18c Mostly Clear
Barmouth Viaduct at Sunset 
Llanberis from Penllyn 
Morfa Bychan beach near Porthmadog 
North Wales Calendar 
NORTH Wales is a picnic paradise. The array of scenic locations is a feast for the eyes and the wealth of healthy, juicy, fresh local ingredients ensures any family hamper is fit to burst.
The region is jam-packed with beautiful hidden coves, woody glens, tranquil riversides, sandy beaches, nature reserves, town parks and popular family pleasure grounds.
Fabulous picnic spots recommended by Visit Wales, the Assembly's tourism team, include stunning Anglesey's Llanddwyn Island, the panoramic Great Orme Country Park, Llandudno, or the breath-taking summit of Snowdon - hungry climbers having taken due note of local weather warnings, of course!
Whether it's simple Paddington Bear marmalade butties that take your fancy or an al fresco banquet of sweet and savoury delights, mouth-watering picnic recipes can be found in cook books, food websites or hand-written by granny in a journal tucked for years at the back of a sideboard drawer.
Bread, a kitchen staple since Roman times features in them all somewhere. Made with sliced white, rustic loaves, dusted barm cakes, granary baps or over-bottom muffins, sandwiches are the original picnic food, as much-loved as ever for eating outdoors or in.
Fillings have varied enormously over generations, but surprisingly even in today's world of exotic flame hot chilli dressings, char-grilled veg, couscous and pesto wraps, the firm favourite among sandwich fans is plain cheese and ham.
It accounts for nearly half of all sandwich fillings, according to Warburtons, family bakers for more than 135 years and running a search for Britain's top picnic spot to celebrate National Bread Week from May 5-11.
To give the age old favourite a true Welsh flavour, make sandwiches with one of the increasing wide choice of Welsh cheeses now delighting national tastebuds, like Cadog from award-winning Llandyrnog Creamery. Add succulent ham from Pwllheli's Cig-Moch Pen Llyn, slow smoked over an oak chip fire in a brick built kiln.
Brits buy nearly a million packs of bread rolls a day, equal to 220 million single rolls, which if laid end to end would cover the distance of 16 Channel tunnels.
We eat £2.9 billion worth of butties a year and three quarters of British lunch-boxes feature a sandwich.
Away from the working day the best way to enjoy them is without doubt a picnic. Just as chips taste better on the prom, sandwiches taste better eaten while lazing away an afternoon resting on a travel rug in a wildflower field or seaside haven.
Prepare different shapes and styles of sandwiches - triangle, square, crusted or crust-less - so friends and family can take their pick.
But variety is also the spice of life and picnic hampers don't have to focus on sandwiches alone.
Easy extras add interest, please all tastes and can be nibbled at throughout the day. Ignite smiles from young and old with simply prepared tit-bits like cream cheese and chopped chives rolled up smoked salmon slices, refreshing mixed leaf or fresh fruit salad bowls, rice crackers, crunchy carrots or tangy apple pieces dipped in humous, bananas sliced into muesli yoghurt, chilled fruit juices on a sunny day, or maybe even a sophisticated glass of wine with which to watch the sun set over the craggy North Wales coastline.
FOR delicious picnic recipes and information on how to vote for your favourite North Wales picnic spot visit www.welovebread.co.uk .
