PexelsFor me, the great outdoors is the benchmark into adulthood.
If you don’t know what I mean, let me explain. As a kid, I’d be sitting in the backseat of the car and my mum and/or dad would point outside and go: ‘Look at that view, isn’t it amazing!’
Then I would promptly look at my sister and shrug, before laughing and calling them old.
That’s just the type of thing children do though, as shown in this video:
Whereas now, in my twenties, I find myself staring at those same views and appreciating them for what they are.
But now it has emerged that one in 10 Brits never explore the great outdoors.
New research revealed that most Britons spend the equivalent of less than one week a month exploring the outdoors, with more than one in 10 saying they never get out.
And one in five claim they only manage one or two outings.
PexelsSo why is this?
Unpredictable British weather was cited as one of the main reasons for not visiting the countryside more often.
Now, that’s completely understandable in some respects when more often than not, it seems to be raining. And who wants to be caught in torrential downpour in the middle of nowhere!
Or maybe not… check this out:
But on the other hand, if you gear up with your brollies and waterproofs then I suppose it’s all part of the fun.
Travel distance and a fear of wild animals were also top of the list of reasons against exploring the great outdoors.
Also ranking highly was the ‘busy’ factor – with one in seven Brits saying they simply don’t have time to get out.
PexelsNick Giles of Ordnance Survey Leisure, which commissioned the research ahead of the first National Get Outside Day (September 30), said:
Outdoor activity helps us all to live longer, stay younger and enjoy life more.
National Get Outside Day is a great way to raise the profile of physical activity in the outdoors and the role it plays in tackling inactivity across the nation.
By helping more people to get outside on Sunday 30th, it could be just the catalyst that’s needed to rekindle the nation’s love of the outdoors.
Ordnance SurveyWorryingly though, more than one in five say they would rather sit inside, with the majority of Brits preferring to host family and friends at home or catch up on TV shows rather than taking a walk or going out cycling.
And there’s a concerning reason why.
Almost 30 per cent of Brits say they struggle to be without the internet or phone signal for more than an hour, emphasising just how much our generation relies on technology.
PexelsSo in summary, we end up staying at home because we’re scared of getting wet, we’re scared of wild animals, we’re scared of getting lost and we’re scared of not having wifi.
What happened to living in the moment?
And for those of us who do visit the countryside, most people journey just two to three hours away from home, with almost one in 10 saying they don’t go further than an hour away.
PexelsTV personality Ben Fogle is also promoting National Get Outside Day, and is encouraging Brits to explore the countryside.
He said:
We want to get everyone moving and people should spend more time outside.
You’ll feel better for it.
When I’m outside I smile more, and it’s the one place that’s repeatedly proven to be good for both body and mind.
If you want to help reach the goal of getting 1 million people active outdoors, simply join in with a national or regional event near you or create your own adventure outside with family and friends!
Visit the OS website – os.uk/getoutside
If you have a story you want to tell, send it to [email protected]
A Broadcast Journalism Masters graduate who went on to achieve an NCTJ level 3 Diploma in Journalism, Lucy has done stints at ITV, BBC Inside Out and Key 103. While working as a journalist for UNILAD, Lucy has reported on breaking news stories while also writing features about mental health, cervical screening awareness, and Little Mix (who she is unapologetically obsessed with).