Cooler weekend ahead as temperatures drop below 30 C for the first time in a week . .. but the scorching weather will be back with 35 C highsBy Claire Ellcott And Sophie Borland and Steve RobsonPUBLISHED : 09 : 50 GMT , 20 July 2013 | UPDATED : 13 : 08 GMT , 20 July 2013 24 Viewcomments Britain will finally get some respite from the stifling heat today as temperatures drop below 30 degrees for the first time in a week . Cool breezes and cloud from the North Sea will bring some fresher air to the east of the country as maximum temperatures will be ' just ' 28 degrees in the south . But the longest heatwave for seven years is set to continue next week with the mercury expected to hit 35 for the first time since 2006 . The hot weather has taken its toll on the UK , with grass fires in London , mountain blazes in the Welsh valleys and forest fires in Fife , Scotland . Glorious : Cyclists enjoy more warm temperatures today amid the rolling hills of Harrogate in North Yorkshire Summer fruits : Forager Claire Thomas picking her own redcurrants at Harewood Bridge near Leeds as the heatwave continues Cooling down : The drop in temperature is making it more bearable for gardeners to get out and pick fruits Blaze near the beach : The fire , at the beauty spot of Ham Common , on Poole Harbour , Dorset burned for several hours , destroying giant swathes of protected nature reserve . Dorset Police have launched a hunt for the arsonists , who are also being blamed for a fire on nearby Canford Heath Heath fire : Sunbathers are forced to flee a beach in Poole , Dorset , as a fire breaks out close to where they were lying . Firefighters said the blaze was a suspected arson attack Tinderbox Britain : A 200 square metre area was alight in Epping Forest , east London , this afternoon as the capital was hit by another large blaze East London burning : Around 60 firefighters had been called in to tackle the huge fire in Epping Forest this afternoon London ' s burning : Around 60 firefighters have been tackling the blaze in east London this afternoon Huge blaze : Firefighters deal with a large fire near Epping Forest this afternoon . Crews have been tackling a record 21 blazes a day after the prolonged spell of dry weather Smoke : The air is filled with thick smoke near Epping Forest this afternoon as a large fire breaks out in east London Flames : The London skyline can be seen in the distance as smoke rises on the grassy area to the east of the capital Big blaze : A firefighter attempts to put out the flames as the prolonged spell of hot weather has brought a surge in grass fires Blaze : The fire is believed to be covering an area of around 200 square metres and firefighters have been battling to bring it under control Weather blaze : A firefighter puts out a bush fire on Mitcham Common in south London yesterday as the risk of grass fires rises in the hot weather Wildfire fears : Smoke rises from shrubs and trees on Mitcham Common in south London yesterday after a fire . There are now fears of further blazes Charred earth : Smoke rises from Mitcham Common yesterday amid fears of further fires . In London alone , firefighters have already tackled 1 , 000 grass blazes this summer Volunteer train driver Peter Frost takes drastic action to keep cool by having a shower from the water tower at the Swanage Railway station in Dorset South London burning : Firefighters damp down after putting out the blaze on Mitcham Common yesterday as the fire risk rises across the country in the warm weather Heat melts tarmac : The melted road surface in the centre of Cambridge after a prolonged spell of hot weather across Britain . It has gathered around the raised central reservation , which was recently resurfaced for £ 300 , 000 Too hot for the road : A long stretch of tarmac in Cambridge will now have to be resurfaced after being melted by the hot weather Meltdown : Britain has basked in six consecutive days of temperatures higher than 30 C - and in Cambridge the road has melted Summer sun : A group of young people enjoy the weather punting along the River Cam in Cambridge Boating day : The River Cam in Cambridge covered with boats as Britain enjoys another day of scorching temperatures Beach fun : ( from the left ) Amy Bennett , aged 20 , Claire Henny , 21 , and Liana Pert , 20 , at the beach in Lunan Bay near Montrose , Angus , as Scotland enjoys some sun Families at the beach in Lunan Bay near Montrose , Angus , as Scotland basks in another day sun with temperatures approaching 30 C The Queen ' s water Lilly garden ' Cow Pond ' in the Royal Park at Windsor which she officially opened in 2012 in full bloom Lilly garden : The Cow Pond in the Royal Park at Windsor basks in the sunshine this afternoon Sea chill : A man and woman cool down by the sea in Brighton today as Britain enjoys another scorching day Summer gritting : A council has sent out gritting lorries in Totton , Hampshire , today to help keep the roads cool and to stop the tarmac from melting in the heat Bronze Britain : A man sunbathes under a t - shirt on Brighton beach today during the country ' s most prolonged heatwave since 2006 Busy beach : The seafront at Brighton as Britain basks in another day of hot temperatures - and it is set to last until next week Beach day : Two people paddle in the sea off Brighton beach as temperatures are expected to hit 30 C again Brighton : Maya , aged four , plays in the sea near the pier as the country enjoys the first prolonged heatwave for seven years Fun in the sun : Mother Caroline and baby Ella Nicoll play in the sea in Brighton as the country enjoys yet another day of warm weather Beach day : Sophie Mendus applies sun cream to Lewis Nye as they enjoy another scorching day on Brighton beach A bit of cloud : Revellers sit on the beach at Brighton this afternoon on one of the warmest days of the year Summer sun : Two people - and the seagulls - enjoy the weather on the beach at Brighton today Another scorching day : A woman sunbathes at 9 . 30 in the morning at Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth , Cornwall Beautiful Britain : A couple look out at the sea as they sunbathe at Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth , Cornwall Inner city beach day : People enjoying the urban beach ' Nottingham Riviera ' in Nottingham ' s Market Square City beach : Amelia Scott , aged three , enjoys the urban Nottingham Riveria beach on one of the warmest days of the year Summer sun : Georgie Franks , aged two , enjoys another day of warm weather on the beach at Southsea , Hampshire Beach fun : Wallace , a four year old Labradoodle , plays fetch with a surfboard on a busy Southsea beach , Portsmouth , Hampshire Sunny day : Fern Thompson , 24 , Ruth Groome , 20 , and Lisa Cameron , 32 , stroll along the promenade above Southsea beach in Hampshire Cooling off : A man queues in his Seedos for an ice cream on Weston Shore , Southampton , Hampshire , today Hot again : A woman and a child eating ice creams as they continue to enjoy the good weather in Roundhay Park , Leeds In the sun : People enjoy the good weather in Roundhay Park , Leeds , as Britain enjoys a seventh consecutive day of 30 C - plus temperatures Sunshine at dawn : Danielle White strolls through fields of gold near Wells , Somerset , as Britain ' s scorching weather continues Summer day Danielle White strolls through a field of gold as Britain ' s prolonged spell of hot weather continues . The heatwave is expected to last for another week Beautiful morning : Deep sepia tones at Stonehenge at first light this morning as Britain wakes up to another day of scorching weather Summer sun : A barge travels along a canal in central London today . Scientists estimate that the heatwave could have caused hundreds of premature deaths Summer sun : People relax by the fountains in Marble Arch , central London , as a Met Office level three heatwave warning remains in force Relaxing in the warm weather : People lie by a pool at Marble Arch on yet another day of warm weather Fountain fun : A group of people sit at the water ' s edge at Marble Arch in central London Another scorcher : Jeanne Hellyer , Lucy Kirkland and Sophie Hellyer take advantage of the sun and still water at Sandymouth Bay in Cornwall this morning Summer sun : Lucy Kirkland enjoys an early morning paddle at Sandymouth Bay in Cornwall today . Temperatures are expected to reach highs of 31 C today Summer sun : Jeanne Hellyer enjoys the prolonged heatwave at Sandymouth Bay in Cornwall Too hot : Three snow leopard cubs emerged for the first time at a Hampshire wildlife park - in blistering heat that their species are certainly not accustomed to Adorable : The snow leopards , at Marwell Wildlife Park , near Winchester , Hampshire , take their first steps outside their enclosure as temperatures soar Hot up north : Children playing in fountains as they enjoy the continuing hot weather in the City Square , Bradford Big smile : A young boy plays in the fountain in City Square , Bradford , as the country basks in more warm weather Christmas ? The new Truro Cathedral Christmas store which cells nativity sets , decorations and advent calendars opens in the midst of a July heatwave Christmas is coming : The Truro cathedral shop is already stocking festive products , 159 days before December 25 http : / / www . dailymail . co . uk / news / article - 2371317 / Cooler - weekend - temperatures - drop - 30 C - time - week -- scorching - weather - 35 C - highs . html # ixzz 2 ZbD 9 Uiyx