Last month we headed to Centerparcs Woburn for a family holiday, which just happened to fall on the same weekend as the very first National GetOutside Day. An event organised by Ordnance Survey, GetOutside Day aims to encourage more people to get out of the house and explore the outdoors, and I have to say Centerparcs was a pretty awesome venue to spend it at.
Did you know that 1 in 10 Brits never get outside? And that along with weather, wild animals and getting lost, one of the main reasons for this is that people find it difficult to be without the internet or phone signal for more than an hour! It’s pretty shocking that we’re so dependent on technology its actually depriving us from the health benefits of living an active life, but I have to say it doesn’t surprise me. I’ve definitely caught myself picking up my phone out of habit just to scroll mindlessly, and have tried to stop James and I using our phones at the dinner table or whilst we’re spending time together.
It was great during our family Centerparcs weekend in fact, as I made a point of only using my phone to take photos, and I have to say I love camping and adventuring in wild places for the sole reason that there isn’t any signal! Digital detoxes are definitely needed in a world of social media comparison, and constant emails – I really hate that its acceptable to email at 10pm now for a normal office job but that’s a whole other story…
Anyway, we celebrated National GetOutside Day by cramming in as many awesome activities at Centreparcs Woburn as we could, including target and field archery, kayaking/rowing, crazy golf, and some woodland exploring and den building.
I really hope that the activities organised by Ordnance Survey and the coverage achieved by the day has helped to inspire even just a few more people to GetOutside and rediscover their love of the outdoors. Even a small amount of time outside has so many benefits for our physical and mental health, as well as bringing friends and family closer and giving us a greater appreciation for our planet.
Did you take part in National GetOutside Day? How do you spend time outdoors?
