Outdoors is for everyone

14/02/2026

Working on safety

We love bushcraft, we love a bit of open fire cooking, we love our camp stoves.

I've been thinking how best to help convey some of the safety elements without overwhelming or terrifying anyone learning disabled. So:

I'm choosing my time and place - no other distractions.
I'm using real examples where possible.
I'm breaking things down into small steps.
I'm involving the learner.
I'm backing up with symbols/pictures.

We felt the heat from the stove.
We saw smoke was coming off the logs.
We talked about things you couldn't see coming off the logs.
We looked at the Carbon monoxide alarm (on the mantlepiece!)
We tested it and practised what we'd do if it went off.
We chatted about other things that produce Carbon monoxide.

Later on we talked again about the key thing of what to do if the alarm went off. All done in a relaxed way with no drama.

We're not planning on any unsupervised stove use or bushcraft but everyone deserves to understand basic safety precautions and, of course, learning disabled people have a wide range of ways they need support to learn. This is our way.

With thanks to for involving us in their Carbon monoxide awareness project.



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11/02/2026

Always useful to read - there are so many different types of trike

Cycling looks different for everyone and that’s exactly the point.

Our guide to trikes explores how three wheels can open up cycling for disabled riders, offering stability, comfort and confidence where two wheels might not work.

From upright and recumbent trikes to e-assist options, we look at who trikes can work for, what to consider when choosing one, and where you can try before you buy.

Because cycling should be for every body.

🔗 Read our guide at cyclinguk.org/trikes-guide

10/02/2026

7 years ago. Lingmoor Fell, above Langdale. A really supportive group of friends suggested I brought Pip along on their birthday walk.

Pip had only recently started to be able to walk downhill - a combined result of confidence and core strength gained from indoor climbing walls and a greater understanding of how difficult depth perception can be for her.

The physios were saying a stick was a bad idea, she'd trip over it, the visual impairment advisor was saying a stick was a good idea. Pip tried both. I had my worries about 'What if...' scenarios. I felt very conflicted about the whole thing. The good weather forecast and support of friends who'd just clocked up their last Munro did wonders for our confidence.

After birthday cake on the summit, we set off down the way we'd come up whilst others continued on. It was good to know the terrain and have a really slow pace with many, many stops to admire the view. Pip felt her way down, using me to steady herself, never holding on to me as such. A stick probably would have been too much at that stage.

Our succesful outdoor journey is built on so many factors coming together. Its a complex business when you throw disability into the mix. For too many people those factors never get to align. That walk changed Pip's life.

30/01/2026

So, you've grown up surrounded by this beautiful landscape.

When you lived with your parents you loved to be out on 'a big walk'. Now you are in supported living, how did you keep that opportunity going? For many, regular access to the outdoors stops there. If you have a learning/intellectual disability the odds are stacked against you being able to continue with hiking, climbing or watersports except as a very, very rare treat.

I couldn't bear the idea of my daughters losing access to opportunities they love, so I decided to do something about it. If you are new to hopefully that explains what we are about:

Raising awareness that having a learning disability shouldn't stop you taking part in outdoor adventure.

Showcasing opportunities and examples of what might be possible with the right support.

Increasing understanding of the barriers that are faced, by the person themselves, their helpers and families.

Photocredit: the wonderful JennyB. Pip somewhere in the Lakes!

Please give us a share.

29/01/2026

You don't set out on an adventure because its easy - the skill is setting the challenge level just right - and you'll never fully know that until you try.

Apparently it was steep and cold and windy but also AMAZING. (Pip). As often is the way, Alix surprised everyone.

I love that the wonderful Fairoak housing association encourage their tenants to get out in the beautiful landscapes near their homes.

27/01/2026

People needing a support worker to come away with them find it very hard to go on trips. The cost is usually doubled due to having an extra person. If you are going to a specialist outdoor centre they are already expensive (although they make a valiant attempt to get funding to help.)

It is the logistics that are often the final straw. I calculate I have made 16 phone calls and written 12 emails to get my daughters sorted for a fairly local 2 night trip - and we have had to step in to do the nights - shift based support just becomes unworkable with over an hour travel each way. Then there will be the final calls making sure everybody knows everything.

The easy solution - don't go - is there at the back of my mind. I don't know what the answer is. We have come a long way with supported living but creating a full life requires a lot of coordination.

It is one huge barrier to enjoying the outdoors beyond very, very local destinations.

25/01/2026

Its knowing the trike fits over the bridge before we set off!

19/01/2026

Our top tips for a walk....

Luckily Pip loves walking for its own sake but here are a few simple ways we sometimes add 'extra' to a walk:

*Have a visible goal (luckily a great big castle was available on this one 😀). This really helps if you struggle to understand distance and time.

*If the weather is rubbish, talk about it positively- how good our coats are at keeping us warm, what we might bring that'd be even better, how different it feels in the shelter of a wall.

Bad weather can also make things more atmospheric- misty castles are spooky, crashing waves vs a still sea.

*If there isn't a café bring your own and make choosing where you are going to have the brew part of the experience.

*Wonder about stuff: other walkers, wildlife, history, the future. Why the castle hasn't fallen down! Like car journeys, there's something much easier about chatting whilst being side by side.

*Take loads of photos. As someone from the 'roll of film' era I have never got over the luxury of being able to snap away on a phone. We had a play at using the timer, balancing the phone on the castle wall and running into the shot.

We could have had a miserable walk - but this one was just splendid.

17/01/2026

11/01/2026

Night hike.

Same walk we've been doing for many years but totally different.

I'm glad it was a walk I knew really well, and we didnt go far. You've got to start somewhere.

Inspired by pictures online about .

07/01/2026

Bushcraft mini-disaster!

So much time is spent teaching learning disabled people the 'right way' to do things - taking it slowly and breaking things down into little steps etc. While this has its place, sometimes the mini-disasters are much more memorable.

I don't think any of us will forget these potatoes- they created a lot of laughter and discussion - far more than if it had all gone to plan. There was still a teaspoon- full of edible potato in their middles.

I hate wasting food but they paid for themselves in being a learning experience and mistakes are part of life.

02/01/2026

When to dare......

It's one thing to push yourself to do a bigger walk than you usually do, but what about someone else who might not understand the issues?

It's a difficult one. None of us know how much we can do until we try and we can't predict everything that may happen.

We had 2 good walkers who would need a little guidance and 4 other adults. Then there was Alix (in the black coat), who has a lot more physical challenges. There was an escape route down a road about a third of the way round and the last kilometre could also be done on the road. There rest was muddy grassland and rocky paths.

We went for it - she was amazing. Yes, plenty of help was given, 2 and even 3 to 1 at times to steady her on uneven limestone craggy bits but she did every step with enthusiasm.

Having complex and sometimes poorly understood diagnoses puts us off letting people have a go at things and this can lead to a downward spiral and lack of inclusion in activities. This has certainly happened to the other 2 as well - they all did the whole circuit with gusto.

With thought, planning and support we ended up with 3 super-proud walkers and a whole new view of what Alix enjoys.