The COVID-19 outbreak has spread rapidly around the world and the UK is no exception. Since the UK government announced a national lockdown this Monday, our lives have changed completely in a way that none of us have ever experienced before. Closely following the social distancing recommendations from the UK government and WHO means that we are now working from home, refraining from meeting family and friends, and staying at home (almost) all day every day in order to save the lives of others. Obviously, however, we recognise that staying isolated and indoors isn’t easy. Snow Peak’s purpose is to bring people together in the great outdoors. Given that, we've put together a few ideas about how you can still experience the refreshing power of nature while staying safe:

Fortunately, we are still allowed to do one form of outdoors exercise a day. Going for a short walk, or running or cycling to your local park before or after a day of working from - or just staying at - home is the easiest way to stay connected to nature. Remember that you should be exercising alone (unless with children) and maintaining a distance of 2 metres from others. While you are walking or running in the park, try look for something new in nature. As it’s spring, there should be new blossoms, leaves, and shoots in abundance.

Step outside onto your patio or porch, or into your garden, for a morning cuppa or a breaktime brew. As spring progresses, the weather is getting nicer, so having a cup of your favourite drink in the sun is a truly simple pleasure in these unsettling times. If you have the time, you could pull up a comfortable chair, settle down, and read a book as you savour your brew, too. To discover how to make a perfect home-brewed coffee, check out our post here.

At Snow Peak, gathering around an open-air fire (takibi in Japanese) is our favourite outdoor activity. If you have a garden with a fire pit, or an outdoor fireplace, light a fire and create a gathering by video calling a few friends. We’ve shared our tips for starting a cracking fire here.

After a day of working from home, even a small change of scenery can make a big difference. If you feel up to the challenge, you could try cooking over a garden campfire or outdoor stove. But if being an impromptu outdoor chef isn’t on the cards, simply taking your meal outside for some al fresco dining can be a great change of pace.

This is a challenging and unusual time, but there are still creative ways for us to connect with each other and experience nature, albeit on a smaller scale. The great outdoors that is the inspiration behind Snow Peak is waiting for our return - but right now is the time to stay at home to stay safe and healthy.