{"id":1346,"date":"2017-11-01T10:48:28","date_gmt":"2017-11-01T10:48:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/?p=1346"},"modified":"2025-09-10T10:04:19","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T09:04:19","slug":"8-british-pastimes-to-try-before-you-leave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/8-british-pastimes-to-try-before-you-leave\/","title":{"rendered":"8 British pastimes to try before you leave"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The joy of travelling isn&#8217;t just about exploring a new place; it&#8217;s also about experiencing a different way of life. When we engage with a new culture not just as visitors but as participants, if only briefly, we start to see our differences melt away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s why we always encourage <a href=\"https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/tours\/day-tours-from-london\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=british_pastimes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">new visitors to the UK<\/a> to try their hand at some of the most distinctive British pastimes. We highly recommend trying out at least one of these eight British pastimes if you get the opportunity. We&#8217;re sure you&#8217;ll have a blast!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What are some British pastimes to give a try? In a nutshell:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cricket<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cheese rolling<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Morris Dancing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lawn bowls<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Afternoon Tea<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Croquet<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rugby<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Read more below!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cricket<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This unusual game is extremely popular throughout former <a href=\"https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/what-is-the-commonwealth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Commonwealth<\/a> countries, such as India and South Africa, and has some of the most unusual nomenclature of any sport. Once you understand the rules, though, it&#8217;s fascinating to play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cheese rolling<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"940\" height=\"627\" src=\"https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/cheese.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/cheese.jpeg 940w, https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/cheese-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/cheese-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/cheese-270x180.jpeg 270w, https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/cheese-770x515.jpeg 770w, https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/cheese-600x400.jpeg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>If you ever needed proof that English people are a little bit mad, it&#8217;s right here. Cheese rolling is a sport in which a large piece of English cheese is sent rolling down a hill, chased by many racers. Whoever gets to the bottom of the hill first wins the cheese. Yup, it&#8217;s nuts. But it&#8217;s a lot of fun to watch!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Morris Dancing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This quirky traditional folk dance was derived from Moorish traditions in the 15th Century. Bells, drums, and clanging sticks keep the rhythm whilst dancers bop up and down in time with their dancing team. You can&#8217;t leave the UK without witnessing at least one Morris dance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lawn bowls<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This relaxing sport is a favourite of retirees in the summer months. Roll the large black balls slowly and precisely to get as close to the &#8216;jack&#8217; &#8211; a small white ball as you can. Be careful, as your opponent can knock your balls out of the way when their turn comes around. It&#8217;s a game of careful planning and patience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Afternoon tea<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/pexels-photo-355097.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1347\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The tradition of afternoon tea came about with the invention of gas lighting. As people began to stay awake longer into the night, dinner time was being eaten later and later. This meant a big gap between lunch and dinner time, and people were hungry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Afternoon tea was the perfect remedy &#8211; a quick cup of tea and something sweet to nibble on was perfect for staving off hunger for a few more hours. If you&#8217;ve never had afternoon tea, check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/a-visitors-guide-to-the-six-nations\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=british_pastimes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tea and cakes experiences<\/a>. You can even enjoy <a href=\"https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/attractions\/afternoon-tea\/afternoon-tea-sightseeing-tour-with-pg-tips\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=british_pastimes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">afternoon tea on a sightseeing bus tour<\/a> &#8211; exciting!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Croquet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This classic lawn sport of the aristocracy is straightforward to learn but hard to master, especially against a talented competitor. Use the heavy wooden mallet in the right sequence to knock your balls through the hoops. It&#8217;s super addictive!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rugby<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"940\" height=\"625\" src=\"https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/rugby-sports-players-competition-73763.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1348\" srcset=\"https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/rugby-sports-players-competition-73763.jpeg 940w, https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/rugby-sports-players-competition-73763-300x199.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/rugby-sports-players-competition-73763-768x511.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/rugby-sports-players-competition-73763-270x180.jpeg 270w, https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/rugby-sports-players-competition-73763-370x245.jpeg 370w, https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/rugby-sports-players-competition-73763-600x399.jpeg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re the more athletic sort, try your hand at rugby. This fast-paced game of rough and tumble might not be too well-known in some parts of the world, but over here, <a href=\"https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/a-visitors-guide-to-the-six-nations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">it&#8217;s huge<\/a>. If it looks a little rough, you can take a shot at touch rugby &#8211; the game&#8217;s gentler cousin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We hope there&#8217;s something in here you&#8217;d love to try out for yourself (even if it&#8217;s only the cake!). If you&#8217;d like to learn more about how to best immerse yourself in the culture of the UK, check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/tours\/day-tours-from-london\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=british_pastimes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">day tours from London<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you get the opportunity, we highly recommend trying out at least one of these eight British pastimes. We&#8217;re sure you&#8217;ll have a blast! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1347,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1330,1329,1637,621],"tags":[1076,781,1211],"class_list":{"0":"post-1346","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-british-culture","8":"category-british-history","9":"category-sports","10":"category-things-to-do","11":"tag-afternoon-tea","12":"tag-british-culture","13":"tag-british-pastimes"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>8 British Pastimes to Try Before You Leave | Evan Evans Tours<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you get the opportunity, we highly recommend trying out at least one of these eight British pastimes. 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