{"id":1339,"date":"2025-04-24T11:44:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-24T10:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/?p=1339"},"modified":"2025-05-21T11:09:23","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T10:09:23","slug":"things-to-do-may-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/things-to-do-may-weekend\/","title":{"rendered":"Things To Do on a May Weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Things to Do at the Weekend During May<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re in the final days of April and Scotland is still freezing cold \ud83d\ude2d I\u2019m SO ready for warmer days! The well-known saying of \u201cNever cast a clout till May be out\u201d is always worth remembering here… Roughly translated as \u2018don\u2019t put away your winter clothes till May\u2019s over\u2019, it tends to come true most years – and definitely this year. I’m officially over the chilly weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unpredictable weather aside, it\u2019s definitely time to spend longer outdoors, enjoy those May Bank Holiday weekends, eat alfresco, and soak up the sun whenever it appears.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Things<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Ideas for a May Weekend<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re looking for inspiration, here are some simple ideas for things you could do at the weekends in May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enjoy May’s Bank Holiday Weekends<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ah May, with its double helping of long weekends which always signals that summer is on the way. Make sure you enjoy your time off, relax, maybe catch up with some loved ones, and maximise your long weekend. How about trying to make it a hygge weekend<\/strong><\/a>, or enjoy a perfect Sunday morning<\/strong><\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enjoy Getting Out and About Again<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you live in a colder weather climate like me, your winters probably feel looooong. We’ve spent a lot of time indoors since November. Come springtime, I feel a bit like Mole emerging from his underground home in Wind in the Willows<\/em>. So make the most of it, I say. Get out there. It doesn\u2019t have to be anything special: last weekend we went to pitch & putt and ate ice cream in the sun. Small things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go on a Bike Ride <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re a fair-weather cyclist like me, it\u2019s time to dust off your bike, pump up those tyres, and head out now that there\u2019s less chance of getting covered in mud. If you don\u2019t own a bike, use your city\u2019s cycle hire scheme to get out for a ride in the sun. And – if your kids are outgrowing their bikes at a rate of knots, I also just heard about The Bike Club<\/strong><\/a> which offers a subscription-based service to hire great quality, lightweight kids bikes around the UK \u2013 and you just swap them for bigger ones as the kids grow (again!) Such a good idea.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"The<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Grow Some Flowers or Salads<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With the chance of frost long gone and the longer hours of sunshine, try planting some flowers. You can grow sunflower seeds<\/strong><\/a> outdoors now, or try planting a bed or container of wildflower seeds<\/strong><\/a> to attract bees to the garden. If you have a greenhouse, you can plant tomato plants<\/strong><\/a> this month or you can grow salad leaves<\/strong><\/a> outdoors in beds or containers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overhaul Your Lunch Hour<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the things many of us missed in lockdown was the option to pop out and get something more exciting for lunch than the sandwich you brought from home (and no longer want). If you\u2019re now working from home regularly, lunches can be pretty monotonous. Give your lunch a fresh overhaul for spring with The 5-Minute Salad Lunchbox<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 a fantastic book which is packed with ideas for fresh, zesty salads that can be made in minutes. Try the chicken and peach bulgur salad with maple dressing or the satay chopped salad \u2013 soooo good!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try getting out of the house to eat your WFH lunch regularly too \u2013 whether it\u2019s just in the garden, the park, by the canal, or any green space where you\u2019re physically removed from screens and headsets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go Blossom Spotting <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Blossom season is in full swing and you\u2019ll see white and pink blossom everywhere this month. I\u2019m a big fan of The Alnwick Garden in Northumberland and try to see the cherry blossom there each spring. Travel restrictions have put paid to that this year but I\u2019ve been following their blossom livestream<\/strong><\/a> which is really lovely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re a real blossom lover, also check out the National Trust\u2019s brilliant Blossom Watch<\/strong><\/a> page, which is full of resources dedicated to blossom, including a 5-minute podcast about the calming effects of blossom. (The podcast is pretty calming too!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fire Up The Barbecue<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

May is often the real start of barbecue season \u2013 although you might have snuck in a couple in April! If you\u2019re uncovering the barbecue for the first time this season, make sure you give it a good clean with a decent heavy-duty grill brush<\/strong><\/a> and some proper grease-busting barbecue cleaner<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have an Evening Around the Fire Pit or Chimenea<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The longer evenings are ideal for enjoying your garden, and they\u2019re made even better with a fire pit or chimenea. Snuggle up and keep cosy with some blankets: these fluffy double-sided ones<\/strong><\/a> are brilliant \u2013 super soft and really cosy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make S\u2019mores<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Add a chocolatey treat to your barbecue or firepit session by making s\u2019mores, the all-American campfire classic of melted marshmallows with chocolate in a biscuit sandwich. Most of the recipes you\u2019ll find online will tend to contain Graham crackers which don\u2019t exist in the UK, so here\u2019s How to Make S\u2019mores in the UK<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get a Long Awaited DIY Project Done<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Holiday weekends are the perfect time for a spot of DIY. If your house is looking a bit too well-loved (because you and your family have been in it non-stop for a year!), then now\u2019s the time to do an overdue project. Decorate a room, repaint some woodwork, go outside and paint your fence or gates, and clear out the garage. Or just rearrange the furniture in a room and be amazed at the difference it makes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turn Your Outdoor Space Into An Extra Room<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Gardens have really earned their keep during the pandemic, and they\u2019ll need to keep doing that this year too. If you\u2019ve got lots of outside space, use it to the full and set up areas for eating, chatting, reading , relaxing etc. If you have one patio\/terrace\/balcony space, make it as flexible as possible so you can easily change it from a relaxing space into an eating area with zero hassle. Use storage boxes for cushions that double as side tables like this Keter one<\/strong><\/a>. I\u2019ve also recently added loads of solar lights<\/strong><\/a> to my patio and it\u2019s such a cheery space now.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Outdoor<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Try Some Weekend Baking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Whip up a weekend treat that you\u2019ll hopefully be able to enjoy outside in the sun. How about an easy carrot cake<\/strong><\/a>, some delicious breakfast muffins<\/strong><\/a>, or make these fruity flapjacks<\/strong><\/a> to pack up and take on a picnic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Some Seasonal Cooking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re looking for some spring cooking inspiration, you can\u2019t go wrong with Greenfeast<\/em> by Nigel Slater<\/strong><\/a>. It\u2019s part of a pair of seasonal plant-based cookbooks and this is the Spring\/Summer edition. Divided up into recipes that you can make in a bowl, in the oven, on the hob, on a plate etc, it\u2019s full of lovely recipes and Nigel\u2019s calm, soothing writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enjoy Some Reading (hopefully in your spruced up outside space!)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here are some book recommendations for this month:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For you:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Salt Path<\/em> by Raynor Winn<\/strong><\/a>. If you haven\u2019t read this bestselling memoir \/ travel journal yet then I\u2019d heartily recommend it. The movie comes out summer 2025!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under The Stars: A Journey Into Light<\/em> by Matt Gaw<\/strong><\/a>. A fascinating exploration of what we\u2019re missing because of the artificial glow of electric light in the night sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the kids:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gruffalo Spring and Summer Nature Trail<\/strong><\/a>. A great seasonal sticker and activity books for Gruffalo fans!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I hope this post has given you some ideas for things you could do on at the weekends this May. If you have any favourite May activities, let me know in the comments!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cover photo by Rahul Pandit<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With the weather starting to warm up, it finally feels like summer isn\u2019t too far away. Here are some simple ideas for making the most of it and enjoying a May weekend.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1341,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[63,16],"tags":[93,64,58],"class_list":["post-1339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spring","category-seasons","tag-may","tag-spring","tag-weekend"],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":63,"label":"Spring"},{"value":16,"label":"Seasons"}],"post_tag":[{"value":93,"label":"may"},{"value":64,"label":"spring"},{"value":58,"label":"weekend"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/things-to-do-may-weekend-1024x571.jpg",1024,571,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Almost The Weekend","author_link":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/author\/admin\/"},"comment_info":71,"category_info":[{"term_id":63,"name":"Spring","slug":"spring","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":63,"taxonomy":"category","description":"Spring has sprung! Here are ideas for enjoying spring at home or out and about. All the best Spring posts from Almost The Weekend blog.","parent":16,"count":11,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":63,"category_count":11,"category_description":"Spring has sprung! Here are ideas for enjoying spring at home or out and about. All the best Spring posts from Almost The Weekend blog.","cat_name":"Spring","category_nicename":"spring","category_parent":16},{"term_id":16,"name":"Seasons","slug":"seasons","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":16,"taxonomy":"category","description":"Appreciate the season, and get a bit more weekend feeling into your everyday. Come in, relax...it's almost the weekend.","parent":0,"count":33,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":16,"category_count":33,"category_description":"Appreciate the season, and get a bit more weekend feeling into your everyday. Come in, relax...it's almost the weekend.","cat_name":"Seasons","category_nicename":"seasons","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":[{"term_id":93,"name":"may","slug":"may","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":93,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":64,"name":"spring","slug":"spring","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":64,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":6,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":58,"name":"weekend","slug":"weekend","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":58,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":5,"filter":"raw"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1339","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1339"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1339\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3093,"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1339\/revisions\/3093"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1341"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/almosttheweekend.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}