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As the current Coronavirus situation unfolds, we are all adjusting to the new life indoors and for those of us with a love for the outdoors this can be a pretty big adjustment. Don’t worry though – this situation won’t go on forever and the good news is that at the end of it the hills will still be there! In an attempt to curb the lockdown boredom, we have come up with some quick ways you can help bring the outdoors into your new reality with the help of Nordic Outdoor. Have a read below and let us know what you’re doing to keep you going during this strange time.
Garden Camping
Ok so you can’t pack up the car and head to the hills but that shouldn’t mean that you are constricted to indoors. If you have a garden at home then why not take an overnight camping trip? With the Spring weather starting to arrive and the nights getting longer you can break the lockdown routine by changing your environment. Setting up a Tentipi or a Hilleberg outdoors, taking out the sleeping bags and pretending your hours from home can really boost your mindset and give you a break from the constant media news cycle. We’ve even seen some of our customers without gardens set up their tent in the living room which is one of the more unique ways we’ve seen customers trying to bring a bit of the outdoors to their homes!
Woodworking
So, the days now feel longer than ever and you’re looking for a new hobby to help pass the time? Why not pick up a Mora Woodcarving knife and try your hand at some spoon making! This is a great activity to give you a Bushcraft mindset from the comfort of your kitchen and give you a skill you can take with you back out into the wild! One of our favourite products to get you started with this is the Morakniv Woodcarving Kit which contains a Mora 120 and all the materials to make your own Wooden Dala Horse.
Collecting & Splitting your own Firewood
As a company based in the centre of Edinburgh most of our staff live in tenement flats and unfortunately don’t have access to firewood or even the capabilities to use it! For this reason, when we go out camping one of our favourite things is collecting firewood, splitting it and starting a proper campfire. If you’re lucky enough to have a wood burning stove in your house or an outdoor chiminea then why not start collecting and splitting your own firewood? In a pre-quarantine life it was all too easy to nip to the local garage to collect a bag of pre-split firewood but where’s the fun in that?
Grab a Gransfors Bruk Scandinavian Forest Axe and go fell some wood in the back garden or the woods behind your hours. If you have access to logs, then get yourself a splitting axe or a splitting maul and your fire will be self sufficient all the way through lockdown! This is also a great way to get your daily exercise without leaving your garden!
Plan your next adventure
While it may seem like this situation will never end the good news is that it will! Even if we are to be social distancing for the next three months this should mean that as a country we can return to some semblance of normality in the height of Summer!
With overseas adventures being off the cards for the foreseeable future this is a great chance to tackle some of those ‘at home’ trips on your bucket list. Have you always wanted to do the North Coast 500? Go Wild Swimming in the Lake District? Take on Ramsay’s Round and see how many Munro’s you can do in a day?
All this time we are forced to spend at home gives us a great chance to get planning. Work out when is best to do your trip, the kit you will need and the route you’ll take. With all outdoor pursuits the better you plan something the safer and more enjoyable it’ll be when you do it.
Outdoor Cooking
As I mentioned above – changing your surroundings can change your mindset. Instead of spending the night in your bed and instead heading to the garden to camp is a great way of breaking up the monotony of lockdown – as is outdoor cooking! Ditch the microwave for the evening and head to the garden to make up a proper campfire supper.
Whether you are using a firepit, a new heights stove or even just a primus gas cannister stove cooking outside can be a really good way to make it feel like you’ve had an adventure from home. We’ve included below our favourite recipe for Campfire beans which comes from Alison Henderson and Dave Crosbie at Woodland Collective and Treeditional Woodland Craft School.
If you don’t have a garden to cook in then why not clear some space in the living room and have an indoor picnic? Crack out the picnic classics, the Light My Fire Mealkit and some Re-cups and have a living room picnic with the family!
Campfire Beans
Ingredients
- 3 tins cannellini beans, drained
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp hot smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cracked coriander seeds
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 thyme sprigs
- 1 rosemary sprig
- 2x 400g chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp treacle or molasses
- 4 tbsp cider vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1) Set a large heavy based saucepan onto a cooking rack over a well established fire, plenty of glowing embers – less of the vigorous flame
2) Add the rapeseed oil followed by the sliced onions. Season with salt & pepper and cook for 10-12 minutes, until the onions are softened. Add the garlic, smoked paprika, coriander seeds and the herbs. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes, then add the tinned tomatoes, mustard, sugar, molasses and vinegar and stir well.
3) Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered over a low heat for about 2 hours (or less, if the fire is more vigorous), until you have a rich, deep flavoured sauce that will cling to the beans. If the mixture looks a little dry then add some water.
4) Add the beans and cook for a further 10-15 minutes. Remove from the hear and allow to stand for about 10 minutes, to allow the flavours to settle and develop. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
Stay Cosy – The Scandi Way
If you’re resigned to staying indoors for the lockdown then why not just upgrade your house with a bit of Scandinavian magic. While you’re doing your DIY and rearranging the furniture why not add a Reindeer hide to the living room or upgrade your Hot Water Bottle with one of the new Shepherd of Sweden covers.
For when you’ve finished all your home improvements and want to just relax in style then look no further. Treat your feet with a pair of Vicuna Alpaca Socks and a pair of Shepherd slippers then lounge in warmth with the Aclima Fleecewool tracksuit. Constructed entirely from Merino Wool this innovative tracksuit is the world’s first woollen fleece and comfier than we ever thought an item of clothing could be!
No matter what you have planned for the coming weeks remember to follow government advice regarding Social Distancing. Let us know how you are keeping the outdoors alive in your household! Shop Online with Nordic Outdoor and save 10% on all products using code STAYINDOORS at checkout (Offer ends April 2nd, Excludes Hilleberg & Tentipi).