Articles in ‘Outdoor activities’
February 24th, 2010
The 87 mile-long Ridgeway National Trail is remarkable in being the oldest road in Britain and because you can still walk it, following the same route used since prehistoric times by travellers and, herdsmen. The route connects the Dorset and Norfolk coasts, passing over rolling, open downland to the west of the River Thames, and through secluded valleys and woods in The Chilterns to the east. It is littered with historical sites dating back to the iron age. Lots of details from the National Trail website here.
Nature holidays in England, Nature tourism in the UK, Outdoor activities, Walking in Britain | Tags: best walk in Britain, best walks in UK, Coast-to-coast walks in Southern England, Oldest road in England, Original walks in Britain, The Chilterns|
February 13th, 2010
A trip to a children’s farm is a great idea in the lambing season. The Guardian has a list of recommended places in their half-term holiday special, including Cannon Hall Farm in Barnsley, where they are expecting no less than 300 lambs and 50 piglets to be born in February, with more expected for Easter. They have other attractions such a baby Alpaca called Snowy.
Farming, Nature tourism in the UK, Outdoor activities | Tags: days out in easter holiday, days out in half-term holidays, farm trips for children, farms in the lambing season, farms with lambs and piglets, ideas for days out with children, nature for children, visiting farms with children, Wildlife watching holidays in the UK|
February 4th, 2010
A contender for this title is the 6-mile Bath Skyline walk, the most frequently downloaded trail from the National Trust webpage. The National Trust owns 500 acres of land at the edge of the city, only a mile from the centre. Safe from urban development, the land is a mix of woodland and meadows, rich in wildlife and flowers, with views of the famous Bath stone terraces in the valley below.
Outdoor activities, Southern England, Walking in Britain | Tags: Bath Skyline walk, best walk in Britain, top national trust walk, walking around Bath|
January 15th, 2010
For the first time in many years, the freezing conditions have been perfect for ice skating, allowing the inhabitants of the Cambridgeshire Fens to revel in a centuries-old tradition. The Guardian
The Fens of East Anglia, with their meres and washes, networks of drainage ditches, slow-flowing rivers and easily flooded meadows, form an ideal skating terrain. Skates were introduced into Britain from Holland or France in the seventeenth century. It is not known when the first skating matches were held, but by the early nineteenth century they had become a feature of cold winters in the Fens. The golden age of fen skating was the second half of the nineteenth century, when thousands of people turned out to watch the top skaters. Wikipedia
Information about the 2010 cold snap, Nature holidays in England, Nature tourism in the UK, Outdoor activities | Tags: Cambridgeshire, Ice skaing in Cambridgeshire, Outdoor activities in Cambridgeshire, The cold snap in the Fens, The Fens, Things to do in the cold snap|
January 13th, 2010
David Munt from Potter’s Bar, Hertfordshire braved the Arctic weather and sub-zero temperatures to spend a night in an igloo in his garden. He decided to sleep in his creation after spending the previous day making the igloo from snow and ice, with help from the children on his street. More here
Information about the 2010 cold snap, Nature tourism in the UK, Outdoor activities | Tags: British igloos, Building an igloo in England, Cold snap in Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire|
January 8th, 2010
Yowie snowshoes were designed, fittingly, in Australia. They look like beach sandals attached to rubber flippers with a deep hexagonal tread and metal cleats. Extremely versatile and user-friendly, once you’re strapped in, with body weight nicely spread out to avoid sinking, you can enjoy snow walks on the flat or more challenging treks up and down mountains. The material reportedly offers better insulation from the cold than more conventional heavy-duty snowshoes. They are also lighter, cheaper and easier to stow in your ruck sack.
Another idea is to use ice grips - unobtrusive devices you can attach to your usual footwear to radically increase traction on slippery surfaces.
Information about the 2010 cold snap, Nature tourism in the UK, Outdoor activities, Walking in Britain | Tags: activities in the snow, best snowshoes, Facts about the 2010 cold snap, how to avoid slipping on ice, how to enjoy snow, light and cheap snowshoes, reduce risk of slipping on ice, snowshoes designed in Australia, trekking in the snow, versatile snowshoes, walking on snow and ice|
January 8th, 2010
Bored with snowmen? Why not try and take full advantage of the big freeze and build an igloo in your back garden or local park. Instructions here from The Guardian.
Information about the 2010 cold snap, Outdoor activities, Weather and climate | Tags: British igloos, Building an igloo in England, Facts about the 2010 cold snap, Fun things to do in the snow|
November 6th, 2009
One of the pleasures of walking is knowing the history of your path, why it exists and who walked there before.
The need for Corpse Roads disappeared centuries ago, though a few are still known by that name. When population was low and villages were widely scattered, the nearest consecrated ground could be miles away, across harsh and inhospitable terrain. Sometimes coffins had to be abandoned in blizzards, miles from anywhere. When weather improved, they would be picked up and the journey resumed. Coffin-bearing horses bolted with fright during storms, never to be seen again, but living on in legends and ghost stories. Read the rest of this entry
History of the British landscape, Outdoor activities, The Lake District, Walking in Britain | Tags: corpse road of Cross Fell, Cross Fell Pennine way, haunted footpaths, highest point of the Pennine Way, history of Corpse Roads, Pennine Way history, walk over Cross Fell, walking in the lake District, walking in the Pennines, walking on Corpse Roads|
November 5th, 2009
Meirion Owen is an expert sheep dog handler, who’s been working with Border Collies since he was nine. He now travels around Britain, showing the skills of this intelligent breed at fairs, private parties and, increasingly, corporate days out. The other stars of the Quack Pack are a troop of Indian Runner ducks, who love to charge around at a fast pace in a tight group (with the occasional lone rebel). First of all, Owen gives a demonstration of how it’s done, instructing his dogs with only four commands to herd the ducks through an obstacle course. Then the spectators have a go.
“We never try to embarrass anyone,” he says. “I’ll always try to help. With duck herding, there is a sense of the unexpected and seeing a manager lose control of his ducks is great entertainment for the staff.”
A recent tendency among lowland livestock farmers is to replace Border Collies with quads, and Owen would like to turn this around by promoting the many qualities of this breed. More information
Farming, Nature tourism in the UK, Outdoor activities | Tags: border collie sheep dogs, coporate events with animals, how to work with sheep dogs, Indian Runner ducks, intelligence of border collies, qualities of border collie sheep dogs, unusual corporate days out|
November 3rd, 2009
The Woodcraft School runs various courses for acquiring skills that pre-historical man needed for survival. Bark, Bone and Antler is a particularly interesting 2-day course that explores the materials available to our primitive ancestors. Those attending will be taught about the sustainable harvest of bark, weaving crafts to make knife sheaths, folding crafts to make baskets and containers, and the preparation of bone and antler.
This particular course will be held in May 2010 in West Sussex, with groups limited to 12, but there are many others to choose from.
Nature holidays in England, Nature tourism in the UK, Outdoor activities | Tags: basket-making course, bushcraft weekend, how to live like a stone age man, learning stone age skills, prehistoric man weekend, primitive survival skills, primitive technology course, weaving crafts, woodcraft course|
October 30th, 2009
Paragliders will use birds of prey to guide them to the best thermals. They often report that the birds are not afraid of them and will even approach out of curiosity. Parahawking takes this one step further. You’re taken on a tandem paraglider and specially trained birds of prey will accompany you on your flight, rewarded by offerings of food. This unforgettable experience is available in Wales, organised by the Axis paragliding school
Birds of Britain, Birds of prey of Britain, Nature holidays in Wales, Nature tourism in the UK, Outdoor activities | Tags: adventure holidays in Wales, exciting day out in Wales, flying with birds of prey, flying with red kites, new adventure experience in Wales, observing red kites in the air, paragliding with birds of bird, unforgettable day out in Wales, watching birds of prey in Wales|
October 30th, 2009
With Pesky Husky Trekking you can become a musher for a day. Instead of a sledge, you stand on a specially designed non-motorised scooter. And instead of snow-covered arctic lands, the Siberian huskies whisk you through the Yorkshire countryside. The experience is only available between October and March, after which it becomes too warm for an energetic husky. You can start off on a practice lap or do a more advanced trek of up to two hours.
Nature holidays in England, Nature tourism in the UK, North-east England, Outdoor activities | Tags: adventure holidays in Yorkshire, exhilerating experience in Yorkshire, fun things to do in Yorkshire, husky trekking in Britain, Siberian huskies in Britain, Siberian husky trekking, unusual day out in Yorkshire, unusual sports in Britain, winter outdoor activities, Yorkshire moor adventure, Yorkshire outdoor activities|
October 12th, 2009
The 1932 mass trespass at Kinder Scout has passed into rambling legend and is seen as a milestone in the fight for the right to roam. Located in the north of the Derbyshire Peak District, and very close to the Manchester conurbation, this moorland plateau is of outstanding beauty, with views of Snowdon on a clear day and a 30-foot waterfall that the winds blow into the sky.
But 70 years ago, Kinder Scout was a private moor reserved for grouse shooting. And the famous demonstration, organised by the British Workers Sport Federation, was very much part of the 1930s class war. The confrontation with police and game keepers on the one side and a mixed group of communists, students and ramblers on the other resulted in scuffles, arrests and prison sentences. In his statement at the dock, Bernard Rothman, one of the organisers, argued their case: Read the rest of this entry
England, History of the British landscape, Landforms of Britain, Outdoor activities, Peak District, Walking in Britain | Tags: access to countryside history, class struggle and the right to roam, Ewan MacColl and Kinder Scout, Kinder Scout declared National nature reserve, Kinder Scout mass trespass, Manchester Rambler and Kinder Scout, walking in the Derbyshire peak district|
September 24th, 2009
Apparantly it is best not to throw away bananas on hikes as they can take up to two years to biodegrade. The John Muir Trust, which protects many of Scotland’s wild places, estimates that there are now 1,000 banana skins strewn across Ben Nevis alone. But at least they aren’t as bad as chewing gum.
Biodegradable times:
- Paper bag - 1 month
- Apple core - 8 weeks
- Orange peel and banana skins - 2 years
- Cigarette end - 18 months to 500 years
- Plastic bag - 10 to 20 years
- A plastic bottle - 450 years
- Chewing gum - 1 million years
More here
Walking in Britain | Tags: Ben Nevis, John Muir Trust|
September 11th, 2009
The designers of Britain’s canals, built to haul coal and lumber, or fragile goods when roads were still rough, would have been flabbergasted to see how their engineering efforts are valued today, not for industrial purposes, but for giving folk a respite from urban stresses or for bringing kingfishers into city centres. Read the rest of this entry
History of the British landscape, Outdoor activities | Tags: best canals in Britain, boat hire Monmouthshire and Brecon canal, Bude canal, canal boat hire, canal guidebook, canals in Britain, guide to British canals, Kennet and Avon canal, walking canals|
The RSPB is gathering extensive information about exactly where swifts are nesting in the UK. It is suspected that their rapid decline in recent years is linked with a drop in suitable nesting sites, as buildings are modernised.
The first year’s survey reveals that of the houses where swifts are nesting:
A new generation of commoners will receive financial support to ensure animals continue to graze in the New Forest and so conserve its rich biodiversity.
The Co-op is further expanding its 
There are now some excellent landscape blogs covering Britain. Here are a few:
With more and more people wanting to grow their own fruit and vegetables, the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners have over 100,000 people on their waiting lists. The National Trust have responded to this demand by allocating land for “super allotments” or community farms. In return for a monthly fee, members will decide what should be grown, and have the opportunity to work on the farms, receiving a share of the produce. 
