Outdoors is for everyone

08/03/2026

Strong women supporting each other outdoors.

07/03/2026

Should parent-carers take the lead in helping learning disabled adults get outdoors?

Its a bit of a paradox and something I'm often conflicted about. Here are some pros and cons that swirl around my thoughts:

On the plus:
parent- carers are often the greatest advocates, whatever age their child. They often become very skilled at advocating and seeing what is needed in many situations.

They are often ambitious for success and feel well placed to push boundaries with their offspring- employed workers may need to be more cautious.

Equally they know all the history and medical needs and know when to call a halt.

They are often skilled at helping with communication difficulties without taking away the choices/agency of their child.

The last 3 could also become negatives when parent carers are at the end of their tether.

Negatives - why letting others take the lead is good.

Parent carers are often over tired, if not from care, from being ground down by burocracy, unfair systems and 'keeping going' for too long. It is hard to summon the energy to take the lead.

Its natural, but scary to let your adult children go, but, other people have new ideas and different skills to offer. They also don't have the 'emotional strings' attached.

And of course, one day, parent carers won't be able to fulfill the role of being the one who helps someone get outside. We need a system to be in place before this happens.

The question is, how do we make an outdoor hobby sustainable without that parent push?
Thoughts?

05/03/2026

Meet Pip and Clare! 👋

In our latest content series we're bringing you bite size interviews with the leaders helping to build a more inclusive, representative and accessible outdoors.

Next up is All The Elements community members and disability campaigners Clare Millington and Pip Rowlands, a mum and daughter team showing that the outdoors can, and should, be accessible for learning disabled people.

Swipe through to hear more and read the full interview: https://www.alltheelements.co/news/5-minutes-with-pip-and-clare

Photo credit: Abbie_Merritt_

25/02/2026

My heart sang when JB sent me this little video of Pip today.

-firstly fun and discovery for Pip
-next a lovely quiet environment with no distractions.
-JB knows to not overburden with loads of verbal input, just one gentle prompt
-breaking down the mechanics of how the rope actually works so Pip can understand it
- a great sensory and proprioception workout.
- unhurried
- learning by doing

Making all this happen requires understanding, thought, research and planning. What a team.
And what a great place to learn.

24/02/2026

Mmmm. Cooking outdoors.
We've done a few posts about safety and making sure you always use stoves with adequate ventilation. A tiny amount of Carbon monoxide can be deadly.
If you are happy to do a very quick survey (2 minutes) it'd help us qualify for a grant to further our awareness raising of how to get outdoors whatever your ability.
https://lakedistrictfoundation.org/carbomonoxidesurvey25/

24/02/2026

So chilled on the zip wire! This didn't happen without lots of experience- she first went on a zip wire over 20 years ago carefully strapped to my front It took a while for her to even accept a harness!
Small steps. Big results!

18/02/2026

We've always loved bushcraft, despite initially thinking learning disability, sharp objects and naked flames were a poor mix.

Actually, learning to be safe around danger, with careful thought, can prepare you well for that unplanned encounter with hot or sharp things in the future. Its much better to learn in a relaxed, controlled situation.

14/02/2026

Working on safety

We love bushcraft, we love a bit of open fire cooking, we love our camp stoves.

I've been thinking how best to help convey some of the safety elements without overwhelming or terrifying anyone learning disabled. So:

I'm choosing my time and place - no other distractions.
I'm using real examples where possible.
I'm breaking things down into small steps.
I'm involving the learner.
I'm backing up with symbols/pictures.

We felt the heat from the stove.
We saw smoke was coming off the logs.
We talked about things you couldn't see coming off the logs.
We looked at the Carbon monoxide alarm (on the mantlepiece!)
We tested it and practised what we'd do if it went off.
We chatted about other things that produce Carbon monoxide.

Later on we talked again about the key thing of what to do if the alarm went off. All done in a relaxed way with no drama.

We're not planning on any unsupervised stove use or bushcraft but everyone deserves to understand basic safety precautions and, of course, learning disabled people have a wide range of ways they need support to learn. This is our way.

With thanks to for involving us in their Carbon monoxide awareness project.



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11/02/2026

Always useful to read - there are so many different types of trike

Cycling looks different for everyone and that’s exactly the point.

Our guide to trikes explores how three wheels can open up cycling for disabled riders, offering stability, comfort and confidence where two wheels might not work.

From upright and recumbent trikes to e-assist options, we look at who trikes can work for, what to consider when choosing one, and where you can try before you buy.

Because cycling should be for every body.

🔗 Read our guide at cyclinguk.org/trikes-guide

10/02/2026

7 years ago. Lingmoor Fell, above Langdale. A really supportive group of friends suggested I brought Pip along on their birthday walk.

Pip had only recently started to be able to walk downhill - a combined result of confidence and core strength gained from indoor climbing walls and a greater understanding of how difficult depth perception can be for her.

The physios were saying a stick was a bad idea, she'd trip over it, the visual impairment advisor was saying a stick was a good idea. Pip tried both. I had my worries about 'What if...' scenarios. I felt very conflicted about the whole thing. The good weather forecast and support of friends who'd just clocked up their last Munro did wonders for our confidence.

After birthday cake on the summit, we set off down the way we'd come up whilst others continued on. It was good to know the terrain and have a really slow pace with many, many stops to admire the view. Pip felt her way down, using me to steady herself, never holding on to me as such. A stick probably would have been too much at that stage.

Our succesful outdoor journey is built on so many factors coming together. Its a complex business when you throw disability into the mix. For too many people those factors never get to align. That walk changed Pip's life.

30/01/2026

So, you've grown up surrounded by this beautiful landscape.

When you lived with your parents you loved to be out on 'a big walk'. Now you are in supported living, how did you keep that opportunity going? For many, regular access to the outdoors stops there. If you have a learning/intellectual disability the odds are stacked against you being able to continue with hiking, climbing or watersports except as a very, very rare treat.

I couldn't bear the idea of my daughters losing access to opportunities they love, so I decided to do something about it. If you are new to hopefully that explains what we are about:

Raising awareness that having a learning disability shouldn't stop you taking part in outdoor adventure.

Showcasing opportunities and examples of what might be possible with the right support.

Increasing understanding of the barriers that are faced, by the person themselves, their helpers and families.

Photocredit: the wonderful JennyB. Pip somewhere in the Lakes!

Please give us a share.

29/01/2026

You don't set out on an adventure because its easy - the skill is setting the challenge level just right - and you'll never fully know that until you try.

Apparently it was steep and cold and windy but also AMAZING. (Pip). As often is the way, Alix surprised everyone.

I love that the wonderful Fairoak housing association encourage their tenants to get out in the beautiful landscapes near their homes.