Is it the End of the British Summer?

So as quickly as it arrived, it looks like the British heatwave is over - for now at least! And while some people remain optimistic and continue to wear their summer sandals (hoping it might encourage the sun to come back), more and more of us have been forced to dig out our Autumn wardrobes again. Families who are flying abroad for their holidays can still enjoy some sunny, hot days around the Med thankfully, but even there the weather is nothing like what it was only a few weeks ago! So is it already time to pay your respects to the end of the British summer?

The drop in temperatures has not been drastic, but it’s happened so quickly it's harder for our bodies to acclimatise. You might find yourself feeling cold at 20°C! But before you start shopping for cosy jumpers, there are a few tips you can follow to wrap up warmly and enjoy your day out. For a start, you might want to keep your wellies in the boot - it might not rain, but it’s best not to take any chances when the sky is grey. Make sure to add some spare clothes too, so that if you get soaked you can change into dry and warm clothes easily. This is definitely important if you're going out and about with puddle loving children.

The end of Summer usually means heading to the shops for back-to-school wardrobes too. The choice for children is usually easy - school uniforms and quality shoes. But why not add a little something to put yourself in the mood too? You’ll find more inclined to forgive the cool temperatures after you’ve updated your collection of autumnal women's blouses, for instance. When the weather gets cold and rainy, it's the perfect time to update everyone's wardrobe!

The end of Summer if the best time to prepare your garden for the change in weather too. If you’ve been lucky enough to avoid the thunderstorms and intense rain in your area for now, you may need to keep an eye on the weather forecast (The East Midlands, East Anglia, Yorkshire and Humber regions have all been placed under a weather warning for risks of flooding). After several weeks of drought, you can expect the soil to be too dry to absorb the water, so you should prepare your garden for what there is to come. A compact soil will increase flood potential. Improve soil drainage and add a layer of gravel to take the pounding from the rain.

After such an intense heatwave, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed by the sudden weather change. But I find it gives me more motivation to think of the next few months. Back to school, Autumn wardrobes and before you know it, the Christmas season will be upon us!

This is a collaborative post.