With National Picnic Week 2017 taking place until June 25, why not pack a few of your favourite outdoors foods into a rucksack and head off for a walk or bike ride to one of these top picnic spots? In the 12th year of National Picnic Week, the campaign to encourage more people to eat a picnic outdoors has chosen the UK’s best picnic locations. The top Picnic Week spot in 2017 is Jubilee Gardens in Beer, Devon. It was chosen for the gorgeous view of the beach and village from atop a hillside. You can walk a section of the South West Coast Path to visit Beer en route. [caption id="attachment_23690" align="aligncenter" width="100%"] The delightful Fairy Pools. Pic credit: Daniel Stockman[/caption] Scotland’s winner is The Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye thanks to the unusual sight of the pools and breath-taking views. Choose a walking holiday on Skye for a chance to visit the beautiful pools. [caption id="attachment_23692" align="aligncenter" width="800"] The rope bridge at Carrick-a-Rede. Pic credit: Shiraz Chakera[/caption] Northern Ireland’s winner is Carrick-a-Rede, which was chosen for its dramatic vistas. The Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge famously offers a high-rise link to the small island just off the coast near the Giant’s Causeway. Visit the bridge itself (owned by the National Trust) or go to this sight as part of an Ultimate Ireland Discovery holiday. Ireland’s winner is Loughcrew in Co Meath, chosen for its Neolithic tombs. Take a walk before your picnic at Loughcrew Megalithic Centre. [caption id="attachment_23689" align="aligncenter" width="100%"] Barafundle Beach. Pic credit: Ed Webster[/caption] The Welsh winner is Barafundle Bay Beach. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path takes in this fantastic beach. The winner of the North West’s of England is St Herbert’s Island in Cumbria, which is part of the National Trust’s Islands of Derwent Water, combines local history and natural beauty. The North East’s winner is Gibside in Newcastle because of historic Gibside Hall and the maze. The famous C2C cycle route heads across the north of England and close to Gibside. [caption id="attachment_23688" align="aligncenter" width="100%"] Padley Gorge. Pic credit: Graham Hogg[/caption] The East Midland’s winner is Padley Gorge Trail, where you will discover a mythical forest. The winner in the West Midlands is stunning Jephson Gardens in Leamington. The East of England's winner is Wimpole Estate, chosen for its gothic architecture. [caption id="attachment_23687" align="aligncenter" width="1500"] Rievaulx Abbey.[/caption] Yorkshire’s winner is the regal Rievaulx Abbey, a stunning piece of history. The abbey is a major highlight on the self-guided walking holiday of the Cleveland Way. The London winner is wonderful Hyde Park. The South East’s winner is Corfe Castle, on the Purbeck Peninsula, which is part of England’s so-called Jurassic Coast. In the South West the winner is Lydford Gorge, in Dartmoor National Park. The gorge has been chosen for its spectacular 30ft waterfall. You can enjoy the entire area on a walking holiday of Dartmoor and the Jurassic Coast.

8 things to know about picnic week

[caption id="attachment_23686" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Take time for a picnic this week.[/caption] 1 A record number of picnics are expected in the UK this week tanks to the heat wave 2 It’s estimated that there are 94 million picnic taken per year in the UK 3 70% of Brits will enjoy at least one picnic this summer. 4 Picnics have changed over the years with eating habits and Brits are now 285% more likely to pack a tub of hummus than they were 15 years ago. 5 50 years ago the most popular picnic snack was the cheese sandwich. Now, it’s a bag of crisps. 6 Picnic Week is all about getting more people to come together to try something new, getting friends and families out to some of the best countryside locations in the UK. 7 Picnics offer a great – and cheaper – alternative to dining out in a pub or restaurant. 8 See 10 more top picnic spots. So get out there and have a picnic! What better way to make the most of the outdoors?