Introduction

This course is appropriate for those of you who are just beginning to learn about the benefits of spending time in nature, through to established nature lovers with knowledge of nature.  It will encourage you, whatever your starting point, to notice and connect with nature.  It will help you to find ways that you can care for nature, and to embed these skills within your everyday life.  By the end of the course you will have started on your journey to a more nature-friendly lifestyle.

How the course works

The course is split into 4 stages.  You can follow each stage in order, or dip into those that most interest you.

The course is a self-study, on-line course with links to further reading, videos and useful resources.  There are activities to do for each stage, as well as suggestions for independent learning.  The first 3 stages end with a short quiz to self assess your learning.

Each stage will take from 1 to 3 hours to complete, depending on the time you put into the activities and independent learning.  The final stage has longer term activity suggestions to be completed over a four week period. 

Each stage follows the same pattern of:

• The learning objectives for the stage
• Introduction
• Topic texts to read or listen to
• A series of activities that may help you get outside, or work on your connection with nature
• A summary of the stage
• Resources, such as further reading, or digital resources that support the learning aims of the stage

Please note that many of the resources are linked to a source that is held outside of the course.  To access your chosen resource, click on the link within the course content.  When you have finished with the resource and wish to return to the course, press the back arrow rather than closing down the resource window, as this also closes the course.  If this does happen do not worry, you will not have lost anything and can simply re-open the course, it just takes longer.

At the end of each of the first 3 stages there is a short, 5 question, self-assessment quiz.  These can be found on the Course Content's page which details the stages available.  Select the arrow to the right of your chosen stage to view all its contents.  Click on the core learning to go to that, or the quiz can be selected from underneath the core learning. 

Who we are

This course is part of the Take The Green Route! project by York Bike Belles. 

York Bike Belles (YBB) is an award-winning, charitable, not-for-profit organisation that is listed as a community interest company or CIC.  We work towards a vision of York as a healthy, green and kind city, where everyone thrives, now and in a sustainable future.

Our work is transformational.  We enable residents of all ages, abilities and life situations to walk and cycle as the natural way to get around York, while also improving well-being, community life, green spaces, and tackling inequalities and the climate and nature crises.

Watch a short video about York Bike Belle's work.

To find out more about our organisation, what we do, which activities are currently running and hear the stories of some of the people who have been affected by our work visit the York Bike Belle's website.

Take the Green Route! is YBB’s exciting community project that has enabled York residents of all ages and abilities to enjoy nature-friendly outdoor lifestyles. Both through our face-to-face programmes in 2024 and 2025, and this online course, our aim is for people to tune into nature near where they live, get some gentle exercise, meet new people, have fun learning, and feel healthier and happier.

Watch a short video about the Take the Green Route! project.

A National Lottery Heritage Fund grant, made possible by money raised by National Lottery Players, has funded this project.