I don’t know about you, but as a serious winter lover, even *I* am excited for the sunny spring days ahead of us. 

I am just so ready for gardening, walks in the park, swapping my heavy jacket out for a denim one and, of course, all the little spring animals that will be born over the coming months.

Cannot. Wait.

So, when is the first day of spring?

Well, according to the Met Office, it depends. 

On its website, meteorologists explain: “Astronomical seasons refer to the position of Earth’s orbit in relation to the Sun, considering equinoxes and solstices.

“This is due to the 23.5 degrees of tilt of the Earth’s rotational axis concerning its orbit around the Sun. Since the seasons vary in length, the start date of a new season can fall on different days each year.”

Going by this approach means that spring in 2025 starts on Thursday (20 March).

However, there’s also an approach that’s a bit easier to remember and stays the same each year. Meteorological seasons are broken into three-month periods, meaning that spring will always start at the beginning of March and finish on the last day of May.

And if this all seems a little too late for your liking, Irish people celebrate the start of spring on St Brigid’s Day which is 1 February.

When do the clocks go forward?

Of course, spring means that our clocks ‘spring forward’. In 2025, our clocks go forward in the early hours of Sunday 30 March (or Mother’s Day in the UK).

Yes, we’re ‘losing’ an hour’s sleep but at least the days will finally be longer and brighter!