Tag: outdoor

Get set to blossom in National Garden Month

By on 13th April 2018in In & Around

Now’s the time to get back into your garden – and not just because the warmth and brightness of spring are here. This month is National Garden Month, giving you another excuse to start sorting out your foliage or even get some new plants. However, sprucing up a garden isn’t just about making it look pretty; by taking up gardening, you can also grow your own food and even improve your health and lifestyle.

What is National Garden Month, anyway?

If you’ve never previously heard of National Garden Month, it’s probably because it’s largely an American thing. The United States’ National Garden Bureau and 23 cosponsoring national horticultural organisations were instrumental in legislating what was initially National Garden Week. On 18th April 1986, the Proclamation was signed by the then-President, Ronald Reagan, leading to the first celebration of National Garden Week from 12th to 18th April 1987.

However, in the early 21st century, the celebration was extended to cover the whole of April – on the initiative of the National Gardening Association. The first National Garden Month was in 2003; however, despite its American origins, it’s clear to see that there are plenty of green-fingered types on this side of the Atlantic who would love to join in with the fun.

If gardening can work for these stars…

Gardeners and researchers can vouch for many benefits of nurturing plants. Those benefits include improving attitudes to health and nutrition, fostering community spirit, and even helping children to excel at school. However, if you doubt the merits even now, consider the stories of people who have decided to basically make gardening their life.

Those people include the ‘80s pop star Kim Wilde. In 2015, she recalled that, despite having clocked up platinum records and toured Europe with Michael Jackson, she was “always plagued with anxiety and it badly affected my mental health.” However, Kim, who won a gold medal for a Chelsea Flower Show garden in 2005, enthused that gardening “has been great therapy for me and can help people get back on top of things when it feels like life is veering out of control.”

Meanwhile, the former Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin is now an urban gardener who grows fruit and vegetables in her California garden. She has cited gardening channels and YouTube as resources that have inspired her own gardening adventures – but you shouldn’t consider only those if you want to start gardening for the first time.

Some quick tips for gardening success

During a 2014 interview, Wilde recommended that beginner gardeners “start small” – even if they just “sow a seed” in “a little pot”. Not too little, though; otherwise, as Coughlin warns, the pot could prevent roots significantly growing and also can’t contain a lot of water, resulting in stunted plants.

Meanwhile, for tasks as routine as cutting grass and trimming hedges or as large-scale as entire garden makeovers, there are plenty of specialists in the North East who can help you to create a garden that will leave a big impression on visitors.

On your bike! Enjoy the local area on two wheels

By on 10th April 2018in Lifestyle, Places To Go
Cycling-mountain-biking-spotlight-1

We certainly live in a stunning part of the country; County Durham has no shortage of rural beauty and awesome architecture, and that’s before we even stop to consider that the area is sandwiched between Tyneside and Yorkshire, which have plenty of great attractions of their own.

However, what you might not have so readily realised is that getting around such places can be much more hassle-free on a bike. Here are some especially good reasons to take up cycling…

It’s a route! Where you can cycle in County Durham

Key to the appeal of cycling in County Durham is the wide choice of routes that you can take while on your bike. Although we don’t have the space to list them all here, we would eagerly single out the 100-mile Teesdale Way – along the River Tees from source to sea – and Link up the Loops, a largely off-road route running for 25 miles between Consett and Chester-le-Street.

If you fancy cycling beyond our county’s borders, we also recommend the C2C Cycle Route, so-called as it can take you from “sea to sea” – from Whitehaven or Workington on the Cumbrian coast, right through to Sunderland on the eastern coast. This is one of the UK’s most popular cycle routes.

Smash fit: get into better shape by cycling

You can also squeeze cycling into more routine aspects of your life, like getting to and from work – and to say that it can make you fitter would be putting it mildly.

In the United States, the National Forum for Coronary Heart Disease Foundation says that cycling regularly can give you the fitness level of a person a decade younger.

Don’t skip a proper equip: useful items for cycling

Obviously, before you can start cycling, you will need a bike. Any good working one will suffice for short journeys; however, if you want to use an old or second-hand bike, consider getting it serviced for roadworthiness first. You will also need a helmet for your own safety.

You could also invest in some good padded shorts to prevent an aching backside, while you can protect your eyes from bugs and stones if you wear sports glasses while riding.

Gym, be the best: if you can’t cycle outdoors

There might be occasions when you don’t want to cycle outdoors; for example, because the weather looks too brutal. However, gym classes of various forms can benefit cyclists.

Those forms include spinning, where you would cycle on fixed gear bikes. You also shouldn’t rule out traditional boxing exercises; they can exercise the upper body that can be neglected during cycling.

York in the road: eagerly anticipating the Tour de Yorkshire

Do you love watching others cycling? This year’s Tour de Yorkshire runs from Thursday 3rd May until Sunday 6th May. While this cycling race competition only started in 2015, last year’s event drew an estimated 9.7 million broadcast viewers, while more than 2 million spectators lined the route. Leeds, Scarborough, Doncaster and Barnsley are among the places the cyclists will visit this year.

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