English Traditions and Customs to Try along the Great West Way

Want to spend some time immersing yourself in England's ancient customs and traditions? Travelling the Great West Way is all about discovering the real England - from ancient castles to cute country cottages and from West Country cider to traditional afternoon tea. Alongside the picturesque sights you can see along the Way, there are all sorts of quirky customs and traditional events that you can discover in this vibrant swathe of England. 

Traditional Food and Drink
When travelling the Great West Way, you'll quickly become aware that there are a whole host of English customs and traditions when it comes to eating and drinking - starting with a quick pint down the pub. There are plenty of lovely pubs along the Great West Way to inspire you to join in with this classic English behaviour. Afternoon tea is another famous English concept, and there are many great places to stop for a cup of tea accompanied of course by dainty sandwiches, indulgent cakes and scones topped with cream and jam. Yum! Finally, at Sunday lunchtime you'll need to find your way back to the pub for the most traditional of English meals; a classic Sunday Roast Dinner.

Not all of the Great West Way's foodie traditions are so well known - wassailing is an ancient pagan celebration performed in January to encourage fruit trees to give a healthy harvest. This ancient tradition still takes place in certain village orchards, particularly in cider producing country - and there is plenty of cider country along the Great West Way!

Traditional English Customs
Morris Men are one of the most well known of England's ancient traditions. Troupes of Morris Men dress in white with bells and ribbons and dance traditional dances together, with much slapping of knees and hitting of sticks! You'll likely see Morris Men at local fairs and festivals taking place along the Great West Way - a reminder that you're undoubtedly in England. A very different English tradition that you will also encounter along the Great West Way is the regatta. A summer time festival of rowing and river spots, regattas are generally very classy affairs and make a sophisticated summer day out. Henley Regatta is one of England's most famous regattas, taking place in Henley on Thames on the Great West Way every July.

Traditional English Events and Celebrations
Every culture has certain times of the year that are particularly celebrated. In England, Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year's Eve are all big events, as is Bonfire or Guy Fawkes Night, celebrated on 5 November every year. This festival has evolved from the celebration of the defeat of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605 to a fun night of spectacle enjoyed by the whole family. Most towns and bigger villages along the Great West Way will have a fireworks event in early November, with a big bonfire, hot drinks and an impressive display of fireworks filling the sky. In the Spring, May Day takes place on 1 May every year (a good oportunity to spot Morris Men, as mentioned previously). Finally, two of the most ancient celebrations which are still marked in England are the Summer Solstice and the Winter Solstice. Stonehenge, located just off the Great West Way, is famously associated with both, but you will find events celebrating the solstices taking place all along the Great West Way as well.

Local Traditional Events and Customs
As an area steeped in history, the Great West Way has developed many specific local customs over hundreds of years - some of which you won't find anywhere else in the country. Devizes in Wiltshire, for example, is thought to be the only English town to indulge in regular confetti battles! Meanwhile, the charming Berkshire market town of Hungerford is reputed to be the only place in England where locals still dress up to celebrate the medieval festival of Hocktide. The residents of Hungerford throw themselves into the many customs surrounding Hocktide, which takes place annually after Easter, including dressing up, decorating their houses, welcoming the 'Tutti Men' and exchanging oranges and kisses. In Windsor, the ancient custom of 'Swan Upping' takes place in July each year, with uniformed 'Royal Swan Uppers' travelling in traditional rowing skiffs on the Thames to assess the health of the local mute swans, which are by tradition the property of the British monarch. Within easy reach of the Great West Way is the university city of Oxford, which has a whole host of quirky customs and traditions of its own, including penny throwing, May day singing, and boat burning. Newer traditions in the area include the world's largest and longest running Jane Austen Festival, which takes place in Bath every year, as well as the phenomonal annual International Balloon Fiesta in Bristol. 

Hopefully these peculiar English traditions will give you plenty of exciting things to take part in during your Great West Way adventure. Don't forget to tag #GreatWestWay so we can see your pictures of you enjoying the customs and traditions you discover along the route!