At the stone circles: place-based outdoor education in Cumbria

The morning mist rises to meet the dawn, perhaps to carry the spirits of the ancestors who so many centuries ago shaped this circle. As we watch, the stones emerge from the mist striking a stark outline against the looming mountain presence, inviting both reverence and cautious exploration. As outdoor educators we can facilitate our learners' developing affinity with the landscape and its inhabitants by exploring the past, present and future of a particular location (1, 2). A place-based or place-responsive approach can offer Outdoor educators a context which foregrounds the uniqueness of the local environment, rather than regarding it as a backdrop for the activity. Instead, each particular place can be seen as an active participant in a teaching strategy that is concerned with connection to and understanding of the environment and community through sensory engagement.