Family fun: Gorge walking with Highway2Adventure

This encouraging statistic is brought to us by a Gocompare.com study, which also revealed that one of the main reasons for taking a more active holiday is to “spend time with family”.

Many parents believe that children aren’t particularly thrilled with a lie-by-the-pool style vacation (nor are the parents, we expect), and instead they want to try holidays with their children that include hiking, cycling, canoeing and other adrenaline sports such as gorge walking, coasteering and land yachting.

One Scottish adventure instructor, Mike McLaggan, has seen a rise in the number of families taking part in adventure activities as the main focus of their holiday.

Mike, of Angus-based Highway 2 Adventure, says: “We have many more enquiries for activities for both children and adults while holidaying in Scotland.

“Parents want to spend time with their kids having fun and an activity, such as mountain biking, gorge walking, kayaking, or coasteering is something that suits the whole family.

“It’s great that so many families are planning adventure holidays as a way of getting together and trying something different.”

Two styles of family activity holidays

While some parents choose accommodation to suit their budget and desires and then sign up to a number of outdoors activities with one of many outdoor adventure activity providers during their holiday, others find that it is more convenient to book an accommodation-and-activity break as one package.

Isles more fun: The Scottish island of Arran is a fantastic place to head for family adventures. Stay at any one of the many hotels, B&Bs, self-catering lodges or campsites and take advantage Arran Adventure for a wide range of activities such as gorge walking, mountain biking, sea kayaking and archery. The Isle of Raasay, off the Isle of Skye, also boasts an outdoor centre, called, you guessed it, Raasay Outdoor Centre. There is accommodation on-site and a wide range of activities, including sailing, cycling, walking, kayaking and mountain biking. Or stay at one of the other hotels on the island.

Adventure zone: There are lots of activities to discover in the grounds of three UK outdoor centres, one at Culmington Manor, Shropshire, another at Abernant Lake Hotel, Wales, and a third in Scotland at Lockerbie Manor, Dumfries and Galloway. The choice for adventurous families differs from one centre to the next but you’re assured a holiday of fun and adventure. See Manor Adventure

Wet and wilder: Acorn Family Holidays have a huge campsite at Tan Troed, south Wales. It’s located one mile from Llangorse Lake, and offers lots of watersports fun such as such as sailing, kayaking, canoeing and raft building. Land activities on-site include a high ropes course, climbing and abseil towers, archery ranges and two challenge courses.

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AA Inspector, Ewan Ross, visited Skye back in July and wrote in his report, “It’s a peaceful site and an ideal base to visit many tourist attractions in the area. It would be remiss not to comment on the quality of the amenity block in particular and site facilities in general, all of which reflect the owners’ attitude towards achieving excellent standards to meet customer expectations.”

The Club’s Franchisees, Nicky Sellier and David Weller, were delighted by the news and said, “We strive to provide exceptional customer service and it’s encouraging to receive such a recognised title. We hope this award will encourage campers to visit our site – it’s located on the shore of Loch Greshornish and offers beautiful views, yet it is still close to many local attractions for all to enjoy.” Cheddar and Corfe Castle Franchise Sites also achieved AA four star pennant ratings.

AA-rated accommodation is assessed under a set of common quality standards agreed by the AA and the UK tourist authorities (VisitEngland, VisitScotland, VisitWales and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board).

The Camping and Caravanning Club – www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk – is 110-years-old and is the largest and oldest club in the world for all forms of camping. It has 109 award-winning sites throughout the UK and, through a partnership with the Forestry Commission, now runs and manages a further 20 Forest Holidays Caravan & Camping Touring Sites.

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A guide to matching campers with their tent

Weekend festival dudes: The last thing you want is tent hassle during a fun festival weekend. All festival goers require is a tent that’s easy to carry from public transport or the boot of the car, quick to put up, waterproof and mud-resistant. If it’s brightly patterned or coloured then all the better because re-finding your tent in a field of hundreds of other tents when you have had a couple of beers and your head is dizzy from all the dancing could be the difference between a night’s sleep and a night spent searching for your tent.

The perfect tent solution: Pop-up tents or festival tents.

Family, comfort and joy: This type of family likes to pack the car (or mini bus!) full to the brim. Add in two or three children, a dog, a parent or two and perhaps friends. At the campsite, luxury is important. Blow-up mattresses, cosy sleeping bags, pillows, a sink, a larder, solar powered showers, fridges, carpet. In other words, a camping holiday is a home-from-home affair.

The perfect tent solution: A family tent that sleeps up to nine people with a living space and separate bedrooms for parents, kids and hanger-ons. Tunnel family tents make a great choice.

Family + head room: If the worst thing for you about camping is not being able to stand up then you’ll want to choose your tent carefully. If your camping location is likely to be open to the wind and rain then you should also think about the structure of your tent. If you also need a living area and bedrooms…

The perfect tent solution: A dome tent construction offers great internal space and holds strong in wind and bad weather. Or choose the equally sturdy cabin-style tent.

Go wild: This is wild in the sense of the wilderness. Some people like to get away from it all and head off with only a backpack, a lightweight tent, a small stove and some dried camping food.

The perfect tent solution: A one or two-man lightweight tent that packs up small but still offers strength (in case of wind) and is highly waterproof (in case of rain).

Wild and very light: If you’re planning on a long, multi-day camping trip that includes many miles of walking carrying all your clothes, equipment and accommodation then….

The perfect tent solution: Choose a one-man bivi bags. These tents-come-shelters offer protection from the elements but also cut weight and volume to an absolute minimum.

Wild and high: Mountain goats require a lightweight tent that can also cope in extreme conditions.

The perfect tent solution: A mountain tent is a five-season expedition tent that is designed to offer safety and comfort. The geodesic tent design ensures strength and stability against the strongest winds.

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The Mountain Info Services Project was formally launched by Hywel Williams MP at the Snowdonia National Park Warden centre at Pen y Pass. It aims to give mountaineers and hillwalkers access to state-of-the-art information, as well as traditional safety advice and enable them to plan a journey or walk in the mountains of Snowdonia safely.

During 2011, 411 calls for assistance to Mountain Rescue Teams were made as people ventured to North Wales to enjoy the beauty and special qualities of the area and this resulted in 291 Mountain Rescue team deployments. Recent research shows that a significant number of avoidable calls were made by young male adults who were not adequately prepared or did not have the required skills or equipment for their activity.   The “Reducing Mountain Accidents in Snowdonia” survey concluded that young male adults from urban areas were mainly responsible for these avoidable calls.

The Mountain Info Service Project aims to target this particular audience by using modern technology and today at the Pen y Pass cafe, a new app for the iPhone was launched by Hywel Williams MP who said,  “By applying the latest technology to the field of mountain safety, which is such an important issue in areas such as Snowdonia, there is a greater chance of accident prevention and of promoting the safe enjoyment of our wonderful hills and mountains. In so doing, the strain on local Mountain Rescue Teams will also be eased. I congratulate everyone involved with the Mountain Info Service Project, and hope that all mountaineers and walkers, be they local residents or visitors, will take full advantage of the advice and information that is available.”

Elfyn Jones, British Mountaineering Council (BMC) Officer for Wales, added, Although visitors may have researched the area on the internet before coming, some may not have the required skills to read and use maps and have not prepared themselves for travelling safely in the mountain environment. This app provides the necessary information for visitors who are planning a trip to Snowdon and will help them make an informed judgement before they begin their journey.”

As a result of the Mountain Information Services project, in addition to the development of the new Mountain Info app which is available from iTunes, three additional tools have been developed:

• A daily report by Snowdonia National Park Wardens on ground conditions and snow levels on the mountains during the winter months, including advice on the skills and equipment required to enjoy these conditions safely. These are provided for the Met Office’s Mountain area forecasts page www.metoffice.gov.uk/loutdoor/mountainsafety/snowdonia/snowdonia_latest_pressure.html and on Twitter by following @safesnowdonia or @eryridiogel.
• A series of five short video clips narrated by Sian Lloyd, demonstrating the way to prepare for a journey in the mountains including hazard avoidance and what to do in an emergency. These are available on the Met Office and YouTube websites. Visit www.metoffice.gov.uk/loutdoor/mountainsafety/video.html.
• A publicity and marketing campaign to publicise the project, made up of posters, banners, leaflets and commissioning articles in relevant magazines and periodicals.

The Mountain Info app was rated as the best available app for mountain safety planning by novices by Trail magazine in autumn 2011 and, depending on funding, it is hoped that a Welsh version of the app will be produced in future.

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Simon Barnett of the Ramblers said, “2012 is the year to get walking. It’s one of our nation’s favourite pastimes but best of all its easy, enjoyable and affordable. We can’t all be Olympic medalists, but we can get into the spirit of the Games and use it as inspiration to get active and contribute to a great atmosphere in the build up to the Olympic and Paralympics Games – what better way to get into the sporting spirit than by getting yourself and your family to their feet. There will be plenty of easy walks under 8km/5 miles taking place across the country, so bring your friends and family to enjoy a fun day out and you’ll soon want to fill all your weekends with walking!”

If you’re just getting started and especially if you want to walk regularly for health and fitness, The Ramblers Get Walking Keep Walking website at www.getwalking.org has loads of information and advice including an interactive 12 week walking plan – My Get Walking.

Other Ramblers events include:

Summer Evening Walks Festival – a new festival (1-31 July; nationwide) for 2012, which aims to make the most of longer days.

Festival of Winter Walks – Britain’s biggest walking festival (22 December – 6 January 2013; nationwide) will see hundreds of winter-themed walks on offer, from short ambles to more demanding outings.

The Ramblers is Britain’s walking charity. It works to make it easy for everyone to walk, whether in countryside, cities, hills, coasts and on or off the beaten track. It has a grass roots network of over 17,000 volunteers who work tirelessly for a walking Britain. For over 75 years, it has helped build and protect Britain’s 130,000 mile long path network, it runs over 38,000 walks a year, and campaigns for better walking routes and more walking opportunities.

Stay tuned to www.ramblers.org.uk/walksfinder to find a walk near you.

Facebook www.facebook.com/ramblers and Twitter twitter.com/RamblersGB

plus www.ramblers.org.uk/scotland; www.ramblers.org.uk/wales

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Never take the weather for granted in the hills. By their very nature, mountain weather patterns can change quickly without warning and can pose serious problems if you’re unprepared. Always check the weather forecast and never just ‘hope for the best’. Check the Met Office weather forecasts – www.metoffice.gov.uk – as well as local advice.

Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Steep ground, snow and cold conditions will sap your strength and can turn what you thought would be a good day out into an epic. On your map, before leaving, check out and mark ‘escape routes’ off your planned walk in case the going gets too tough. Tell somebody where you’re going and let them know when you’re back. Walking alone high in the hills in winter is definitely not recommended!

Your rucksack will hold more than you’d expect to take on a summer stroll so it will weigh more so take that into account as well when planning your walk.

Warm, wind and waterproof clothing is obvious to wear and it pays to carry an extra layer of warmth for when you take a break to avoid cooling down too much. Overheating and sweating is not good for comfort and safety so ventilate your body heat and take off hat and gloves when you start warming up  (unless conditions are horrendous!). Time and again, people pile on the gear as they slog uphill from the car park and stop at the top, sweating as they pull the layers off to cool down. Let your body keep you warm when working hard and use your clothing to retain heat when you stop.

Map, compass and GPS are not accessories, they’re essentials. As is keeping them to hand and knowing how to use them competently. Emergency equipment should include a torch, whistle (emergency signals are six blasts on a whistle or six flashes with a torch), first aid kit and a bivi bag or emergency shelter.

Your footwear needs to offer good support and reliable traction so boots are usually preferred to low shoes. Ice axe and crampons should be considered if conditions warrant. Carrying them, though, is not much good if you don’t know how to use them. Gaiters are a really practical item to wear in snow; put them on before you head off up the trail.

Take enough food to see you and your party through the day with something to spare – you’ll burn calories faster in winter. As well as hot drinks, take plenty of water and drink regularly.

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New for the 2012 Olympic year is a 12 mile walk from the Toll House at Ironbridge into the historic town of Much Wenlock with a chance to visit the local museum and follow the Olympian Trail. The Much Wenlock Olympian Games, created by local surgeon Dr Penny Brookes in 1850, are said to be the inspiration behind today’s modern Olympic Games. Other new outings include two walks around the churches and chapels of the Severn Gorge; a circular trail taking in some of the heritage sites of the Gorge and an industrial look at the landscape above Coalbrookdale.

For the more adventurous there are also longer walks along the South Telford Heritage Trail and a circular tour of the Gorge to discover the history of the river bridges, making the festival both more challenging for the experienced walker, and interesting for those wanting to find out more about this beautiful area.

Other highlights include a ‘splendidly spooky’ stroll around a candlelit woodland trail for families, a guided bird walk around Devil’s Dingle with local ornithologist Glenn Bishton and a wildlife and environmental photography walk with technique and species advice. There are also all-ability outings suitable for wheelchair users and pushchairs with a commentary on the natural and cultural heritage. Well-behaved dogs on a lead are welcome on most walks but check before booking.

All walks are free but with places limited to between 15 and 20 people, pre-booking is essential. To reserve a place or request a copy of the programme, contact the Ironbridge Visitor Information Centre by email at tic@ironbridge.org.uk or call 01952 433424. Additional information is available on www.visitironbridge.co.uk.

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Attending an organised star-gazing event is a great way to find out more about our supernova, star clusters and galaxies. And, as the warmer weather of spring comes along (and aren’t we looking forward to that?!), why not head off for your own star-gazing camping adventure?

Getting away form the bright lights of towns and cities is the key to being able to better see the night’s sky. Without artificial lighting it is easier to see the stars, but you will also need to keep an eye on the weather forecast to ensure clear skies for the best viewing conditions.

Make star gazing a comfortable adventure

If you’re planning to camp out make sure you take the perfect item of camping furniture with you.  A camping chair or a blow-up camping sofa are great choices, or else choose a waterproof blanket on which to lie down. Many people prefer to lie down on their backs to star gaze to save their necks from getting sore, rather than sitting down to stare up at the sky. Add warm outdoor clothing and a sleeping bag for extra comfort. Lying – or sitting – still can make even the warmest evenings seem a little chilly.

It’s also a good idea to have looked up information about what stars you might see at certain times of the year. Take a star-gazing guide with you, too.

UK’s top three Dark Sky Places

These three areas have been identified as fantastic places to see stars at night. They are:

Galloway Forest, south west Scotland

Sark Island on the Channel Islands

Exmoor National Park, south-west England.

The first to be awarded this special status by the International Dark Sky Association was Galloway Forest Park. Lighting experts were brought in to ensure the skies above the forest park were pitch black at night. Part of the selection process involved giving a rating via a sky quality meter, which measures the darkness of the sky overhead.

To find out about other stargazing events near you check out the star-gazing events finder

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Pioneered by the North Devon AONB, interactive features on www.explorethecoast.org identify hundreds of points of interest including the most scenic spots and natural landscapes, where best to view local wildlife and discover local heritage sites. Particular reference is given to the South West Coast Path, permissive paths and Public Rights of Way to suit walkers of all levels from experienced long distance hikers to families seeking a gentle circular walk. It aims to inspire everyone to leave the car behind and explore the beautiful coastal area on foot.

The majority of information is accessed via a central Google map with a simple, user-friendly menu to choose from. Paths and points of interest are instantly overlaid according to the user’s choice of theme, identifying a wealth of information and glorious photographs. Sites in close proximity to bus stops, refreshment outlets and other useful local information can also be identified. The website also includes themed interpretation guides, family-friendly resources and links to related websites and downloads.

The AONB covers 66 square miles from the boundary of Exmoor National Park at Combe Martin to Marsland Mouth on the Cornish border; previously it has taken hours of research to plot the best walking routes and places to visit. The new website will undoubtedly help visitors discover local treasures they never knew existed.

Website users can plan their own trip, while accommodation providers and other tourism organisations can use the itinerary planner to create their own branded outings for visitors. There’s also a facility for local communities and visitors to add and share their comments of personal experiences at sites across the AONB.

To view the website visit www.explorethecoast.org, while further information about the North Devon Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty can be found on www.northdevon-aonb.org.uk, www.northdevoncoast.org.uk.

Photo credit – Neville Stanikk

The North Devon AONB is a stunning coastal area which is nationally protected for the beauty of its landscape. It is made up of several distinct landscapes, each with their own special habitats and geology with many of them receiving extra protection in their own right. The AONB contains many Sites of Special Scientific Interest including Braunton Burrows, which is the core of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve – http://www.northdevonbiosphere.org.uk.

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Specialist staff from the National Park Authority provided advice and assistance to the production team before and during the filming of War Horse, helping arrange filming permissions for the locations and providing Ranger assistance for access management. Historic buildings and archaeological advice was also provided by National Park staff during set construction. Steven Spielberg said of Dartmoor, ‘There’s no place like it in the world…..it’s pretty extraordinary country.’

If you want to be one of the first to experience the extraordinary War Horse landscape with a National Park Guide, there are two walks currently on offer.

On Saturday 21 January visit one of the main locations used on Dartmoor. Plenty to see and talk about on this walk as you take in the landscape which so inspired director Spielberg. As well as visiting Dartmoor locations used during the filming of War Horse, there is the chance to find out what life on Dartmoor would have been like during the First World War. This two and a half hour walk starts at 10.30 and visits the Gutter Tor area. Booking is essential: please telephone the High Moorland Visitor Centre on 01822 890414. The Centre is open Thursday – Sunday 10:30 – 15:30; call during these hours.

On Sunday 19 February there is another chance to visit this area on a three hour walk. The walk starts at 10.30 and booking is essential; telephone the High Moorland Visitor Centre on 01822 890414. The Centre is open Thursday – Sunday 10:30 – 15:30, please call during these hours. The distance covered is 3 miles (4.5 km).

On Saturday 17 March there is a special War Horse themed walk for children aged 5-12 years. This is a specially organised event for Ranger Ralph Club members only. Ranger Ralph meets on a regular basis and each activity is safely led by a Dartmoor National Park Ranger.  Children who wish to join this walk will need to be Club Members; membership is just £5 per child per year. The club runs up to twelve outdoor events per year; all free to attend once you are a member. Ranger Ralph’s War Horse walk starts at 2pm and lasts for 2hrs – visit some of the locations used during the filming of War Horse and reflect on life on Dartmoor during the First World War. Bookings for this walk are being taken from 24 February 2012. To find out more about joining visit the Ranger Ralph Club page of the National Park Authority’s web site.

If you prefer to venture out on your own the National Park Authority produces a number of publications which will help you enjoy this inspiring landscape. Visit the National Park Authority’s online shop for the best selling Walks Around leaflets for Haytor and Princetown – taking you right into War Horse country.

There is also a superb selection of cycling opportunities which enable you to enjoy some of the War Horse locations; leaflets and maps are available. If you need some advice on where to go and what to do to make the most of your War Horse visit to Dartmoor – the Information Centres are there to help. For updates on Dartmooor National Park Authority’s War Horse programme visit the National Park Authority’s web site www.dartmoor.gov.uk and go to the special War Horse page.

Useful links

www.dartmoor.co.uk – the official tourism organisation with information on activities and everything else you could imagine you might want to do and see on Dartmoor.

www.dartmoor.co.uk/what-to-do/dartmoor-walking – walking routes with downloadable OS maps.

www.dartmoor.co.uk/about-dartmoor/war-horse-competition – information on War Horse.

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