Argyllshire Advertiser

Get outdoors with a spring in your step

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With longer evenings and warmer weather ahead, Scottish walking charity Paths for All has unveiled its top 10 tips to inspire families to embrace the outdoors and engage with nature.

There are also prizes to be won for schools in the charity’s Spring Path Day campaign.

Regular walks can help keep us safe while allowing us to meet up and spend time with family and friends. The pandemic has brought into focus just how positive getting outdoors is to boost mental, physical and social wellbeing.

Ten ideas from Paths for All for families to try outdoors this spring:

Make a treasure trail: Make up a trail and the first one to complete it could receive a prize.

Build a den: Woodlands are great for den building and helps children solve problems and work together creatively.

Creative walking: Simply moving helps soothe our minds and being creative adds to that. Let nature inspire your creativity.

Walk with another person: Invite a friend for a walk and show them where you like to go and why, following Scottish Government Covid-19 guidelines. Walking games: Come up with fun games to play on your walks, example – I spy, left or right, spring nature spotting.

Step count or distance challenge: Release your inner competitiv­eness and challenge someone, or yourself, to reach a certain number of daily steps or miles.

Wildlife spotting: Take a notepad on your walk and make notes on any interestin­g wildlife you spot. You could turn it into a game and the person with the most points wins.

Take a picnic: Pack a rucksack with your favourite snacks and drinks and head off along a path for an alfresco lunch.

Do a litter pick: Help to look after your favourite paths and places. If you spot litter, bag it up and bin it responsibl­y.

Be wise outside: We’re lucky to be able to access our countrysid­e freely so make sure to treat the Scottish landscape responsibl­y while out and about.

Rona Gibb, senior manager at Paths for All, said: ‘Walking is key to leading a happy and healthy life. As we move into spring, there is no better time to incorporat­e it into your family routine, even if it is just a short walk to school or round the block.’

The Spring Path Day campaign includes 30 days of activity ideas, an online content hub and £1,000 worth of outdoor educationa­l prizes for schools and children to win throughout April.

Rona explained: ‘The Spring Path Days online hub provides a ton of ideas for families and will offer something to suit all interests. There is also a host of competitio­ns to get involved in.’

The charity encourages families across Scotland to get involved in Spring Path Days by sharing a photograph of what they have been doing this spring.

All participan­ts will be entered automatica­lly into a prize draw which will see 10 individual­s win a den-building kit.

One lucky winner will also win a £500 voucher for their school to spend on outdoor educationa­l resources.

Find out more on the Paths for All website www.pathsforal­l.org.uk.

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Ideas for families to get active outdoors this spring.
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