Safely enjoy the great outdoors no matter what local restrictions are in place!

Here in Scotland we are still restricted by the current tier system with the central belt largely in tier 3. With the nights drawing in and restrictions in place preventing entertainment venues from opening, we will be spending more time indoors. However, it’s important for our mental and physical health to get outside and experience the beauty of nature.

While undertaking social distancing, there are still some things you can do. Here are some suggestions:

Parks and playgrounds

Unlike the lockdown from March, children’s playgrounds are currently still open. Wrap up warm and take your little one’s for some fresh air and to enjoy playground equipment, just remember to take wipes and hand sanitiser when using public play items.

National Trust for Scotland

Take a look what’s currently open in your area – many places are back up and running with cafes still operating. Pre-booking may be required. Find out what’s open.

Local walking and cycling routes

You may have discovered some walking or cycling routes during the lockdown from March, but if not, there are sure to be plenty of country or city walks and routes you can enjoy and you can meet up with another household so you can socialise whilst exercising. Just make sure you wrap up warm!

Garden centres

These are still open and are a great way to get out and discover plants for the garden, bird or squirrel feeders to watch the wildlife and even pick up your Christmas decorations, lights and trees.

Enjoy your terrace, balcony or private/shared garden

Regardless of the weather you can still get out and enjoy your outside space. Depending on where you live, you can spot some beautiful birds at this time of year including Kestrels, Owls, Woodpeckers and more. You can enjoy your garden with your support bubble and household. You could even invest in an outdoor pizza oven, wind-proof gazebo, fairy lighting and patio heater to enable you to make the most of your outside space with friends from your support bubble or your family.

Feed the birds and squirrels

During the winter birds are in need of food – and a great way to enjoy your garden is to take care of the birds with a bird table, bird feeder, bird bath and even nesting materials. When the temperature drops to below freezing it’s important to keep a bird bath topped with fresh water so that they aren’t dehydrated. Also consider feeding squirrels at this time of year.

Bring the outside inside

Want to stay inside? How about bringing the outside in by celebrating nature’s chorus with birdsong. You can get some soundtracks of birds from the internet or even through Alexa or Google Play! Alternatively how about tuning into Autumnwatch or one of the many wildlife programmes available through streaming providers.

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