The clocks going forward means Brits will lose an hour’s sleep, but gain more daylight to enjoy the summer. In the UK, the clocks change twice a year, springing forward in the spring and falling back in the autumn. This year British summer time starts on Mother’s Day (March 30), with Daylight Saving Time meaning the clocks move forward one hour.
Britain is among 70 countries where clocks change, including the US, New Zealand and the countries in the European Union. The start of British Summer Time (BST) means the sun rises earlier and daylight will last longer. It peaks on the longest day of the year, the Summer Solstice, on Saturday June 21 when the sun rises at 3.41am. After that, the hours of daylight gradually get shorter and shorter. When BST ends, the UK returns to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
One herald of summer’s approach is the sun setting at 6pm. This year London will see the sun set at 6pm on Wednesday March 12.
Bristol sees the sun set at 6.01pm today. It will set at 6.01pm in Birmingham and Manchester on Sunday (March 9).
In Leeds, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sheffield, the sun will go down at 6pm on Monday (March 10) while it will set at 6pm in Liverpool today (March 7).
Edinburgh will see the sun set at 6.01pm on Saturday (March 8) while Glasgow and Cardiff have already passed the same milestone.
People in Norwich, however, will have to wait until Sunday, March 16 for a 6pm sunset.
