Author: Billis

The creation of huge areas of land in the United Kingdom has enabled large numbers of the population to use their free time to explore the wilderness that is available on their door step. This has provided a great variety of holidays for both domestic and international visitors, who make up the 110 million tourists that these areas receive each year. Many of the people who visit these areas are day visitors and this is especially true of the domestic market. Compared to other countries in the world the United Kingdom is small so many of its parks are accessible to a large percent of its population on a day visit. [caption id="attachment_143" align="alignright" width="297"] Cyclists enjoying Dartmoor[/caption] Also, many people will take holidays to certain areas of the country and make a visit to a park just for maybe...

People who enjoy outdoor pursuits have been indebted to various governments around the world who have created vast areas of land that are protected from the population form building on. These regions have, for a variety of different reasons, been designated as protected areas and they have provided those who enjoys the great outdoors huge play grounds in which to explore. [caption id="attachment_138" align="alignright" width="221"] The different protected land in the UK[/caption] The United Kingdom has attempted to protect large swathes of countryside since the end of the Second World War. In 1949 the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act as was passed in parliament and this created the first ten National Parks that were established through England and Wales. Today there are thirteen parks all funded from central Government. They all have their own separate managing authority...

There is a strong relationship between the retail trade and outdoor pursuits. This relationship however, is not a straight forward one preparing for a trip to the outside world will depend on many variables and these will influence the type of purchasing the customer will make. [caption id="attachment_131" align="alignright" width="300"] Snow and Rock store for outdoor activities[/caption] The first thing about outdoor pursuits is that not everyone loves them, but most people give the activities a try. So many people who may be preparing for their first camping expedition or walk or skiing holiday are doing it with the knowledge that it may be the first and last time they take this type of adventure. With this mind it is hardly surprising that there is a huge market for renting and hiring all clothing and equipment needs for these activities,...

Taking a once in a lifetime UTV or ATV trip is a beautiful feeling. The freedom to ride and experience the challenges and reliefs, the wilderness and vastness of open roads. There’s nothing better. If 2018 is your year for UTV or ATV adventure, then it’s time to start thinking about where to go. Here are a few suggestions to get you started. Monte Carlo is well known for being the height of extravagance, the home of high-stakes poker and the place to be for F1 and rally driving, but thankfully, you don’t have to go any further than America to find the greatest UTV trails in the world. The Paiute Trail in Utah is the largest of its kind in the world and often ranks as the number one place to drive ATVs in America. The large network of...

The beach fascinates people whenever summertime threatens in various countries. Many people who will go to the beach never have any intention of visiting the water with a good number not being able to swim. There is something about the border between sea and mainland that has captured man’s imagination for a number of years. Some people lie on the beach in order to sun bathe. The popularity of this past time has declined over the years with the greater awareness of the harmful sun’s rays and the risk of skin cancer. [caption id="attachment_104" align="alignright" width="300"] A sandcastle at the US Open[/caption] The beach is the home of simple family activities such as those associated with a bucket and spade. For centuries young families have spent hours on the beach digging ditches and creating sand castles, but this pastime has...

It may appear that it would be contradictory to have outdoor activities within urban areas however the modern city has created many areas of open space for these types of activities to take place. There are many cities that have a reputation of being green cities. Vancouver city in Canada is enclosed between the mountains and the sea. There are 200 parks and 18 miles of coastline for the citizens of the city to enjoy. [caption id="attachment_99" align="alignright" width="275"] Cyclists on the Stanley Park Seawall route[/caption] There are 249 miles of bike routes through the city. The Stanley Park seawall which separates Stanley Park from the Ocean offers cyclists a 12-mile ride along the coastline and into the Pacific Spirit Park. Stanley Park covers 400 hectares and was voted the best park in the world in 2014 by TripAdvisor. Due...

The biggest disadvantage of outdoor recreation is that it damages the land. People who go to visit the wilderness for its beauty, then play a role in the deterioration of it. Most of the landscapes that are visited are fragile ecosystems so will take years to recover from any damage. The most obvious form of damage is the litter that is left behind. National parks and most protected areas provide accommodation for visitors to stay in overnight in the form of campsites. This results in huge numbers of people being attracted into the park to take part in outdoor recreation in the summer months. [caption id="attachment_92" align="alignright" width="230"] Great Smoky Mountains National Park[/caption] The Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the United States attracts 11 million visitors every year. The sheer numbers involved means that there is going to be...

Outdoor recreation plays a huge role in education with many schools having it placed high up on their list of priorities. The benefits of children partaking in outdoor recreation were pioneered by the German educationalist Kurt Hahn in the 1930s. In 1934 he founded Gordonstoun School in Scotland. His educational philosophy was based around the theory that education of the mind and the body should be conducted together and not separately. The school promoted the importance of physical fitness and the use of expeditions Some of Hahn’s beliefs were extreme such as daily cold showers and “punishment runs”, and would later be taken off the school’s curriculum. However, some of his beliefs inspired other schools and led to the introduction of the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme in 1956. He greatly believed that children benefited from being taken out of their...

There has been a continuing relationship between business and outdoor pursuits. Many of the skills that are learnt whilst surviving in the wilderness can be transferred into the work place to make it a more efficient working environment. Many companies will send their employees on team building exercises in order to enhance social relations and define roles within teams. Just taking the employees out of their natural work place and into the natural environment can be in itself a major first step. The difficult task in all of these initiatives is to get the participators to fully accept the aims of the day. An initial reaction from the group can be one of suspicion, and this type of negative attitude is one that may stop the participators from gaining anything worthwhile from the experience. Specialist companies have now been created...