Skip to main content

Heroes hike

Hike across your local area, and spot the issues and challenges it’s facing. Can you take action and help?
Plan a session with this activity

Back to Activities

You will need

  • Coloured pens or pencils
  • Scrap paper
  • A map of your local area for each group

Before you begin

  • Each group needs an adult to do this activity – if you don’t have enough volunteers, you could ask some parents to help.
  • Use the pens to split your map into parts – plan to have one part for each group. The parts should be sized so that the group can realistically visit most of it during their hike. Label the parts using numbers or letters.

Get ready to hike

  1. Split into groups of about five people, and pair each group with an adult.
  2. Give each group a map and a pen, and tell them which part is theirs.
  3. Each group should talk about basic safety rules, and make sure they’re ready to go on a hike. Everyone should agree a time to arrive back at your meeting place.

Hike

  1. As they hike, each group should try to spot issues and challenges in their map part.
  1. Groups should mark all of the issues and challenges on their map, labelling them so that they can remember them later.

Make it better

  1. Once each group has returned to the meeting place, they should discuss the things that need improving in their community.
  2. Each group should think of action they could take to improve each of the issues and challenges they found. They can note them down on paper.
  1. Groups should come back together, and share their findings – did they all spot similar things?
  2. Everyone should take action, by doing at least one thing to help with an issue or challenge they found.
  1. After they’ve taken action, everyone should come together and update each other on their progress.

Reflection

This activity was a great way to help your community. Before finishing the session, you could debrief and share your findings by asking:

  • What issues did you spot, and what action did you take? Why did you decide to tackle that issue? What difference did your action make to the community?
  • This activity was also a great way to be active, you could express that you are proud they overcame the challenge.
  • Did you enjoy your hike? How does being active make your body feel? Does being active change your feelings? Was your hike challenging? Why is it important to be active?

Safety

Outdoor activities

You must have permission to use the location. Always check the weather forecast and inform parents and carers of any change in venue.

Hiking and walking

Follow the guidance for activities in Terrain Zero, or the guidance from the adventure page.

Each group must have an adult with them.