Hi!

Whilst I know summer feels like it's been here for ever, it's still only July and August is on the horizon.

Here are some fun facts, dates to remember and activities to enjoy next month

Fun facts about August

• August used to be called Sextilis, meaning “the sixth month” in Latin. Funnily enough, it actually was the 6th month in the early Roman 10-month calendar (before January and February were added later).
• In 8 BC the month was renamed Augustus, in honour of the Roman emperor Augustus Caesar.
• Back in the days of the Anglo-Saxons, the month was called Weod Monath. Its translation of “weed month” is quite literal – in this month weeds and other plants grow the fastest (in the Northern Hemisphere).
• In the 18th century, the sandwich is said to have been created when the Earl of Sandwich requested meat between two pieces of bread. Apparently, he was in the middle of a gambling game and didn’t want to interrupt it!
• On August 24, 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted near Pompeii, resulting in utter devastation for the area and its inhabitants.

DAYS to REMEMBER:

01 August: Lammas (a Celtic festival to celebrate love, abundance and community- a celebration of the first grain harvest and the first fruits of summer.)

06 August: Cycle to Work Day

07 August: International Beer Day

08 August: International Cat Day 🐈‍⬛

13 August: Left Hander's Day

15 August: National Relaxation Day... (you have to relax- it's basically the law today)

26 August: International Dog Day. 🐶 (Mac requires all to kneel in his presence. And treats...)

30 August: National Beach Day ⛱️

31 August: Bank Holiday (England, Wales, and Northern Ireland) I don't wish to scare you, but it's the last one before Christmas...🎄

DAYS OUT/ WEEKEND SHOWS

1st August: Yorkshire Day. There are LOADS of events going on across Yorkshire. Find them here. (And, if you can't make it to Yorkshire, have a roast with Yorkies to celebrate.)

1st August: Leicester Caribbean Carnival See more​

1st - 2nd August: Brighton Pride. If you've never been, expect a lot of music, laughter, epic costumes, glitter and nakedness for no apparent reason... See more (There are several other Pride events around the UK as well this month)

5 - 9th August: Boardmasters Festival - 5 days of music, surfing, art & food in Newquay & Fistral Beach, Cornwall

7 - 9th August: Bristol Balloon Fiesta. If you want a spectacle with hundreds of hot air balloons, head here​

12 - 13th August: British Fireworks Championship, Plymouth Learn more​

15 - 16th August: Lytham 1940s Weekend Learn more​

22nd - 25th August: Ould Lammas Fair, Ballycastle, County Antrim. Ireland's oldest fair returns!

28 - 30th August: Victorious Festival, Portsmouth. A brilliant music festival by the sea. (They often have camping/ campervan pitches available too) See more​

Reading & Leeds Festival is also on this weekend.

29th - 31st August: Foodie Festival, Oxford. Touted as the 'UK's biggest celebration of Food & Drink'. Live music, top chefs, live demonstrations and much more! Arrive hungry... Learn more

29th August - 5th September: Ryde Carnival, Isle of Wight. The UK's oldest carnival- it dates back to 1888! Learn more​

30th August: World Bog Snorkelling Championships, Wales. Are you brave enough to take on the bog?! 🫣

30th - 31st August: Notting Hill Carnival. Parades, music, stalls, food... it's a non-stop party in London. See more​

LARGER SHOWS/ AWARENESS WEEKS:

28th July - 1st August: Glorious Goodwood! Horse-racing at its shiniest. See more​

31st July - 7th August: Sidmouth Folk Festival See more​

1st - 7th August: Cowes Week. One of the largest sailing festivals in the world.

1st - 8th August: Llŷn and Eifionydd National Eisteddfod. An annual festival celebrating Wales and the Welsh language. Expect over 250 traders and stalls, plus music, dance, visual arts and more.

7 - 14th August: Broadstairs Folk Week See more​

10 - 16th August: National Allotment Week Learn more​

10 - 16th August: Afternoon Tea Week. You can even do a quick workshop to learn how to make them :)

26th August - 1st September: International Beatle Week, Liverpool. Celebrate the "most famous pop group the world has ever known". Get a ticket to the Beatles Story Museum or relax on a bus tour to explore the places in Liverpool made famous by the band.

SUMMER LONG EVENTS

9th July - 27th September: Buckingham Palace Public Opening. Book Tickets here​

17th July - 12th September: BBC Proms. Various Locations. If you can, go to a Battle Proms. They're brilliant fun! BBC Proms website​

18th July – 12th September: Kynren, County Durham The spectacle returns! See website​

7 - 29th August: Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The spectacle returns. See more (The Fringe Festival is also on at this time)​ Don't forget to visit the Castle too whilst you're there.​

8th August - 1st September: CHSq 2026. A lineup of music and events in Belfast​​

14 – 30th August: Edinburgh Art Festival The UK’s largest annual festival of visual arts. ​

​April - September: Scarva Summer Band concerts, Northern Ireland. Free to attend.

May - September: ​Highland Games, Scotland

Personally, I'm heading to Iceland to see the solar eclipse, then off to Greenland on another expedition cruise. I hopefully have two more of those launching soon for 2028 dates- one to South Georgia and Antarctica and one along the Canadian NorthWest passage- watch this space!

NORFOLK SHOW: Sadly, I've had to have another minor surgery, which means I'm unable to attend the Norfolk show this weekend. Still, there's plenty to enjoy and the weather is looking great. If you've not got them yet, grab your day tickets here (use WANDERINGBIRD for a discount)

I hope you have some fantastic plans for August too - safe travels if you do.

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P.S: Many thanks to everyone who filled in the Motorhome Travel Survey. Almost 2000 people have replied so far, which is fantastic. Today is the final day to enter the draw for the Amazon voucher, so do it now (takes less than 5 minutes) and you'll be in the draw! Complete the survey​

(And thanks to everyone who told me about the issue- I've fixed it now :) )

P.P.S: The Wild & Off-Grid Parking Workshop is almost full. It's free to attend but spaces are limited due to Zoom restrictions. If you'd like to save your space to join us live on July 27th, join us here​

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