Win a Discovery Pass with the Forestry Commission

Regular readers will know that as an official Forestry Commission blogger, we visit our local woods often, and I want to encourage you and your family to do the same.

Not only is it a magical, adventurous place to spend time but a recent scientific study has now proved what I've always firmly believed - spending time in the great outdoors is good for you!

"...new research reported in the British Journal of Sports Medicine now provides scientific proof that walking in nature and spending time under leafy shade trees causes electrochemical changes in the brain that can lead people to enter a highly beneficial state of “effortless attention.”

"...Entering this state of effortless attention can occur in a variety of ways—walking in the woods, hiking along a trail in a totally natural environment, or sitting by a stream watching water tumble over rocks. It seems that the experience of being in nature is transformative in and of itself—it can cause a person’s emotional state to be uplifted and mental balance to be restored. Being in nature is truly refreshing in a very deep, meaningful way." 

A discovery pass is a great way to gain year round access to your local Forestry Commission site in England, as well as helping to contribute to it's maintenance.   It gives you free car parking; seasonal newsletters and a range of discounts both on and off site.  The cost and benefits offered vary from site to site, so check out the forest map to see what's available in your locality.

If you'd like to win your very own Discovery Pass and open up a world of woodland adventure, complete the steps on the rafflecopter below.

One winner will be chosen at random after the closing date of midnight on Friday 24th May 2013.  Open to UK entrants only.  The prize will be supplied and fulfilled by the Forestry Commission and the winner must respond with their full contact details within one week of being announced.  The winner's name will be posted here and announced on Twitter.  Only one person per household may enter.  No correspondence shall be entered into.

a Rafflecopter giveaway