A little outdoors inspiration

The lovely Elizabeth Grant rounds up some fun and easy ways to get outdoors this summer.

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Set up your own festival

It may sound a bit crazy, but if you can get permission from a landowner out in the countryside you can have a great outdoor party by hiring some PA equipment, setting up some decks and bringing your own food and drinks. Every year, myself and a few friends head out into the peak district to do just that and, once we’ve sorted out the equipment and hired a van it doesn’t usually cost that much to arrange between all of us!

Mountain biking: more fun than it sounds!

I had no idea just how much fun mountain biking could be until I tried it properly for the first time this year on a short trip to Snowdonia National Park in North Wales. Looking for something to do out there that didn’t involve drinking or eating wasn’t as much of a challenge as we thought, and paying a visit to Beddgelert Bikes turned out to be the surprise hit of the weekend. Whether you want to cruise the trails or hit the mountains hard it’s a great laugh no matter what the weather is doing – and it’s pretty darned cheap too.

A taste of Native America in the Lake District


If you aren’t one for camping out then the idea of staying in a Native American tipi probably won’t appeal at first. But not only is this affordable UK holiday break set in the wonderful location of Lake Windermere, it also offers some surprisingly luxurious options to enjoy nearby. The tipis themselves can be rented with a comfy futon-style bed and they are designed to be way more cosy than a normal canvas tent. With the many local pubs, you’ll never be far from a warm hearth and a hearty meal, and why would you pass up the opportunity to get up early and watch the sun rise over the great lake?

There are plenty of UK break options out there that don’t need to cost the earth, though these three should offer something a little more interesting for those of us with a penchant for the Great British countryside.

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