I love Great Britain, I really do, but ask most of us Brits what we think of the summer in Blighty and we’ll tell you a British Summer is a wash-out.

Ok so that’s not entirely true, it’s there, it’s always there. Some years it’s better than others, but those beautiful sun-filled days and warm balmy evenings do show up, every year. And when they do, my goodness, are they worth the wait!

There aren’t many places that look as pretty in the sunshine as Our Fair Island. Our skies the brightest blue, our fields are rich and glossy! In the sunshine, we suddenly see colour everywhere with our gardens blooming and wild flowers growing in abundance.

It comes and goes so quickly though, and before we know it, it’s time to get the winter coats out again. That’s why I try my hardest to be prepared, so I can make sure I’m making the most of every sunny day we are blessed with.

There’s no need for us to wait until our summer holiday or travels abroad, we can escape to the summer at any given opportunity.

One of our favourite things to do when the sun is shining is to dine Alfresco. That doesn’t have to mean jet-washing the dusty garden furniture. In fact, we love nothing more than chasing the sun around the garden with a blanket and a bottle of Fizz.

Thats where The White Company, as always, has us covered this season. I just love a browse through their blog for some summer inspiration. The beach scenes, the crisp white sheets…nobody does summer like The White Company. If you want to be inspired by all things sunshine, take a look at their Blog.

Thursday last week, despite the weatherman’s threats of cloud and wind…the sun shone from sunrise to sunset. Glorious British Sunshine warming our skin and lifting our spirits.

After a day in the garden, the boys were tucked up in bed right on time. So Colin and I took the opportunity to enjoy our dinner alfresco.

We filled our Baskets and set up camp in the perfect little shaded spot in the garden for an early evening feast.

Sometimes the most wonderful suppers are those you’re not prepared for, where you empty the contents of your cupboards to find something tasty and serve on a lovely big Wooden Platter.

We studded a Camembert with rosemary from the garden before baking for around 20mins. Once soft and gooey, we served simply with a loaf of fresh bread for dipping and some deli treats from the fridge.

I love these heart shaped Plates for making the simplest snacks look pretty. This Metal Cloche not only looks fancy, but it does a great job of keeping the bugs away from your tasty feast.

We lay out several blankets so we could spread out our feast. This Outdoor Picnic Matress is incredibly comfy and despite being so soft and padded, rolls up neatly into it’s drawstring bag. Perfect for the garden or picnics in the woods.

Everything looks so beautiful this time of year, with bluebells filling the boarders and the lawn speckled with Daisy’s. The warm day had left everything smelling particularly beautiful.

We cracked open a bottle of Fizz (who says you need to wait until the weekend?!) and slipped off our shoes. The sunlight twinkled through the trees and all we could hear was the birds. Bliss!

You would never know these champagne Flutes weren’t glass would you? The quality is incredible.

It’s nights like this that make make summer my favourite time of year…that is, of course…until those crisp autumn leaves make an appearance.

What’s your favourite thing about summer and how do you love to Escape?