With a generation of children and adults being distracted with technology, work and school commitments, resources and time pressures, traditional outdoor activities have been left out in the cold.
New research conducted by Visit North Norfolk reveals how adults including parents and children are not participating as much in the simple, cost-effective outdoor pleasures of our fair isle. The survey revealed that 64% of adults said they have never moored a boat, 42% have never flown a kite, over half have never gone crabbing (51%) and 48% have never navigated using a compass.
From the unspoilt and empty beaches of Holkham and Brancaster (favoured by everyone from kite-boarders to film makers), to the family friendly sands of Hunstanton, Sheringham, Cromer and Mundesley, the North Norfolk Coast is truly remarkable. From the unspoilt and empty beaches of Holkham and Brancaster (favoured by everyone from kite-boarders to film makers), to the family friendly sands of Hunstanton, Sheringham, Cromer and Mundesley, the North Norfolk Coast is truly remarkable. The research also highlights how particular traditional outdoor activities aren't being passed down through the generations. By not passing on traditional skills through participation of certain activities, we are in danger of overlooking and forgetting about some of our country's greatest pastimes. Of the activities UK parents would most like their children to experience in particular, the top three were horse riding, pitching a tent and flying a kite.
More so, when asking adults what they remembered being taught when they were children, only around a quarter were shown how to beachcomb, less than one in five were taught how to climb a tree, less than half (46%) were shown how to skim a pebble, 14% remembered navigating a compass and less than one in five had been taught how to cloud spot and name different types of clouds.
So why are we not going out and enjoying the great pleasures of living in the UK? Nearly one in five UK parents stated that money is the main obstacle for doing outdoor activities, with the same amount stating it's due to the lack of equipment available. Other reasons cited by parents are that they have no understanding of the activity or have not done it themselves, so would not know how to teach a child, and that they don't know where to take their children to do such outdoor activities.
The campaign 'Nip to North Norfolk' has been set up to encourage adults, parents and children to rediscover the outdoors by partaking in different activities that have been overlooked. And where else better to enjoy the outdoors, than the beautiful north Norfolk coast and countryside. From the unspoilt and empty beaches of Holkham and Brancaster (favoured by everyone from kite-boarders to film makers), to the family friendly sands of Hunstanton, Sheringham, Cromer and Mundesley, the North Norfolk Coast is truly remarkable. From the unspoilt and empty beaches of Holkham and Brancaster (favoured by everyone from kite-boarders to film makers), to the family friendly sands of Hunstanton, Sheringham, Cromer and Mundesley, the North Norfolk Coast is truly remarkable.
Visit North Norfolk has produced a selection of different 'how to' videos and guides, educating adults, families and children on how to do a variety of different fun-filled outdoor activities. The one-off videos include how to build a sandcastle, how to moor a boat, how to use a compass, how to spot clouds, how to catch a crab and how to beachcomb.
To view these videos, and more for information on the Nip to North Norfolk campaign, please visit http://www.visitnorthnorfolk.com/get-inspired/nip-to-north-norfolk
