ONE HOUR OUTSIDE CHALLENGE NOVEMBER 2018 RECAP

Last day! The One Hour Outside Challenge for November is all but finished. How has it been for you? Dare I ask if you managed to spend at least one hour outside every single day this month? Was November your month of the outdoors? Did this challenge turn what could have been a dark and difficult month into one full of fresh air, clear heads and lots of energy. Wow, big ask!

One Hour Outside 6 November – Autumn Leaves

I can put my hand up and say I did indeed manage one hour outside every day in November (and I’m pretty certain I’ll get an hour outside today, too). But only just. It was a lot of effort – even more than in previous years. Some days this month were really hard. We had some terrible weather. I had some super long days at work. And at least two days that were mostly travelling. That meant that some of my “one hours” were split into 15 minute chunks here and there through the day. That’s just the way life goes, though.

One Hour Outside 7 November – Rainy Woodland

Thankfully I also had some days when I spent hours (and hours) outdoors. We had a week off work in the middle of the month during which I was indoors as little as possible, we spent a couple of days touring the Christmas markets around where we live, and I took the opportunity to walk to and from work number of times. These were my favourite days, by far.

One Hour Outside 12 November – London by Night

If you have been taking part in the One Hour Outside November Challenge, even if it’s just today, and didn’t already enter my competition to win a One Hour Outside tote bag, head here for the details – you have until tonight (Friday 30 November) to enter.

Staying cooped up inside all the time is so incredibly bad for us; it’s stuffy, it’s centrally heated, it’s tiring. There are so many reasons why we should be making an effort to spend as much time outdoors as possible – fresh air and natural light is good for our body, our mind, and possibly most importantly, our soul.

One Hour Outside 14 November – Cotswold Wildlife Park

We are very good at dismissing time outdoors because we’re busy, or it’s cold and wet, or it’s already getting dark. Finding time to get outside is so important, and I love that you thought this challenge was a good enough idea to join in.

One Hour Outside 25 November – Tewkesbury

And of course you already know that One Hour Outside isn’t just for November, it doesn’t finish when the month ends… make it your habit every day of the year. Please continue to use the #OneHourOutside hashtag on your favourite social media – I’ll be watching what you get up to in your little bit of time outside each day.

One Hour Outside 26 November – Pittville Park, Cheltenham

If you need some more motivation or ideas, make sure you’re keeping an eye on the Ordnance Survey GetOutside campaign. I am a proud Champion for the project, and have found a lot of great hints and tips and have met some hugely inspiring people through the scheme. Start here.