Free to feel good

We know time outdoors makes you feel better, but if you have a disability, getting out there isn't always easy. That's why charities like the Calvert Trust aim to give everyone the freedom of the countryside.

- Caroline Butterwick

I dip my paddle into the lake, feeling the tug of water as I help to steer our canoe. Here on Bassenthwaite Lake in Cumbria, the sun warm against my skin and the misty breeze on my face, I feel calm and free, the water stretching far, the fells cradling us.

I'm here with several other people as part of an activity weekend at the Lake District Calvert Trust. Located on the outskirts of Keswick in the northwestern Lake District, the centre provides residential outdoor activity breaks for disabled people.

As a visually impaired person, I often feel out of place in the outdoors. I love the countryside, but navigating everything, from uneven ground to other people's expectations, can make it challenging. I've also experienced mental ill health and know that being outdoors is one of the things that helps me. The mental health charity Mind cites how time spent in nature can help conditions such as anxiety and depression, along with improving mood and reducing stress.

But, for people like me, there are barriers to accessing the countryside.

Research by The Ramblers found that 56% of people with physical and sensory disabilities said that obstacles such as stiles, steps or gates stop them from using the UK's path network.

There are negative attitudes, too.

People are often surprised when I tell them I enjoy hiking, as if a partially sighted person shouldn't have wellworn walking boots. My husband has noticed people giving me odd looks when I use my cane on a country walk.

It makes me hesitate to use this symbol of sight loss, feeling I'm being judged.

And when it comes to activities such as climbing and canoeing, some people require adapted equipment and staff who understand how to support them.

Places like the Calvert Trust's base at Calvert Lakes in Keswick are designed to help people with the challenges I've just mentioned.