Before the pandemic, over 40 million tourists visited Great Britain every year!
The British have given the world many things. Fish and chips, the Beatles, and David Beckham, to name a few. But if there’s one thing tourists really come for, it’s their British culture and traditions.
Many of these have developed over the last thousand years and have their roots in Britain’s religious and political history. But some of them are more recent and are just downright bizarre. Cheese rolling, anybody?
Let’s take a look at the ancient and modern British traditions that make the UK somewhere everyone should have on their bucket list!
1. Changing of the Guard, London
Changing of the Guard London is one of the time-honored UK traditions that attracts tourists in their millions.
It takes place at Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth’s official residence in London. You can tell if she’s at home if the Royal Standard flag is flying.
The guards in question are the soldiers stationed outside Buckingham Palace to keep the Queen safe. They wear distinctive red coats and bearskin hats with a very conspicuous chin strap. In the winter they trade their red overcoats for grey ones.
The schedule for the changing of the guard varies depending on when you’re visiting. Be sure to check beforehand so you’re there at the right time. It takes around 90 minutes, so you may just want to go for part of it.
2. Cheese Rolling, Gloucestershire
You’ve got to wonder who took a look at an incredibly steep hill and thought, let’s roll a wheel cheese down this!
Well, someone did, and around 600 years ago according to some sources, the first cheese rolled down Cooper’s Hill. Oh, and the place name also highlights another beloved British tradition – place names with weird spelling. In this case, Gloucestershire is pronounced ‘Glostershire’.
The format of the event is simple. A 7-9lb wheel of local Double Gloucester cheese is rolled down the hill. People chase the cheese and try to be the first person to the bottom.
The hill is very steep and unsurprisingly, there are injuries each year. It was paused during the COVID pandemic but is scheduled to make a comeback in 2022.
3. The Queen’s Speech
You’ve probably heard of the movie The King’s Speech. Well, did you know that every year the current Queen (the daughter of the king from the movie) gives a speech of her own to the British public?
It’s prerecorded and broadcast to the nation at 3 pm on December 25th each year. It has become an essential part of British culture.
Even now, many Brits tune in for this annual chance to hear a few well-chosen words from their much-admired monarch. Topics usually include how the country has fared over the last year and a few personal comments about her family.
4. Henley Royal Regatta
The British love a good boat race. There’s a famous one each year between Oxford and Cambridge Universities. But the cream of the crop is the Henley Royal Regatta, held on the first weekend in July.
There are five days of competition and the rowers compete to cover a one-mile stretch of the river Thames in the fastest time. The biggest trophy is the Grand Challenge Cup. This is a Men’s Eights event, meaning there are eight rowers and one cox to steer the boat.
You can either book tickets for one of the viewing enclosures or take your chance in a public viewing area along the riverbank.
5. Highland Games
Let’s head north of the England/Scotland border to explore some other United Kingdom traditions.
Not to be confused with the Olympic Games, the Highland Games take place every spring and summer. Several events are held throughout Scotland, but the most famous is the Cowal Games, held in Dunoon in August each year.
Around 3,500 competitors compete in some quintessentially Scottish sporting activities. These include the caber toss. This involves balancing a large wooden beam (caber) on your hands and shoulder and then tossing it as straight as you can.
Other throwing events include stone put (similar to shotput) and the Scottish hammer throw. There are lots of other traditional Scottish activities held at these events. It’s well worth a visit for anyone looking to connect with their Scottish roots or just enjoy a fun day out.
6. Complaining
One of the more surprising customs in the UK is complaining about everything.
This may come as a surprise to anyone who thinks Brits are like the cheery chimney sweep from Mary Poppins. But actually, there are few things British people love more than a good old whinging (complaining) session. They’ve even made TV shows out of it, like Grumpy Old Men, and Very British Problems.
Favorite topics for complaint include the weather, Brexit, football (meaning soccer), and traffic. Modern life may have brought lots of time-saving gadgets, but Brits love to complain about these too. Especially Wi-Fi, unsolicited phone calls, and home deliveries are hot topics they love to whine about.
But there’s a kind of logic behind this tradition that you really have to go to the UK to observe. One in four Brits believes that if they whine enough, eventually something will be done about the price of things. So while it’s probably not the tradition they’re most proud of, maybe there’s some thinking behind it after all.
7. Ravens at the Tower of London
The Tower of London is a must-see attraction for any visitor to the UK’s capital.
But it’s not just the architecture, the Crown Jewels, and the thousand years of history that are of interest. It’s the birdlife too. Specifically, nine ravens who call the Tower their home.
An old legend states that if the ravens ever leave the tower, the crown (monarchy) and the tower will fall. Although everyone’s sure this legend is just a load of old hogwash, to this day they still clip one wing of the ravens to make sure they don’t fly too far away.
British Traditions to Experience for Yourself
Whether you plan to spend a few days or a few weeks in the UK, make sure you immerse yourself in some of these great British traditions.
Have a good whinge while eating fish and chips. Head down to the Palace for the changing of the guard. And don’t forget to pay the ravens a visit at the Tower of London.
If you’re looking for more travel inspiration, you’re in the right place. Check out our Travel section today!
