EXPLORE THE ELEMENTS

An EXPLORER HQ guide

Whether you're a seasoned explorer or keen to discover the great outdoors for the first time, this book is designed to expand your horizons, inspire new adventures, and help protect our beautiful planet.

Explore The Elements has been published in association with our amazing partner, National Parks UK, and generous support from Forest Holidays.

10% of the cover price goes to UK National Parks Foundation which delivers grants to the Parks to support education, conservation and health & wellbeing initiatives.

£6.99 GBP

100 PAGES | A6 | PRINTED IN UK

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"Such a great way for families to explore our National Parks, and help the environment at the same time."

Naomi Conway, Director, National Parks Partnerships

  • A pair of binoculars

    Complete missions

    The universe is made up of four elements: Fire, Water, Air and Earth. Your challenge is to get out and explore them all. Choose a mission you can do close to home, in your local community or in the wild (or a National Park).

  • Earn badges

    Every mission you complete goes towards achieving a themed badge. There are 16 badges to collect, each designed to inspire you to keep exploring. Can you earn them all, and which will be your favourite?

  • Help the planet

    Each mission has been created in association with National Parks UK, and underpinned by UN Sustainable Development Goals. Join other explorers and your simple, small actions begin to have a collective impact.

About the book

EXPLORE THE ELEMENTS is a cool collection of 48 eco-missions that will take you out of your front door and into the wonderful wild world. You’ll have fun and learn new skills along the way, and connect with nature everywhere: in your own back yard, around your neighbourhood, and further afield in the UK’s fabulous National Parks.

The great thing about completing the missions is that you’ll become part of something much bigger – a collective movement of explorers working together to help our planet.

By recording your progress on the free Explorer HQ app, you can inspire, and be inspired by, other explorers who are taking the same planet-saving missions – each of which is underpinnned by UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tom Jordan has written about travel, exploration and nature for multiple mainstream books and publications, and has also created hugely popular geographical adventure stories for children’s TV. He lives a skimming stone’s throw from the glorious Peak District.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Joshua Rice’s colourful, graphic illustrations have been short-listed for illustration industry awards and exhibited in the London Transport Museum. He lives in London, but takes every opportunity to escape the city to Dartmoor, the South Downs and the New Forest. 

£6.99 GBP

100pp | A6 | Printed & bound in UK

Produced with the kind support of Forest Holidays

"A wonderful collection of missions and beautiful illustrations. We can't wait to share this incredible book with our Forest Holidays guests because we know that when young people and nature connect, good things happen."

Charlotte Thorogood, Partnerships Manager, Forest Holidays

Useful links for completing missions

Mission support links

FIRE

MISSION #1 | MARSHMALLOW OUT | Marshmallow recipes

MISSION #6 | SUNSET IN STONE | Where to find stone circles

MISSION #9 | DISTANT SUNGAZING | Where to find dark skies

MISSION #10 | IT'S CHILLI IN HERE | Chilli recipes

MISSION #12 | SAMPHIRE SURPRISE | Samphire recipes

WATER

MISSION #15 | ROCKPOOL RECORD | Great spots to rockpool

MISSION #16 | POND LIFE | How to make a backyard pond

MISSION #18 | RIVER SAFARI | Guide to spotting river wildlife

MISSION #21 | WET IN THE WILD | Staying safe in the water

MISSION #22 | BUTTS ARE THE FUTURE | How to make a water butt

MISSION #24 | CHASING WATERFALLS | Where to find waterfalls

AIR

MISSION #26 | SWIFT RESPONSE | How to build a swift box

MISSION #27 | SEEK A HIDE | Birdwatching spots

MISSION #29 | TIME TO CHIME | How to make wind chimes

MISSION #30 | SAIL OF A TIME | Guide to watersports & sailing

MISSION #33 | BIRDS OF PLAY | How to make a kite

MISSION #36 | AIR & SHARE | National Park mountain peaks

EARTH

MISSION #39 | NURTURE NATURE | Volunteering in National Parks

MISSION #42 | GOING UNDERGROUND | Tips for getting into caving

MISSION #47 | EARTH ELEMENTS | Mindfulness in National Parks

MISSION #48 | BARE YOUR SOUL | Get into barefoot walking