HEADS UP

We round up your need-to-know info this spring

WHAT’S ON Springtime senses

Three outdoorsy events for your diary

Peak District Day Trip from Liverpool

The group takes you on a short climb to the top of Mam Tor and a visit to the village of Castleton. There’s also the opportunity to visit Peveril Castle, local caves, Winnats Pass limestone gorge and the Cave Dale valley.

WHEN: 11 March 2023

WHERE: Starts from Costa Coffee, 44 Lord St, Liverpool L2 1TD

PRICE: £45

BOOK HERE: bit.ly/peaksdaytrip

Access to the Countryside for All Networking Conference

A two-day event for people who want to access the outdoors, either as part of an informal group or as a company, such as a registered charity. The event lets you connect with resources, information, networks, and opportunities to help you form a community. You can also volunteer with them.

WHEN: 22-23 March 2023

WHERE: Youth Hostels Association Okehampton, Klondyke Road, Okehampton, Devon EX20 1EW

PRICE: Free

BOOK HERE: bit.ly/accessthedales

Graham Harvey, Jake Fiennes and Sarah Langford: Saving the British Countryside and Our Health

Journalist Graham Harvey, conservationist Jake Fiennes, and farmer turned author Sarah Langford discuss their recent books on farming, the challenges facing its communities and reconnecting with land and nature.

WHEN: 25 March 2023

WHERE: Oxford Martin School: Lecture Theatre, Oxford OX1 3BD

PRICE: Individual ticket price: £7.00 - £12.50; Group ticket price: £12.50

Five words for your

Our fix of all things earthy

1. Sight

British legend David Attenborough voices the three-episode series Life in Colour, which provides a wholesome and fascinating watch. The 2021 documentary, available to watch on Netflix, focuses on how animals use colour throughout their lives in a variety of beautiful and mysterious ways.

2. Sound

Guests on The Adventure Podcast are outdoors experts among the likes of landscape photographer Colin Prior and mountaineer Ella Wright. Host Matt Pycroft chats to professionals on all sorts of outdoor pursuits. The Adventure Podcast is streaming on all major platforms.

3. Taste

Nettles have a light and fresh flavour, and can be added to a variety of meals this season. Best picked in spring when tender, they can be found in most gardens, hedgerows, woodlands and other habitats - just don’t forget your gloves. Once washed and boiled, they can be added to anything from soup to pastries.

4. Smell

The White Company’s Spring Collection is a great scent to invest in. A curation of an earthy candle, diffuser and fragrance oil, the fresh floral scent has notes of honeysuckle, rose and cut grass. The candle and fragrance oil each retail for £10 on their website, while the diffuser is £30.

5. Touch

If you’re planning an uphill hike or a camping expedition this season, a sunscreen always comes in handy. Former beauty and health director of Marie Claire, Jennifer G. Sullivan, recommends applying sunscreen even on cloudy days to prevent burning. Enter Eucerin sun protection range, which offers multiple options for different skin types, all at under £20.

Breaking the language barrier

You never know when you will need to ask for assistance in another language, so it’s always handy to pick up some extra lingo. This issue looks at how to ask for help in British Sign Language, or BSL. Pictured right is the universal sign for help.

Overlanding: travelling a long distance across land.

Example: “We overlanded all the way across the Brecon Beacons.”

Vernal: relating to or happening in spring.

Example: “This cherry tree is in its vernal bloom.”

Bikepacking: a multi-day tour by bike, completed with the rider carrying their equipment on their bike.

Example: “I’m planning my first bikepacking trip for the summer.”

Coasteering: the activity of exploring a rocky coastline by jumping, climbing or swimming.

Example: “I had such a fun time going coasteering in Newquay.”

Nemophilist: a person who is fond of forests or forest scenery.

Example: “I have become a nemophilist since going to Sherwood Forest every weekend.”

We recreate Princess Diana’s and Frank Ocean’s iconic outdoor looks in a vintage store

Words by: Ben Jones and Grace Nicholls