If you love the outdoors, it is easy to become a little bit obsessed with checking the weather forecast.
You spend your time poring over BBC weather or the Mountain Weather Information Service, either getting excited about the prospect of a sunny weekend to come or optimistically wishing that a bad forecast will improve at the last minute.
This week my excitement has grown steadily as the weather forecast has improved day by day for this particular weekend, promising high temperatures, light winds and blue skies – perfect weather for getting out into the hills.
Last time I spoke about Mental Health Awareness Week, which comes to an end today, and the importance of sharing our troubles and listening to each other.
However, another part of Mental Health Awareness Week this year is the 80 Miles in May Challenge, which sets people the task of walking or running the distance throughout the month. This taps into another theme which is obviously very close to my heart; namely looking after your mental wellbeing through regular exercise and a good diet.
For me, a good walk and good food go very much hand-in-hand. But if you’ve never done it before, a nice warm weekend like this is the perfect time to take your first foray into the world of outdoor cooking – an activity which is definitely good for the soul!
If you are keen to try your hand at preparing a meal in the great outdoors, then it requires a little bit of planning. Ask yourself where you want to go and what you want to eat?
Obviously, if you’re relatively new to the hills then it’s probably a good idea to start low and easy. There are plenty of smaller fells in the Lakes with great views, as well as lots of spots you can enjoy in the valleys. If it’s your first time cooking outside, starting easy will also make the whole operation a bit simpler, as well as saving you going on a route march festooned with too many flasks, stoves and pans.
Secondly, think about cooking something straightforward. It’s really important that if you’re cooking outdoors (or anywhere!) that you actually enjoy what you eat, so don’t over-complicate things.
Choose a dish you’re familiar with and do the more complex prep at home before you leave. There are lots of great food flasks which you can buy these days to keep things warm while you walk to your final spot to eat. Maybe in the future things can get a bit more involved, but to start with just concentrate on combining a few different ingredients to make something hearty and tasty.
Most importantly, make sure you leave no trace of your cooking when you’re finished. A small gas stove should always be used instead of a barbecue and try to minimise any plastic packaging for ingredients. If you don’t take packaging out into the hills in the first place then there’s less chance of dropping it to create litter.
Finally, make sure you take time to enjoy the experience. We all seem to lead such busy and hectic lives these days, that it’s not always easy to slow down and really take in our surroundings. A good meal with a great view in a beautiful landscape can really help us do this and there is nothing better than spending a few moments looking at the sunset and listening to the silence
