Exploring the benefits of outdoor activity participation in national parks: a case study of the Peak District National Park, England

ABSTRACT

This study aims to explore the role that regular outdoor activity participation in national parks plays in subjective wellbeing (SWB). It also considers the influences on SWB, including the national park environment, resilience-building, coping skills, mental health and stress alleviation. There is a wealth of research on the benefits of outdoor recreation in natural settings, yet studies which specifically examine the impacts of regular activity engagement in national parks are scarcer. Using the Peak District National Park (England) as a case study, fifteen online stakeholder interviews were conducted, probing participants about their outdoor recreation experiences both during and before the onset of the pandemic. Findings suggest that frequent outdoor activity participation in the Park positively influences coping, resilience and subjective wellbeing, and, relatedly, helps to improve mental health, and alleviate stress. These outcomes are valuable for dealing with the vicissitudes of everyday life and in facilitating long term SWB.

KEYWORDS:

• subjective wellbeing
• national parks
• outdoor activity participation
• resilience-building
• coping skills
• mental health
• stress alleviation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).