Mountains for the Mind

As Trai●’s Mountains for the Mind campaign turns two years old, the need to get outdoors for the benefit of your mental health has never been greater.

Mental health – out in the open

Britain is in its biggest mental health crisis since WWII. One in four people experience mental health problems in a normal year, but those numbers have risen sharply since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic last March.

As many as 10 million people, including 1.5 million children, are thought to need new or additional mental health support as a direct result of the pandemic. And according to the NHS, the number of people contacting mental health services has never been higher. In a year when things we’ve always taken for granted – such as the freedom to travel and even basic human contact – have been severely restricted, we’ve all found ourselves seeking new ways to stay positive and motivated. And although for many of us government restrictions have meant travelling to hills and mountains has been difficult, the message that getting outdoors and exercising regularly for the benefit of our mental and physical health has been widely supported.

So throughout 2021 we’ll be pushing the Mountains for the Mind message stronger than ever before. We’ll bring you inspiring stories, connect you to other outdoor enthusiasts, give you endless ideas of places to walk, offer you expert tips and gear advice so you can explore outdoors safely, raise money for mental health charities, and hopefully get our free guided group walks back up and running as soon as restrictions allow.

Thanks to everyone who’s supported us for the past two years, and let’s continue to spread the word even further throughout 2021.