Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere 10:13 am - 21 June
The Summer Solstice, the two moments during the year when the path of the Sun in the sky is farthest north in the Northern Hemisphere (June 20 or 21). At the summer solstice, the Sun travels the longest path through the sky, and that day therefore has the most daylight. When the summer solstice happens in the Northern Hemisphere, the North Pole is tilted about 23.4° (23°27´) toward the Sun. Because the Sun’s rays are shifted northward from the Equator by the same amount, the vertical noon rays are directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer (23°27´ N). Six months later, the South Pole is inclined about 23.4° toward the Sun. On this day of the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, the Sun’s vertical overhead rays progress to their southernmost position, the Tropic of Capricorn (23°27´ S).
Our Green and Pleasant Land
After lockdown anticipation and trepidation, that unforgettable holiday could be anywhere in the UK. As Boris Johnson announces that the lifting of all restrictions will now be moved to the 19th July 2021 pending a further review, has meant that the has continued to be UK a sought after holiday destination. But It is strange that because of a pandemic, the UK is fully booked where it was once the preferred destination for tourists rather than the British.
Yet, our country is undeniably beautiful with so much to offer that so many are only now discovering. Steeped in history, our cities have exceptional stories that unfold before us; the scenery to be seen across green and undulating hills or on the coast, is quite breathtaking, and now is the time to look inward to the UK. Our MD has been travelling across the UK and has provided us with a Top Ten List of super destinations.
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Newcastle - Historically, the city dates back at least 2,000 years but the city itself has now been bought up to date with exceptional restaurants, a super nightlife and with great access to breath-taking North Tyneside and Northumberland coastlines.
Busiest month for ten years as home-buying supersedes summer holidays
The rulebook has been rewritten as the post-lockdown mini-boom accelerates rather than slows down. There is normally a seasonal slowdown in housing market activity over the summer months, as both buyers and sellers turn their attention to summer holidays. But this year, home movers have put more property on the market and have agreed more sales than in any month for over ten years, worth a record total of over £37 billion. This is leading to monthly price increases in ten out of twelve regions, with a record high in new seller asking prices in seven of those regions. Prices usually fall at this time of year, as sellers try to tempt holiday distracted buyers, with the national average monthly fall for the last ten years being 1.2%. While there is a slight monthly fall of 0.2% (-£768), this is due to London’s more normal seasonal fall of 2.0%, reversing what would otherwise have been an unseasonal national rise.
Summer Breeze Makes Us Feel Fine
Across Europe, mainly because of the heat, schools close much earlier and then “businesses” seem to start closing down, especially during the month of August. An Italian client of ours asked whether this is the same in the UK because in Italy holiday allowance is saved up and a lot of the Italian work force makes its way to the coast. In the UK things might slow down, dictated of course, by the school terms, but businesses do not really “stop”. Apparently Rome is empty during the month of August except for tourists who are brave enough to tolerate the midday sun!