Fun Things to Do Outside From Your Holiday Home

It’s lovely to get outdoors in the sunshine and fresh air, and it’s good for you too. If you have a Willerby holiday home or lodge then you’ve got the perfect base for some outdoor activities. But it can be tricky to think of new things to try, and it can be easy to get disheartened on days the weather’s not so great.

So, we’ve put together a list of fun holiday activities you could try to get you out in the fresh air - and some tips on how you can still enjoy them even if the weather is being typically British.

We’ve split them into sections too, so you can easily find something that suits you.

If you fancy trying your hand at golf or fishing don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten about them. We just haven’t covered those here, because they’ve already got their own articles on our blog.

So, here are some summer activities to try.

Fun things to do outdoors with friends

There’s no reason you couldn’t try these outdoor adventures alone - but we reckon you’ll have more fun doing them with friends. There’s something wonderful about being in the fresh air  with your best mates. There’s no sugar-coating it though - these outdoor activities are far from weatherproof. If you’re out up a mountain or deep in the woods, the weather can change quickly, and you need to be prepared

And you know what they say. There’s no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing. So, invest in some decent kit. There’s no need to spend a fortune - there are always bargains to be had on last season’s kit and less popular brands - but it can make the difference between enjoying the adventure of a wet and wild walk, and being put off ever doing it again.

Cycling

Remember when you were a kid and you used to just get on your bike with your mates and see where you ended up? Wouldn’t you love to recapture that feeling of freedom? The great news is that you can - riding a bike is just as much fun as when you were little. Cycling is one of our favourite summer activities for adults, and it can be great fun in the winter too.

Riding a bike is a wonderful way to explore your surroundings. You’ll cover ground quicker than you can walk, and you’ll see so much more than you would cooped up in a car. If you’re lucky enough to live near a National Cycle Network (NCN) route then you’ll have miles of quiet roads and gentle trails to explore from your doorstep. Even if you don’t, chances are there’s an old railway, canal towpath or some woodland tracks you can get started on.

If you just want to have a gentle explore, a hybrid bike is probably perfect for you. Road bikes are for covering ground as quickly as possible on the road but they’re not usually terribly comfortable, and mountain bikes are great for exploring the hills - but they’re overkill for gentler tracks. And if you want to extend your range and speed even more, you could check out an eBike.

We’d always recommend wearing a helmet when you’re out on your bike, and it’s worth having a decent waterproof jacket in case the weather turns. You might want a backpack to pop your picnic in, or you could invest in some panniers or a basket to take the weight off your back.

If you get into the hobby it might be worth investing in some outdoor storage for your caravan so your bike’s not left out in the rain all the time. Or, if you’re lucky, your holiday park might even have secure bike storage. 

Hiking

The lovely thing about hiking is that you don’t need any special equipment to get started - just some sturdy shoes. You can just step out of your caravan and see where your feet take you. And there’s something really satisfying about covering ground on foot. You’ll get a feel for what’s around you, and get to enjoy the smells and sounds of the countryside. Plus, you can always plan your route with a pub stop in the middle. And maybe another at the end.

Like with all outdoor activities, if you want to get more serious about hiking you can. Good quality boots are great if you plan on walking further, on more challenging terrain or in muddy weather. A good set of waterproofs means you can enjoy a hike in the rain without getting soaked, and if you enjoy planning then you can start building your collection of maps and guidebooks.

If there are some near you, you could get started with some guided walks. These are usually led by volunteers and are free or very cheap. They’re a great way to start learning your way around an area, and maybe meet some new people too. Or, you could join a local rambling group. They’ll have organised walks most weekends, all you need to do is turn up and enjoy. 

Geocaching

If you feel like you’ve explored the area around your holiday park - or you just fancy adding a little extra challenge to your outdoor recreation - then you could have a go at geocaching.

So what’s geocaching? Well, you install an app on your phone, then use the geolocation services to navigate to a specific place, where someone has hidden a geocaching container. You then use the clues on the app to find the container, open it up… Then put it back for someone else to find. Depending on the specific cache you might be able to take something out (but you must leave something in exchange) or just add a note if you’re remembered to take a pen.

There are thousands of geocache locations across the country, and searching for them can be a lovely way to see places that you might not visit otherwise. Searching for the tiny containers is great fun if you need a summer activity for kids as well - it can turn a boring walk into a fun adventure.

The geocaching app is free to download, but there is a paid subscription if you really get into it. This gives you extra features like downloadable maps and access to premium caches. Apart from that, you don’t need any special equipment - although hiking kit will come in handy if you’re finding remote caches, or you’re out in bad weather. 

Paddleboarding

If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous - and you don’t mind getting wet - then you could have a go at stand-up paddleboarding. It’s a bit like a cross between surfing and canoeing, where you stand on a big, floaty board and paddle yourself along a river or lake, or even the sea.

There are a lot of benefits to paddleboarding. You’ll be outside in the fresh air and surrounded by water, for starters. And that’s great for your mental health and wellbeing. It’s a brilliant all-over body workout, and it’s great cardio training too. Plus it’s super low impact, so the risk of injury is minimal.

Getting a few of you together means you can plan a trip and carry everything you need - like tasty food and drink - with you on your boards, and chat away while you’re paddling.

Board prices vary massively, and there are loads of different types too. If you have somewhere close by, it’s probably worth hiring one for a day and maybe getting some tuition to help you get the hang of it and see whether it’s a sport you enjoy. Then you can figure out exactly what kit you need when you have a better idea what you’re doing. 

Things to do outside near your caravan

The great outdoors, and nature and all that stuff is brilliant. But when you just want a bit of fresh air it’s great to have a few good things to do without having to venture far from your holiday home.

So, here are a couple of things you could do sitting on your decking. You could even do them from inside your caravan if you want. 

Reading

If you like getting lost in a good book (and if you need inspiration, check out our summer reads article) why not get a bit of fresh air while you’re doing it? All you need is some comfy outdoor furniture on your decking and you’re set. And it’s easy enough to nip back inside if the weather turns.

If you do get a good day, you could easily spend a happy afternoon soaking up the sun with some iced tea and a good novel. But if you’re getting a bit twitchy, you could always try an audiobook. Pop in your earphones and have a stroll while the story unfolds. You still don’t need to wander far - you could just explore your holiday park - but it’ll get your legs moving and help keep you healthy. 

Birdwatching

You can start birdwatching from your decking - or inside your holiday home - too. But we reckon you might enjoy it so much you’ll start planning your days out around where the most exciting birds live.

There are hundreds of different birds to see in the UK, with at least thirty of those being regular garden visitors. If your site is close to woodland or the coast, you might see far more than that from the comfort of your own holiday home.

And the best thing is, you don’t need anything to get started. Just have a quiet sit and see what flies by. You might want a notebook to jot down what you see, and there are lots of apps, books and websites to help you identify birds. You could also install a birdfeeder or table by your holiday home - but check with your park first, of course.

Of course, there’s plenty of kit to invest in if you get more into the hobby, like binoculars and fancy cameras. But you don’t need any of that to get started. 

Fun creative outdoors activities

Everyone knows it’s good to get your creative juices flowing. But when you’re surrounded by the same four walls, inspiration can be hard to find. So, let’s look at outdoor pursuits where you can kickstart your creativity and get a bit of fresh air at the same time. 

Photography

Now, we’re not talking about spending thousands of pounds on a fancy camera here (unless you want to of course, that’s up to you). No, we’re talking about making the most of the tiny little camera you have in your pocket all the time - your mobile phone.

Make time every day to have a little explore with your phone. You don’t have to go far, or anywhere fancy - in fact, the whole point is to learn to look around you more and immerse yourself in your surroundings.

So, you might want to look at the beautiful details of the wildflowers in your holiday park. Or the spectacular reflections of the sunset on the fishing pond. Or the way the early morning sun elongates the shadows of the tree you can see from your caravan window.

If you do this regularly, you’ll be amazed at how many things you start noticing that you’ve never seen before - and taking gorgeous pictures of them to share with your friends and family. 

Painting

If you want to take your creativity another step further, you could try your hand at painting. You’ll need to invest in a few bits and bobs - brushes and paints of course, and a nice sketchbook or even some canvases and a mini-easel. You don’t have to spend lots though, and you can always upgrade if you decide it’s the hobby for you.

Painting is a much slower, more deliberate process than photography. You’ll need to find the perfect spot - maybe a beautiful landscape, or an interesting building - then set up your kit and get to work. You’ll get to appreciate the way the light changes through the day, or how a cloud passing in front of the sun can change how a scene looks completely.

But the satisfaction of completing a painting - whether it’s countless hours of work or just a quick sketch - is wonderful. You’ll get some good exercise hiking to your painting spots and plenty of fresh air while you’re there too. 

Foraging

We’re going to start this one with a proviso - please don’t eat anything you find in the wild that you’re not absolutely, positively, 100% sure that it’s safe.

Right, with that out the way, let’s talk foraging. Wherever you live, if you start searching, you’ll be amazed at what food you can find outdoors. And if you have a holiday home out in the country you’ll probably find even more.

What kinds of things? Well, scouring the local hedges for berries is a good start. If you live near the beach then you might be able to find some delicious seaweeds and if you’re by some woods then you could have a ready-made source of nuts. You could make elderflower wine, or nettle soup, or find some wild garlic - there are tons of possibilities.

But there are two key things to remember. Firstly, as we said above, don’t eat anything you’re not sure about - especially mushrooms and toadstools. There are a lot of delicious ones, but there are poisonous ones too and they look pretty similar. We’d highly recommend taking a foraging course before you eat anything you’ve foraged.

Secondly, be aware of what and where you’re allowed to forage. UK law lets you pick any wild plant (but not commercially grown plants) for your own consumption. But that doesn’t mean you can go anywhere to pick them. Trespassing on someone’s land is still an offence if you’re foraging. Also, foraging laws don’t apply to seaweed. You’ll need landowner permission to pick that up. 

Summer outdoor activities for kids

If you like to spend time in your static caravan with children (whether your own or maybe your grandkids) you’ll know how difficult it can be trying to keep them entertained and away from the pull of their devices. Especially in the long summer holidays.

So, having a list of activities to get them outdoors and into the fresh air can be essential. Of course, you could do most of the things in this article with children - but we think these summer activities are particularly kid-friendly.

Fossil hunting

You need your holiday park to be in the right location for this, but if it is fossil hunting is a great way to spend a morning or two. Most good fossil locations are beaches, which means you can just wander down and start looking. There are some inland locations, usually in streambeds or quarries, but these are less common and you might need to ask permission before visiting.

The best time to look for fossils is just after the tide has gone out, as the water will have rearranged and revealed new specimens. Winter is also a good time, as the rougher seas can break up new rocks. Just have a stroll and keep your eyes on the ground to see what you can see.

You don’t need any special equipment to go fossil hunting, though if you’re doing it in winter some sturdy, waterproof shoes might not be a bad idea. You can also take your phone to get snaps of anything you can’t take with you. If you get more into the hobby you might want to invest in a small geological hammer and chisel, to break up promising-looking rocks.

Remember that it’s illegal to remove fossils from cliffs in most places and be sure to check tide times before you go - the last thing you want is to be trapped by the tide. 

Flying a kite

Now, depending on your point of view, flying a kite probably conjures either idyllic images of Mary Popping and singing, or rather more grumpy ones, full of tangled cords and running across a muddy field while a kite bumps behind you, steadfastly refusing to leave the ground.

Get it right, and flying a kite can be brilliant fun. Get it wrong and not so much. So, what’s the trick?

Well, first up you need a windy day. Not gale-force gusts, just a nice, steady breeze. Without a decent breeze, you’re not going to have any fun. At all. Ask us how we know.

Then, you need a kite. Now a quick browse of the internet will reveal a vast range, from the super simple to complex stunt kites, at an equally vast range of prices. You’ll have to do your own research to figure out what will be best for you, but in our experience simpler is better - especially at the cheaper end of the market. Cheap dual-line stunt kites rarely seem to be much good, so stick to the more basic single-line models. You shouldn’t need to spend lots to get something that’s fun to fly.

And you’ll need somewhere to fly it. All you need is a wide, reasonably flat space - if your caravan park has a big, open play area or your holiday home is close to the beach then you’ve got the perfect spot. Just make sure there are no electricity or phone lines and you’ve got one of our favourite summer activities for kids. 

Picnicking

Who doesn’t love a picnic? And the great thing is, a picnic can be as much or as little of an adventure as you want. You could just take lunch out on to the decking of your caravan and not need to worry about carrying it too far… Or you could hike or cycle for miles, and feel like you’ve properly earned the slightly squashed sandwich in your backpack.

So, here are our top picnic tips.

1. Plan your picnic. If you’re anything like us, you’ll have rushed into the supermarket and just grabbed anything that took your fancy that didn’t need cooking. But take a bit more time to prepare, think about what goes well together and you can make it a more special event. 
2. Think about where you’re going and what you’re taking. If you’re sitting on your decking, you don’t need to worry about weight. But if you’re hiking up a nearby hill, you don’t want to carry full-size crockery! 
3. It’s not just about sandwiches. We’ll leave the argument about whether it’s a picnic without sandwiches to another day. But consider taking a more eclectic mix of foods - pasta salad is lovely cold, for example, and a thermos of hot soup is souper on a cold day. You could even take a little stove to heat things up if you’re not going too far - just be very cautious about where you light it. 

Get outdoors and enjoy!

We’ve barely scratched the surface of the fun you can have in the great outdoors - the possibilities really are endless. So, stop reading this blog and get out there and explore.

We’d love to see what fun outdoor activities you’ve been up to over summer. If you’d like to share , you can find us on Facebook and Instagram.

Happy adventures!