News RSS

While you might think the time for picnics has passed with the change of seasons, there's nothing further from the truth! With the United Kingdom's largely temperate climate, we are lucky to have enjoyable weather for much of the year (snowy peaks and windy shorelines notwithstanding).  The key to a successful picnic in the late autumn and early winter period is warm, belly-filling food and vibrant, movement-focused activities for what we like to call a hot picnic! A barrier between bum and ground is crucial for moments of rest and relaxation, making a PACMAT the perfect choice for any hot picnic. Our...

What do you do when you've got a couple of weeks off work in between jobs? Making the most of autumn days (and also being incredibly lucky with the weather) PACMAT Pals Katrin and Claudia headed off to walk a section of the South West Coast Path.     The Path stretches for 630 miles from Minehead in Somerset along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall with fabulous scenery all the way. Many walkers take about eight weeks to complete the path, often breaking it into sections. Katrin and Claudia only had five days. This is how they split their journey: Day 1 Train to...

   A fascinating evening around Wapping with Rachel Kolsky from The Bishopsgate Library I cycled to Tower Hill tube to meet the walking tour group by the coffee tram. Kicking off with taking a look at the sundial outside the Tower Hill tube station. (If you haven't seen it yet and are in the area it's worth a look). We then set off on our walk. Visiting St Katherine's Dock first, hearing the history of the rise and fall of the docks and then onto see the fantastic views of the river Thames. By this time it was almost dark, the bridge was lit up making a spectacular view....

The autumnal months carry with them changes in our natural world. The days get colder. Animals prepare for hibernation by stocking up on fat reserves. The leaves on some trees change colour and fall to the ground. While for many, this leaf fall encourages satisfying stomping on particularly crunchy pavement treasures, it can also feel like a massive headache for those who feel they must rake and dispose of seemingly endless bags of leaf litter. But fear not! What if we were to tell you that such a drastic intervention was not only unnecessary, but unwise?   Leaf litter isn't just nature's...

The lovely Lilith Piper sketches in Highgate Cemetery, surrounded by peace and nature in the city. Highgate Cemetery is one of the Magnificent Seven. Opened in 1839 in Highgate, London. The Magnificent Seven came about after an act of parliament was passed in 1832 to encourage the establishment of private cemeteries outside of central London. Kensal Green, West Norwood, Highgate, Abney Park, Brompton, Nunhead and Tower Hamlets. Previous to this, for hundred of years, almost all London’s dead were buried in small parish churchyards, which had become dangerously overcrowded. Highgate, like many of the Magnificent Seven, became a fashionable place for burials....