{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"","standfirst":"Honor Burgess is one of our most exciting emerging outdoors influencers. She shares her story about the transformative power of the outdoors.  ","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/vmehcamk/honor-5.jpeg","width":1280,"height":720,"altText":"Honor is taking a selfie wearing a hat and jacket. She\u0027s stood in front of a sunrise with the ocean and rocks behind her. ","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EGrowing up on the south coast of England, I\u0027ve always been aware of the natural beauty around me and how lucky I am to have it on my doorstep. I explored beautiful places within the \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.thenewforest.co.uk/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENew Forest National Park\u003C/a\u003E and surrounding coastlines with my family growing up.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EHowever, at the age of five, my parents divorced, and accessing the outdoors wasn\u2019t as easy any more. I missed out on many outdoor school trips. I didn\u2019t have so much exposure to the outdoors in my early teens \u2013 although I always wanted to join in on these adventures. That is, until Year 10 of secondary school when it all began to change for me, as I began to realise the value the outdoors brought to my life.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003ETesting my limits\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI remember applying for the Ten Tors challenge in Year 10 (which had no participation costs). This was the annual 35-mile Army endurance challenge in the northern part of \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.dartmoor.gov.uk/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDartmoor\u003C/a\u003E. Over 2,400 teenagers take part, resulting in 400 teams of six. You have to visit ten \u2018Tors\u2019 in two days or less, while carrying enough equipment to make sure you and your team are supplied for the days and nights. I borrowed equipment from school teachers and bought the essentials for hiking.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAt the time, most people thought I was mad, as I didn\u2019t have any experience in that sort of thing, but I was determined to give it a shot. You train in remote landscapes, with all types of terrain in all types of weather. The nature of the challenge is difficult enough, and it\u0027s only heightened by the competitiveness of the teams. I did the training for Ten Tors throughout six months, and at the time, that was the hardest thing I\u2019d ever done.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFrom my school, there were three girls and twelve boys who applied. In the end, I was the only girl selected, and I thought this is it: this is my moment. This is huge. It was my mentality, as well as my physicality, that got me there.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAfter that experience, I felt a part of me blossom when I was outside, and I quickly began to realise the value the experience had brought to my life.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/qldlhieh/honor-3.jpeg","width":1280,"height":720,"altText":"Honor is wearing a grey jumper, leggings, hiking boots and a backpack as she stands on a gravel path smiling at the camera. Behind her is green grass and mountains, and a grey cloudy sky.","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003EGoing further\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ENext was \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.dofe.org/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EThe Duke of Edinburgh\u2019s (DofE) Award\u003C/a\u003E \u2013 and this time, the expedition was on the south coast in Wareham. Compared to Ten Tors, this was much easier for me. But this is when my love for the outdoors really grew. It made me realise how much my mind had transformed \u2013 and it was the outdoors that helped me do that.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor the service element of the award, I volunteered at my local church with a project that supported young people with after school activities. I enjoyed it so much that I did two nights a week volunteering with them \u2013 stemming from my love of helping people and feeling part of a community. I was so happy to spend my time with the people who needed it.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAfter Ten Tors and DofE, I realised these were some of the best moments in my life, and I wanted to spend as much time as possible outside. Then in the summer of 2018, going into sixth form, I found a lot of my friends didn\u2019t want to visit national parks, and naturally, I slowly spent less and less time outdoors.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI then went to university in London, during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 \u2013 and really struggled. I hadn\u2019t been in that environment before, and especially under those circumstances, I became really low and out of touch with myself as a person. I needed to do some self-reflection and I realised what was missing was time spent adventuring in, and appreciating, the outdoors.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003EKey moments\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAll those moments and memories from my time spent in the outdoors from school came flooding back and I realised those experiences were missing in my life.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn my second year of university, I moved back home as I could study from there. It was a much better base to access nature regularly compared to London. In my final year, I could travel further and explore new places, especially the National Parks which I did with my partner.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/home\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EPeak District\u003C/a\u003E is very special to me, as it was my first trip away to a national park with long (and elevated) adventures planned. I remember talking to my partner about my dreams of seeing a \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-64416661\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Esunrise cloud inversion\u003C/a\u003E as they\u2019re so rare. On the morning of my 21st birthday, we got up at 4am to head up Mam Tor and we were so lucky to witness one, just as we approached the summit.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe came back and I was beaming. I knew, at that moment, that this is what I was going to do with my life. Tears of happiness were shed upon this realisation, as I pictured all the wonders of the world I wanted to experience.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI then found myself using any spare time I had planning for trips away (I love planning and researching for expeditions). We explored places in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.breconbeacons.org/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBrecon Beacons\u003C/a\u003E \u2013 like the \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://wales.org/venture-on-the-four-waterfalls-walk-in-the-brecon-beacons/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EFour Falls Trail\u003C/a\u003E and \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.visitwales.com/things-do/adventure-and-activities/walking/crowning-glory-4-ways-walk-pen-y-fan\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EPen y Fan\u003C/a\u003E. Then we headed to \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://snowdonia.gov.wales/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEryri\u003C/a\u003E (formally Snowdonia) \u2013 we hiked \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/carneddau-and-glyderau/walking-and-climbing-on-tryfan\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ETryfan\u003C/a\u003E with friends and it was incredibly hard and not for the faint-hearted. I then set my sights even higher.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMore recently, I took part in the Komoot Hiking Rally x Pennine Way 2024 expedition in the Peak District. I\u0027ve just returned from a trip to the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EYorkshire Dales,\u003C/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;because I\u0027m trying to tick off all the UK\u2019s National Parks. I\u0027m heading back to the Brecon Beacons in October for some colder autumn adventures.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/nupmaxwc/honor-4.jpeg","width":1280,"height":720,"altText":"Honor is wearing a hat with her blonde hair down and a big badge saying \u002721 today\u0027 on the front of her jacket. She\u0027s holding the camera out to take a selfie and she\u0027s smiling while stood with mountains and a bright sunrise behind her. ","caption":"Honor watching the sunrise at 5:30am on her 21st birthday","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003EAccessing the outdoors\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAccessibility to the outdoors is very important to me. You have to really prioritise your money (and that\u2019s assuming you\u2019re lucky enough to have some disposable income in the first place), to make trips to national parks, especially if you\u2019re down in the south like I am.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere can be a perception that the outdoors and countryside is boring, and for the older generations. But that\u2019s not my experience, and that\u2019s a contributing reason to why I started sharing my adventures online.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMy message for young people thinking about getting into the outdoors is: you don\u2019t know what it can do for you until you\u2019re out there. You can start small. Kit can be second hand. You can do small, achievable adventures to start off with and then build your way up. National park or not, any local green space is great; get outside and enjoy all the wonders it brings. Planning these trips and taking time to be outdoors can do so much for you \u2013 but you never realise it until you\u2019re out there.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s so important for us to switch off, connect with nature and look after the things around us. The outdoors is incredible for wellbeing, especially for young people. It takes you away from everything else going on in your life and gives you headspace.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"quoteText":"Not enough is done to help young people access the outdoors. That\u2019s why youth organisations like Scouts are so important \u2013 they provide a cost effective way for young people to start exploring.","attribution":"Honor","gridType":"quote","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/oxldplnf/honor-2.jpeg","width":1280,"height":720,"altText":"Honor is taking a selfie in front of the finishing banner for the Jurassic Coast Challenge. She\u0027s smiling at the camera while holding her medal up. ","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003ESkills for life\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBeing outdoors gives you so many skills. I think that\u2019s largely because it really tests your fitness and mentality. It gives you confidence, the ability to navigate and solve problems. Most importantly, it encourages grit and determination, two attributes that you can carry with you across all ventures of life.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI remember being in the \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ELake District\u003C/a\u003E on \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.visitlakedistrict.com/things-to-do/blencathra-p1212811\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBlencathra \u003C/a\u003Ewith my partner. At the summit, the wind speeds reached 65 mph and the conditions were brutal. It was clouding over, and we had to decide the best and safest action plan quickly. You have to be prepared for all types of weather in the mountains.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMoments like these are when you realise that safety is paramount, no matter how big or small your adventure. Make sure that the people who know you know where you are. It\u2019s wonderful out there, but you always need to be prepared.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003EWhat\u2019s next?\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMy next big plan is to head to Scotland and the Dolomites, which will be incredible. I\u2019m also continuing to grow my community as an outdoor influencer. I\u2019m lucky enough now to be able to promote apps, gear and places to my audience.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019ve just worked with New Forest National Park, which was an incredible achievement for me as that\u2019s where I loved spending my time when I was young, and where my passions truly began. It really was a full circle moment, and upon reflection, I realised I created the lifestyle I had always dreamt of.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESpending time in the outdoors (whatever the adventure or activity) can transform your mental and physical health. I can truly vouch for the transformative effects that the outdoors has on both of these factors.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"type":"Promo","cta":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFollow Honor\u2019s adventures on \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.instagram.com/hon_outdoors/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eher Instagram page\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E","link":null,"colour":"#f1f1f1","title":"","image":null,"imageFocus":"","imageId":0,"imageKey":"00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000","imageCrop":"","gridType":"card","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"30 September 2024","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[{"caption":"","title":"Follow Honor\u0027s adventures on Instagram","url":"https://www.instagram.com/hon_outdoors/","newWindow":false}],"relatedLinks":[],"id":81621,"nodeName":"Scouts Honor: What was missing in my life was the outdoors","title":"Scouts Honor: What was missing in my life was the outdoors","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/nupmaxwc/honor-4.jpeg?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1db1352a48112d0","caption":"Honor 4","type":"jpeg","size":113629,"width":1280,"height":720,"altText":""},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"Scouts Honor: What was missing in my life was the outdoors","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":"Honor\u0027s an exciting new outdoors influencer. 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