Spending time in the North East had got me thinking. It’s all very well us trying to encourage more and more people to embrace the great outdoors, but It’s also important that we hear the other side of the argument. What about the people who live and work in rural communities? What effect does tourism and the ‘right to roam’ have on them?
Some weeks ago I received an invitation from Richard Tarran, Outdoor Mountain Leader, an invitation to visit the community of Swaledale and Arkengarthdale, a two in one farming, deeply rural community only a hop, skip and jump away from Wensleydale.
And I’ll tell you something for nothing, wow did I have my work cut out for me! Richard had very kindly arranged several meetings and activities to coincide with my visit. I learnt of the hard work that goes into building a stone wall, the dangers of dogs off leads, enjoyed a pint in the company of two orphaned lambs in the pub, met some truly wonderful people and drank more tea in three days than I have in the last 5 years! It was magical…
But what was the purpose of my visit? Well to capture the other side of the coin! What more can be done to help reconnect people with the outdoors from their point of view – the people that share it!
Most of the people in the video below live and work in the dales and I was keen to discover what can we, the visitor, do to safeguard their relationship with the outdoors? What activities are there for us when we arrive? What are the benefits of living in a rural community?
Here were my findings. . .
I was also lucky enough to meet with the pupils of Arkengarthdale Church of England School and Reeth Community & Gunnerside Methodist Confederated Primary Schools. Here is a little video, sharing their point of view…..plus some top tips for tourists!
So tell us what’s so great about Swaledale and Arkengarthdale?
Mrs Linda Cook, headteacher at Reeth & Gunnerside was keen to share a secret with the campaign – ‘We have an empty classroom’ she beamed with pride . . . ‘.and we want to share it’.
What an incredible find as the Outdoor Nation Campaign draws to a close. A primary school in a deeply rural community that has a classroom and a huge outdoor adventure to share. Geocashing, river studies, countryside walks, wildlife spotting . . . the list of activates is endless.
If you know of an urban primary school that might be interested in swapping the city for the countryside for a while this video could be the answer you’re looking for.
For more information on the free classroom at Reeth Community & Gunnerside Methodist primary schools please email me at leni.hatcher@nationaltrust.org.uk
Thank you to the children and staff at Arkengarthdale Primary, Reeth Community Primary & Gunnerside Methodist Primary and to everyone who took part in the making of these video.
A special thank you to Richard Tarran, who inspired and arranged its content.
The visit had got me thinking, when I visit London, Manchester or any big city I have my tube map handy, I know exactly where I’m going and I arrive with a sense of purpose. I know the rules and I stick to them. And the same should apply for the countryside and the great outdoors.
To make the most of your time in the outdoors plan ahead, visit the visitor centres, talk to the locals because I can tell you, they are certainly worth it.
