Get active outdoors

Dancing is a fun way to stay active. Find some time to turn up the music and move your body to the rhythm. Move-Assure’s Dance for Mental Wellbeing Programme supports NHS health and social care staff to keep active through a unique, progressive, 20-week dance programme.

Dancing is a fun way to stay active. Find some time to turn up the music and move your body to the rhythm. Move-Assure’s Dance for Mental Wellbeing Programme supports NHS health and social care staff to keep active through a unique, progressive, 20-week dance programme.

(not)parkrun! is a great lockdown opportunity to submit a 5K walk, jog or run on a route of your choosing – record up to one activity a day, with your fastest time each week included in the weekly results table.

Make sure you’ve got the cycling basics covered by following this advice from British Cycling.

If you don’t have your own bicycle, you can pick up a Beryl from designated bays in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole and pay as you ride or use a day pass to explore further.

Ask your HR department if your organisation offers a Cycle to Work scheme which provides support with purchasing your own bicycle.

Paddling activities, including kayaking, canoeing and stand up paddle boarding (SUP) are permitted as daily exercise within the current guidelines. Check out the Go Paddling website for guidance on places to launch, trails to follow, where to find local paddling centres and advice for buying your own.

Orienteering combines map reading with getting active in the great outdoors. There are quite a few permanent orienteering courses throughout Dorset which are open to the public to use in parks, forests and urban areas. Some courses use the Oriento App which you can download on to a GPS-enabled smartphone then use it to scan a QR code at each point to show that you have found it.

Immersion in cold water gradually reduces stress levels in everyday life and generates a greater sense of wellbeing. There are 14 lifeguard stations on the beach between Sandbanks and Southbourne where you can swim under supervision during the summer months. Chill is an organisation that offers sea swimming sessions designed for people who have mild or moderate depression and anxiety, and they will be available in Dorset soon.