British summer? Yes, you heard right. I have to admit that a couple of months ago, I wouldn’t have believed that such a thing existed! I imagined, in my ignorance, that it’s always wet or cold here. But to my surprise and delight, summers in Exeter are just everything you’d want from a summer! It’s hot, sunny and the days are really long! Not to mention the greenery just thrives so Exeter looks astounding! But if you’re anything like me, the heat can be a challenge to productivity! So here are my go to ideas for beating the heat…
1. Stay hydrated
The first on every list, stay hydrated. It’s easy to get dehydrated in the summer, especially as you don’t actually realise that your body is losing water. So make sure you drink plenty of fluids, even if you are indoors all day!
Summer also means lots of yummy fruits and veg. Take advantage of this to get some watermelon or cucumbers, that’ll be tasty to munch on and keep you cool and refreshed!
Now that we’ve taken care of our health, we can get to the fun stuff!
2. Day trips
Take advantage of the long days to take some day trips! There are plenty of amazing places to visit around Exeter like Bristol, Bath, Penzance and so many more! Maybe even take a mini holiday, touring the Lake District or places like Oxford, Birmingham, Edinburgh…the list goes on. You can explore the country and you don’t need to worry about the weather (at least most days)!
3. Head to the beach!
There are loads of beaches not far from Exeter and the days are perfect for a long, lazy day at the beach! So, get that sunscreen out, put on your shades and enjoy the sunshine at the beach! You can visit Exmouth, Sidmouth or Dartmouth, a little further out. You can even take longer trips to gorgeous beaches in Cornwall, like those at St. Ives or Falmouth. Find more about the beaches near Exeter and in Cornwall.
4. Have an amazing picnic!
Grab your friends, have a nice picnic on campus and spend the afternoon catching up with your friends while also soaking some rays. It’s a ‘social in the sunshine’!
5. Take long walks!
Exeter has some great walks but in my humble opinion, the best of them are around Exeter campus. Walk in the shaded and cooler areas around High Hoopern lane, Stocker Road plantations or the Reed Hall Gardens. It’s refreshing, relaxing and you’ll feel closer to nature. Take a book along and read all your favourite stories while enjoying the great outdoors! If you’ve got lots of work to do (maybe writing up your dissertation like I am) take your work outdoors for a while. Choose a nice, shady tree, set up your temporary camp under it and work away!
6. Do nothing!
And the absolute last way to beat the heat – a lazy, do nothing day! A day of staying indoors drinking cool smoothies, iced drinks and finished up loads of ice cream while finishing a book or catching up on some telly.
So there we are. My top picks for things to do during a warm and sunny summer. Have fun and enjoy the sunshine while it lasts!
p.s. Don’t forget to catch a few sunsets out by the Exe river!