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We have been partnering with Planet Earth Games (PEG) for the last three years in promoting the links between people’s health and the health of our planet. Originally designed as a means of keeping connected and active during lockdown, PEG set online challenges for people to discover new ways of getting into good habits for wellbeing and for the planet, all with the chance of winning a prize. With SWCPA, we have previously challenged people to ‘find a view’ whilst out walking, and to calculate how long it would take to walk the entire SWCP based on a 5km time. 

This year, for the challenges PEG have been promoting monthly themes, and October was SWCPA’s month entitled  ‘Connecting to Nature’. Chris Broadbent, Founder and CEO, Planet Earth Games explains: “At Planet Earth Games, we believe in a symbiotic relationship between human health and environmental health. By forming a connection with nature, our species is more inclined to preserve and nurture the natural environment. In turn, there is so much evidence of the wellbeing benefits that time in nature can bring to human beings. 

“We are thrilled to be collaborating again with South West Coast Path Association to challenge people to engage with their local environment to support their own health and that of the planet too. We can’t wait to see the submissions of participants and their experiences of using their senses to truly connect with nature.”

The deadline has been extended until Monday 14^th November so why not include one of these challenges in your next Coast Path exploration? 

Challenges 

1. Looking out for Nature: go for an explore in/along your local park, footpath or National Trail. Take time to explore your surroundings using your different senses, this week focussing on your sight. What nature do you spot? Take 5 pictures of different fruit, seeds, leaf shapes, birds, and insects that you see along the way. 
   
   Watch a video of Lorna, our National Trails Officer, talking about the challenge HERE.
   
   
2. Listening out for Nature: go for an explore in/along your local park, footpath or National Trail. Take time to explore your surroundings using your different senses, this week focussing on your hearing. Close your eyes for 30 seconds. What different sounds can you hear? Write or draw your sounds. 
   
   Watch a video of Christie, our Head of Fundraising, talking about the challenge HERE.
    
3. Reaching out in Nature: go for an explore in/along your local park, footpath or National Trail. Take time to explore your surroundings using your different senses, this week focussing on touch. Using your hands, reach out to bark, leaves, sand, and rock. What different textures do you feel? Take a picture of 3 different textures you notice.  
   
   Watch a video of Aletha, our Head of Comms, talking about the challenge HERE. 
   
   
4. Using your senses in Nature: go for an explore in/along your local park, footpath or National Trail. Take time to explore your surroundings using your different senses, this week focussing on smell. What different smells can you smell? Perhaps the salty sea air, wet grass, late flowers, car exhausts? (As you walk along complete a smell timeline, stopping every minute or two minutes, describe the smell and what it makes you feel like or remind you of? (have at least 3 smells). 
   
   Watch a video of Lorna, our National Trails Officer, talking about the challenge HERE.

Submit your Evidence

You need to submit your evidence to: https://planetearthgames.org/2022games/ for your chance to win this month’s prize which is lots of fab South West Coast Path goodies: membership for a year, a new 2022 Coast Path passport and a fantastic Coast Path map poster, to scratch off places that have been visited, kindly donated by our friends at https://outdoorscratchmaps.com/

Good luck everyone!