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Take your pick from woollen picnic mats for the park and multifunctional blankets for the beach
Ah, the Great British picnic. Nothing quite says summer like a punnet of cocktail sausages, a frenzied dog that appears out of nowhere as soon as you open them, and the distant but ever-present threat of rain.
Whether you’re planning a picnic in the park, the garden, the living room or the beach, you’ll need the perfect floor covering upon which to lay your delicious spread. But, when it comes to picnic blankets, not all of them are created equal – so we’ve picked out the cream of the crop.
As any al fresco foodie worth their Himalayan sea salt knows, the right picnic blanket is key to serving up the perfect outdoor meal. Waterproofing is the first thing to check for – and a waterproof or water-resistant base layer is essential to avoid soggy bottoms on wet sand or soggy grass.
Portability is another factor to consider – are you after a blanket to sling in your boot or do you need something with a carry handle that can be lashed to a buggy or bike or something completely hands-free? In this case, size matters, too, particularly if you’re sharing space with kids or animals – or want to be able to lie in the sunshine for a post-picnic doze.
Last but not least, check if your chosen picnic blanket is easy to clean – whether that means it wipes clean simply enough or can be thrown in the wash. Pick something that ticks all those boxes and looks the part, too, and your next picnic will be a walk in the park.
We picnicked like there was no tomorrow to bring you the best blankets on which to eat. We checked to see if each blanket lived up to its promise when it came to waterproofing and that each mat on our list was easy to clean either with a damp cloth or – even better – in a washing machine. We gave extra points for multifunctional features and carefully considered cost when weighing up our winners.
In truth, it was incredibly difficult to whittle the list down to one winner – but The Stripes Co Pinball picnic mat feels like an investment piece that will last for years and years. Voited’s compact picnic and beach blanket is our top choice if you’re looking for a multifunctional option, and traditionalists will love the classy 100 per cent wool options from both Atlantic Blankets and The British Blanket Co.
Complete your picnic pack with our pick of the best cool bags and melamine picnicware pieces