We are excited to tell you more about the Active in Nature launch in January!
The RSPB is encouraging people to swap the sofa for the great outdoors this January as part of a new partnership with Sport England. The joint venture offers the chance for people to beat the festive blues by running, canoeing, climbing and cycling with wildlife on two RSPB nature reserves. The two-year project, which is aimed at getting people out and active in nature, will see RSPB Strumpshaw Fen in Norfolk and RSPB Rainham Marshes in Essex equipped with bikes, canoes, running routes and a bouldering course to help visitors experience wildlife from a different perspective.
Rainham by Tony O'Brien
Sport England is focused on helping people and communities across the country create a sporting habit for life. They will invest over £1 billion of National Lottery and Exchequer funding between 2012 and 2017 in organisations and projects that will help more people have a sporting habit for life and create more opportunities for people to get active.
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Kick start your New Year and get active at Rainham Marshes!
We want people to get outdoors and enjoy being outside - and if you love being outdoors then you want to help protect it.
We will be hiring out bicycles so you can explore the perimeter of the reserve (the River wall path that we currently allow bicycles on) and explore the surrounding area, taking in views of the river Thames and down to London from the river wall. Rainham is ideally positioned for a cycle adventure, with easy access to Sustrans route 13 and further afield, exploring Beam Valley and The Gaynes Parkway.
There will be guided cycle rides so you can discover the marshes, see some stunning views and wildlife!
If you would like to learn some basic bike maintenance skills (like puncture repairs, removing wheels, cleaning and tuning gears) you can come along to our bike maintenance workshops, or leave them with our own Dr Bike who will check your bike and make any simple adjustments needed.
Ben Hall (rspb-images.com)
Join running sessions - if you want to start or have been running for a while there's sessions for you!
Fancy going for your weekly run in a nature-rich environment? The Rainham Harriers running club offers just this experience - an opportunity to get active outdoors and improve your fitness, whilst benefiting from the enjoyment of bird song in a wildlife-abundant landscape. Distances range from 5km up to 12km depending on demand.
Feeling adventurous? Come and explore our nature inspired climbing activities within the reserve.
Try slacklining to test your balance, and later in the month we will have climbing boulders to test out your strength on the variety of ascents and descents to the reserves soothing soundtrack of birds and other wildlife. Challenge yourself by seeing how high you can get and have a go at some of the games and activities on offer.Boulder grades range from beginner to more advanced (V0 – V5) to challenge and develop climbing skills.
Eleanor Bentall (rspb-images.com)
Try nature orienteering - can you navigate your way around the reserve with a map and compass between the various clues to unlock the mystery posed by our trail master!
For more about the Active in Nature project go to: www.rspb.org.uk/activeinnature
Through out January we will have a whole range of taster sessions to get you active outdoors! Try running, orienteering, bike rides (including bike hire), slacklining, yoga, massage bouldering and more!
#activeinnature
For more detail go to the RSPB Rainham Marshes events page