Get Acive in Cumbria's Woodlands!
THE season of diets, detox’s and resolutions is upon us. But there’s no need to pay for expensive gym memberships to shed those mince pie-induced extra pounds.
Instead you can turn over a new leaf in 2008 and opt for a woodland workout that’s both free and green.
Forests are increasingly being seen as an alternative venue for people to exercise both their bodies and their minds.
Cumbria boasts some of the finest woodland in the country, offering miles of walking trails, cycle paths and horse riding routes.
The Forestry Commission’s Penny Oliver says: “The health benefits of working out in the woods are twofold. You not only sharpen up your body but it’s also been proven to promote mental wellbeing too. There’s nothing more uplifting than working out in this glorious landscape.”
There are two big forest parks in the county – at Whinlatter near Keswick and Grizedale near Hawkshead. But there are also many other areas of woodland where you can get out for some exercise and fresh air.
A walk in the woods comes with the added benefit of catching some amazing sights along the way. At WhinlatterForest there’s always the chance a red squirrel might cross your path and from April to August you can see the famous Lake District ospreys. On a number of the routes through Grizedale you can also spot some of the forest’s sculptures.
The East Cumbria Countryside Project has produced an excellent free booklet about walking in woodlands in the north and east of the county. Woodland Welcome includes 52 woods – one for every week of the year.
Produced with the support of the Forestry Commission, the booklet will help you to discover a wide range of walks that are suitable for families and disabled people as well as some more demanding routes that are not for the faint-hearted! Copies can be obtained from East Cumbria Countryside Project by phoning 01228 561601, emailing eccp@carlisle.gov.uk or visiting the website at www.eccp.org.uk.
For the more adventurous and those who want a more strenuous challenge, there are miles of forest roads at Whinlatter that are great for mountain biking. An exciting new 19-kilometre Altura Mountain Bike Trail is due to open in the summer. The 16-kilometre North Face Mountain Bike Trail in GrizedaleForest has already proved to be a big hit since it opened in 2006.
You can also indulge your Tarzan fantasies at Go Ape! in Grizedale by swinging through the treetops on an aerial assault course. It’s amazing fun and leaves you with a great sense of achievement. Go Ape! reopens on the 10th of February and a new Go Ape! will be opening at Whinlatter in the summer.
As part of its Active Woods campaign to encourage more people to make the most of the health-giving properties of the woodlands, the Forestry Commission runs a programme of events including guided walks and fun days.
It’s always worth checking out the Forestry Commission’s website to see what’s coming up. Highlights in 2008 include nature walks, Easter egg hunts and forest fun days. For more information, go to www.forestry.gov.uk.