That's right, our guide on how to hack your annual leave for 2026 is here. If you've not encountered the idea before, hacking your annual leave is all about using British bank holiday dates for the upcoming year to supersize your annual leave allocation - making more time for big, fat (or indeed small, fun) adventures.

Of course, we can’t magically double your holiday allowance (sadly) but we can show you how to use your statutory leave smartly - giving you longer breaks, more weekends away and proper time to get away from office walls and out to wild places; be that a hike on the Annapurna Circuit, a paddle around the Verdon Gorge in France or an e-bike epic around Spain's Basque country.

If you took every suggested holiday here, it’d take those 31 days of annual leave and supersize it into 68 days of holiday

This idea of the annual leave hack is simple - you simply have to plan your time off around 2026 UK bank holidays. Use them to extend your weekends, to create mid-week breaks and unlock two-week adventures. All you need is a good bit of planning and ideally, a handy article which describes how to use your annual leave best to optimise your holiday time. Which is exactly what this is.

We appreciate that everyone gets a different amount of annual leave. Our hope is that you have a generous boss who gives you generous lunch breaks and lets you go sledging on snow days, but regardless, the concept will still allow you to maximise your annual leave even if you're only given one day to use each year.

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For this article, we’re using a scenario where you get 31 days of annual leave for 2026, plus bank holidays. 30 days of annual leave is, on average, how many days public sector employees receive across the board in the UK - excluding bank holidays - but the 31 day figure allows us to get the theory across best.

If you took every suggested holiday here, it’d take those 31 days of annual leave and supersize it into 68 days of holiday - including some big chunks of time.

The following is based on the official 2026 bank holidays in England and Wales.

UK Bank Holidays in 2026 (England and Wales)

  • Thursday, 1 January – New Year’s Day
  • Friday, 3 April – Good Friday
  • Monday, 6 April – Easter Monday
  • Monday, 4 May – Early May Bank Holiday
  • Monday, 25 May – Spring Bank Holiday
  • Monday, 31 August – Summer Bank Holiday
  • Friday, 25 December – Christmas Day
  • Monday, 28 December – Boxing Day (substitute)

Here’s how to use those bank holidays to make the most from your annual leave:

January

New year, new you? Or same old (wonderful) you, but up a mountain top? Ditch the gym resolutions and swap the office for something a little wilder this January.

Whether it's snowshoeing in Estonia or tracking wolves in Italy, why start the year with a hangover when you can start it with an unforgettable adventure?

Bank holidays in January 2026: Thursday 1 January (New Year’s Day)

Days away from the office: 9 (Sat 27 Dec 2025 - Sun 4 January 2026)

Days to book off work: 29-31 Dec, 2 January (4 days off)

Annual Leave Hack Adventure ideas for January 2026:

April

Easter comes at the start of April this year, making it ideal for a springtime adventure. The holiday brings with it a four-day weekend. Use annual leave to book the days off either side of it and you’ve got two whole weeks for adventure.

You definitely won't feel bad about eating seven chocolate eggs if you're hiking into a Colombian jungle or sailing into the Galapagos as you do it.

Bank holidays in April 2026: Friday 3 April (Good Friday) and Monday 6 April (Easter Monday)

Days away from the office: 16 (Sat 28 Mar – Sun 12 Apr)

Days to book off work: 30 Mar–2 Apr and 7–10 Apr (8 days off)

Annual Leave Hack Adventure ideas for March and April 2026:

May

Everyone, every year, forgets that May has two bank holidays. This means it's easier for you to grab those all-important annual leave days in advance. The Early May Bank Holiday comes out of nowhere, like a fiver found in the pocket of an old jacket. The Spring Bank Holiday, later in the month, backs it up as summer is set to start. May is also off-season, so you can grab an adventure without the crowds.

Bank holidays in May 2026: Monday 4 May (Early May Bank Holiday) and Monday 25 May (Spring Bank Holiday)

Days away from the office: 18 (Sat 2 May - Sun 10 May and Sat 23 May - Sun 31 May)

Days to book off work: 5-8 May (4 days off) and/or 26-29 May (4 days off)

Annual Leave Hack Adventure ideas for Early May 2026:

Annual Leave Hack Adventure ideas for Late May 2026:

August/September

The days are long and the sun still shining as you near the end of August. This is the end of the beach holiday season, and again, it's shoulder season - our favourite time for adventure. This is a dreamy time for an escape; for big landscapes and long days outdoors, far from the all inclusives and out in wild places; where mountain lakes glimmer and rugged peaks layer into the distance.

Bank holidays in August 2026: Monday 31 August (Summer Bank Holiday)

Days away from the office: 9 (Sat 29 Aug – Sun 6 Sep)

Days to book off work: 1–4 Sept (4 days off)

Annual Leave Hack Adventure ideas for August 2026:

December

December is a beautiful month. The big coat comes out of the cupboard. The gloves and scarves go on. The mountain tops are white with snow and the fireplaces are lit in the mountain refuges after you get back from climbing one. The idea of going away on an adventure in December can seem strange to some, but imagine spending Christmas in snowy Finland, or indeed, in sunny Sri Lanka.

Picture yourself ringing in the new year in the Atlas Mountains, or hiking across a mountain pass in turkey. While others are having a NYE they won’t remember? You could be having one that you’ll never forget.

Bank holidays in December 2026: Friday 25 December (Christmas Day), Monday 28 December (Boxing Day substitute), Friday 1 January (New Year's Day)

Days away from the office: 16 (Sat 19 Dec – Sun 3 Jan)

Days to book off work: 21–24 Dec, 29–31 Dec (7 days off)

Annual Leave Hack Adventure ideas for December 2026:

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