April seasonal events and outdoor activities

April, fair April, we never know what you will bring.

April hath put a spirit of youth in everything

William Shakespear
a beautiful spring day in April overlooking the coast and sea
Studland bay in April

Daylight now in abundance, and the landscape is in full awakening. Tradition has it that April is the month of showers, and to some extent that is true. It can be bright and sunny, then a heavy shower, sometimes of snow, and then back to sunshine again. The sun rising in the sky making all look bright, and the rains and new leaves all look fresh.

Dates, events, holidays and festivals.

April 2024

Public Holidays

29th March – Good Friday

1st April – Easter Monday

Seasonal, astronomical and nautical events

8th April – New Moon

9th April – Spring Tide

15th April – 1st Quarter

16th April – Neap Tide

23rd April – Full Moon, Pink Moon

24th April – Spring Tide

30th April – 3rd Quarter

1st May – Neap Tide

Festivals and events, religious, traditional and sporting

1st April – April Fools Day

6th April – Devil’s Staircase Ultra Trail Race

7th April – The Boat Race

13th April – Grand National

6th – 21st April – Edinburgh Science Festival

28th March – Maundy Thursday

29th March – Good Friday

20th April – The FA Cup Semi Finals

20th April – Working and Pastoral Breeds of Wales Championship Dog Show

31st March – Easter Sunday

21st April – Queen’s Birthday

23rd April – St. George’s Day

27th & 28th April – Wonderwool Wales: A Festival of Welsh Wool & Natural Fibres

30th (TBC) – Marsden Cuckoo Fair

27th & 28th April – The Artisan Cheese Fair

4th – 6th May – Urchfont Scarecrow Festival

4th May – 2,000 Guineas Day

5th May – 1,000 Guineas Day

22nd (TBC) – Shakespeare’s Birthday Celebrations

TBA – RHS Garden Hyde Hall Spring and Orchid Show

TBA – RHS Flower Show Cardiff

Find more events and notable dates throughout the year


April seasonal foods

What foods are seasonal in April.

Greens & leaves: Cabbage, Purple sprouting broccoli, Sorrel, Spinach, Spring greens, Watercress, Lettuce.

Roots and other veg: Asparagus, Cauliflower, Celeriac, New potatoes, maincrop potato, Onion, Spring onion, Radish.

Meat: Beef, Chicken, Lamb, Spring lamb, Pork.

Fruits: Rhubarb, Stored apples.

Seafood: Cod, Crab, Halibut, Oyster, Salmon.

Exotics: Grapefruit, Pomegranate.

Find out more about seasonal foods throughout the year with a guide to Seasonal foods.


In nature

Whilst the resident birds may have been nesting and taking territory for some time, April may deliver the first new additions of the year. Migratory birds will also start to appear from the south, replacing those departed for the north.

Butterflies and moths can start to be seen, looking out for fresh new leaves to lay eggs upon to ensure the caterpillars get the very best and tastiest start to their life, however, a large number of these become a tasty treat for birds freshly hatched and fledged.

Fresh new growth abounds, and the difference between the start of the month and the end can be like the difference between summer and winter! Meadows become a riot of yellow Dandelions, hedgerows peppered with the bright colours and road verges gaining height be the day of Cow parsley reaching for the sun.

Fruit trees are in their glory, with apple and pear trees filling the morning with a heady scent and the hum of bees.

Wild Garlic carpets the damp places and provides a delicious smell when disturbed. Where places have an abundance it can make for a tasty forage providing a delicious salad leaf.



On the farm in April

Potatoes, peas, and beans are being planted.

Fertilising grass production fields to boost yield for silage,

Cereal crops sprayed with pesticides and top dressed with fertiliser.

Calving in full swing, with the lambing ending. Calves are tagged for identity purposes and registered. Lambs turned out – vigilance needed with Crows and foxes.

Gimmer hoggs dosed against worms and dipped

Find out more about what is happening in the Year on the farm


Flowering currants with a flying bee
Flowering currants with a flying bee

Things to do in April

In the April garden

Gardening hints

If you have an allotment, April can be the month where panic set in! If the previous months weather has been particularly foul you may not have the ground prepared. Fear not, as the ground may be too cold or damp for the things you should have done.

Notwithstanding this, it is time to crack on and hopefully, the lighter evenings will be your friend.

Finish the digging. Get the seed bed prepared and get sowing. All roots can be planted, and can Onions and potatoes. Broad beans for follow on crops, or just a tasty treat in June.

The garden may need a tidy. Deadhead any remaining daffodils, prune forsythia, admire Lilac and Laburnum. Anxiously examine apples and pears to see if they have set.


Out and about

Also, see the Out and About blogs

All four seasons in one day.

Yellow Gorse and Fields of oil seed rape by the Blue sea of Dorset in April
Gorse Flowers and new growth

Recipe of the month.

Lentil and Veg Bake.

April and Easter are usually associated with Roast Lamb. However, if Easter is early and winter has been unkind, then it may not be in season. We also associate spring with abundance, yet for the self-sufficient or the seasonal eater, this is the Hungry Gap.

The reality is that in spring you may have once ate Mutton, with a few of the remaining stored potatoes and Mushy Peas – If you were in luck you may have an abundance of broccoli.

So, here is recipe that uses the few remaining veg that might be about, plus some tired store cupboard staples. If you do not have the veg below, don’t worry, add any veg you may have to hand.

This is a rustic recipe, so no need to worry too much about the measurements or the ingredients. The list below is a suggestion, you can substitute any of the vegetables depending on availability. Because it’s a bit rustic, can be good for the beginner. I would advise a good stock, though.

Ingredients

  • 200g Red lentils
  • A good glug of oil.
  • Large or 2 small onions
  • Leek
  • a couple of cloves of garlic
  • A large or two small carrot
  • Celeriac or parsnip if you can
  • Tin of chopped tomatoes
  • A litre of good stock, it’s worth the extra little cost for a good stock.
  • Herb of your choice. A bay leaf is nice, plus some Oregano – however, sage or thyme also work well.
  • A generous teaspoon of smoked paprika.
  • 1tsp Mustard of your choice, powdered is good.
  • 150g of Cheese. Mature Cheddar is good, however, you can use a mix. A strong tasty cheese goes further with flavour.
  • Salt and pepper

Equipment.

An ovenproof dish suitable to put the stuff in. A lasagne dish suitable for 4 is about ideal.

A largish saucepan

Preparation

Rinse the lentils and allow to drain.

Slice the onions and leeks. Chop the other veg, these work much better if the are slices smaller because that makes for a nicer texture, however, this is a rustic dish, so don’t panic over it.

Boil a kettle with enough water for the stock.

Turn on oven to warm. 190 electric, 180 fan. If using gas, you know your oven better than me.

Cooking

Put oil in a pan on moderate heat, add onions and/or leeks, stirring occasionally to prevent browning. Heat for 5 minutes. Add Carrot, celeriac and parsnip if using. heat for another 5 minutes, similarly stirring to prevent browning. Add garlic and stir, add mustard and paprika and stir (unless you are using prepared mustard, then add after the stock, below).

Now throw in everything else apart from the cheese! Add the tomatoes, stock (cubes or better still the fresh type) the lentils, any herbs you fancy using, a pinch of salt and a generous shake of pepper. If the stock was not readymade, top up with enough water from the kettle to cover the mixture.

Heat until boiling and cook at a moderate rate for 5 – 10 minutes. You will need to keep stirring, and be very wary of the lentils sticking to the bottom of the pan! They may need a good poke to keep them mobile.

Reduce heat to a gentle simmer for about 10 – 15 minutes. If the mixture starts to get quite stiff and dry, add a bit more liquid.

Stir in half the cheese.

Decant to the ovenproof dish. Smooth. sprinkle cheese on top.

Cook until the cheese looks an attractive colour.

For more inspiration see the Food Blogs

April Jobs in the vegetable garden or allotment

General Jobs

It’s all about sowing and planting. There may be some watering if it is dry.

Sowing and Planting

Indoors: Sow -Aubergines, Bell peppers, Cabbages (all except spring), Cauliflower (summer and autumn), Celeriac, Celery, Chicory, Chillies, Courgettes, Cucumbers, Endive, Fennel, French beans, Kale, Kohl rabi, Marrows, Pumpkins and winter squash, Runner beans, Sprouting broccoli, Sweetcorn, Sweet potatoes, Tomatoes.

Outdoors under cover: sow – Outdoors under cover: sow – Beetroot, Lettuces, Oriental leaves, Rocket, Salad leaves, Turnips.

Outdoors: Sow – Broad beans, Brussels sprouts, Cabbages, Carrots, Calabrese, Cauliflower, Kohl rabi, Leeks, Lettuces, Onions, Oriental leaves, Parsnips, Peas, Radishes, Spinach, Spring onions, Spinach beet, Sprouting broccoli, Swiss chard, Turnips.

Plant: Asparagus, Broad beans, Globe artichokes, Endive, Florence fennel, French beans, Jerusalem artichokes, Kale, Kohl rabi, Lettuces, Marrows, Onions, Peas, Potatoes, Pumpkins and winter squashes, Radishes, Runner beans, Sprouting broccoli, Sweetcorn, Sweet potatoes, Tomatoes.

Harvest

Asparagus, Cabbages, Cauliflowers, Kale, Leeks, Lettuces, Oriental leaves, Rhubarb, Rocket, Spinach, Spring onions, Sprouting broccoli, Swiss chard.

Find out more about what is happening in the allotment or vegetable garden

Dark skies and bright sunshine of April Showers

Activities, things to see and do in April

With lengthening days arise more opportunities to get out and about. To see what is happening in nature and the countryside. There is also a lot more to see as the year really starts to get going.

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April in pictures