time eating out in the countryside rather than at the coast, this is a good spot. There are some amazing views across the Blackmore Vale and if you’re quiet, you’ll be able to spot some of the wildlife that calls this part of Dorset home. It’s a popular spot for butterflies, so if you’re lucky, a couple might come to share your picnic with you.
Blue Pool, Wareham
Though a little more out of the way, this is a must visit spot, with or without a picnic. Though hidden, there are plenty of benches all around the shore, providing the perfect resting point for enjoying the spectacular view of the pool. Blue Pool is something of a local legend because of the ever-changing colour of the water and the fairy doors that can be found in the wooded areas that surround it.
