Friday, 24 June 2022 | 14.4°C Dublin
F rom waterproof blankets to banquets and barbecues, we’ve rounded up the best ingredients to make the most of long summer days at the beach
Make the most of picnics at the beach with these accessories from H&M
Melamine plate, €10.95, Article; article.ie
Barbecue, €11.65, TK Maxx; tkmaxx.com
Picnic basket, €139.95, The Kitchen Whisk, thekitchenwhisk.ie
Deck chair, €173, Smallable; smallable.com
Picnic blanket, €10, Penneys, primark.com
Portable cheeseboard, €69, Oliver Bonas, oliverbonas.com
Wooden cutlery, €5, Penneys; Primark.com
Cooler bag, €12.50, Jysk, jysk.ie
Willow drinks hamper, €72, The White Company, thewhitecompany.com
Acrylic wine glass, €6, The White Company, thewhitecompany.com
Beach tent, €344, Amara, amara.com
On a normal sunny spring or summer day in Sydney every available green space or sandy strip is dotted with groups of picnickers. Perhaps it’s the haunting mystery at Hanging Rock or just the fact that for over 300 days of the year the sun shines over the city. Not surprising then that when I lived in Australia many years ago I became quite the seasoned picnicker wi th all manner of cooler contraptions and fold-up accessories.
Wooden cutlery, €5, Penneys; Primark.com
I have not had quite as many sunny picnic encounters in Ireland. I do recall one that had great potential until a seagull ruined our spread causing me to knock over a plastic tumbler of tea onto my creamy egg-salad sandwiches and, worse, the Tayto. But is there anything better than when the stars align on a beautiful Irish beach and you manage to whip off that Aran jumper for more than an hour and enjoy a sand (and tea-free) sandwich and some sunshine? In the words of Somerset Maugham: “There are few thing so pleasant as a picnic eaten in perfect comfort.”
Picnic blanket, €10, Penneys, primark.com
Choosing a good picnic blanket with lots of room to sit and spread out food is a key to comfort. There are plenty of affordable, waterproof options (Tiger, Penneys, H&M Home, Mountain Warehouse). For a more traditional wool, waterproof option try one of Heating and Plumbing’s easy-to-carry wool blankets with polyester backing which come in bright orange, yellow, blue, pink and grey (available from Wolf & Badger).
Deck chair, €173, Smallable; smallable.com
A small, compact, lightweight deck chair is a great beach accessory (Smallable) along with a beach tent or umbrella.
Beach tent, €344, Amara, amara.com
Business and Pleasure Co have a range of umbrellas and stylish tents that are a more sheltered take on the classic beach umbrella that gives you more protection.
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Willow drinks hamper, €72, The White Company, thewhitecompany.com
You could sling everything into a carrier bag and go, but investing in a good quality picnic hamper, or backpack if you’re planning on a picnic hike, makes even a few sandwiches feel a bit more special. Most wicker baskets include the essentials: plates, acrylic glassware and cutlery, some often include blankets and cool bags.
Picnic basket, €139.95, The Kitchen Whisk, thekitchenwhisk.ie
There’s lots of choice with retailers The Kitchen Whisk, Avoca, TK Maxx, Oliver Bonas, Carraig Donn and Harvey Norman stocking a good selection of options. If you’re on the move try the Bronx backpack for four with insulated cooler bag, plates and cutlery included — available from Next.
Cooler bag, €12.50, Jysk, jysk.ie
They also have a wide range of picnic accessories from shatterproof glassware and drinks dispensers to folding grazing tables and picnic pouches.
Barbecue, €11.65, TK Maxx; tkmaxx.com
Us Irish do love a barbecue especially a beach cook-up so if you’re planning on upping the ante from egg sandwiches consider a handy portable barbecue such as the mini Sahara from Joyce’s Hardware, Wexford, which works on propane, or a lightweight easy-to-carry charcoal one from TK Maxx. The retail giant manages to cover all bases with lots of acrylic picnicware, blankets and cool bag options.
Acrylic wine glass, €6, The White Company, thewhitecompany.com
If you can handle the pace, and the crowds, Decathlon is a favourite hub for all things outdoor, in particular its camping section which stocks plenty of handy picnic accessories and a great range of isothermal backpacks in various sizes.
Portable cheeseboard, €69, Oliver Bonas, oliverbonas.com
When I think of Manet’s famous 19th-century painting Luncheon on the Grass, in which several people repose in the sunshine around a blanket dotted with wine and food amid the trees it feels like the height of earthly pleasure, lazing and grazing in the summer sunshine.
Melamine plate, €10.95, Article; article.ie
Picnicking today feels a little less pastoral with gritty cheese sambos and empty packets of crisps tumbling across the sand but with the right accessories it can be heavenly, even with a few sandy sandwiches… things just taste better outdoors.
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