To mark 30 years fuelling adventures in the great outdoors Tracker have teamed up with athlete James Cracknell and the Woodland Trust to get you off the beaten track and out in the woods.
British woodland is the perfect place to rack up your walking miles, but it’s also wonderful for exploring, and is full of secrets and curiosities. Watch out for Ash trees, once used to make iconic Mosquito planes in World War 2. Collect bendy willow sprigs to make your own bows and arrows. If you’re walking in spring, look out for bluebells (a sign that woodland is over 400 years old) and pick wild garlic and make tasty soup.
Athlete and adventurer James Cracknell agrees: ‘To me, there’s no better feeling than exploring the great outdoors – and walking is the best way of doing this. Together with TRACKER® and the Woodland Trust, I want to get the nation off the beaten track and embarking on their own adventures up and down the country’.
“There is so much to see and do during a simple walk in the woods. Here are a few things to inspire you:
Become a tree tracker:
Britain’s woodlands are full of trees, each with their own unique features. Our native trees arrived and grew here naturally after the last Ice Age but common non-native tree species have since been introduced and can be found in parks, along streets, gardens and in areas across the British landscape. See how many different types of trees you can spot using this handy guide from The Woodland Trust.
Track animal footprints:
There are so many great animals that live in woodlands across the UK – they leave very different footprints, depending on the size of their feet. Look out for paw prints and claw marks left by mammals, delicate tracks left by tiny birds and hoof prints made by deer or horses. If you find some tracks, why not follow them and see where they lead you!
3D Art:
Create 3D art using twigs found on the ground. Try building a twig tower – simply stack your twigs on top of each other and see what sculptures you can make.
Obstacle Course:
The open space in woodlands make them the perfect place to create your own obstacle course. Try crawling a series of hurdles for you to jump over or crawl under by balancing a thin stick between two logs.”
Sign up to pledge to walk, and download the rest of James’ great tips for walking outdoors.
This post is in collaboration with Tracker and Mars #SPON.
