Stuck At Home?

If you're stuck home for the Bank Holiday weekend, what are you going to do, apart from watching the FA Cup Final of course...

Well, we're bazookered if we know, but here's five quick tips to save you from the savage fangs of the grey, grizzly dog of boredom.

Check Out Your Local Terrain

Okay, so maybe you can't get to the Lakes, but hell, buy yourself a 1:25,000 map of your local area and improvise. Plot out a walk or bike ride with a pub of the middle of it and head out for Sunday lunch. Sure, Striding Edge it isn't,unless you live in Patterdale, but it's better than watching the box, isn't it?

Live The Outside Life Vicariously

Sadly all the climbing films we've ever seen have been a dead loss - Vertical Limit and Cliffhanger are our top tips for an evening of hired hilarity, but if you want to get serious, get a book. One new, one old. If you haven't read Joe Simpson's Touching The Void, where have you been? Climber falls into crevasse when rope cut psychodrama that's guaranteed to keep your head off the pillow.

Alternatively, Mark Twight's new collection of his magazine writing Kiss or Kill is a stunner. Punk climber Twight is angry, commited, deranged and brutally self aware and incredibly readable, albeit on an occasional basis. Dip into it between dipping your brush in the paintpot.

Go To A Climbing Wall

Indoor rock? It ain't the same, but if you're thinking about starting climbing, it's the easiest way to get a feel for the movement and the finger-forearm pain nexus. There's a list of local climbing walls on the BMC web site.

Go Shopping

And without leaving your home. Yep, the OUTDOORSmagic shopping section has direct access to all the best online outdoors retailers. Chances are if our shopping partners don't have it, then no-one else will either. Check it out.

Plan Your Summer Holidays

You might be stuck inside now, but if you've got web access you're clicks away from something warm and pointy. Our travel section's a great starting point for anyone thinking of booking an organised trek or looking for insurance, but don't forget our links section for more general information and the forum travel section for firsthand advice.

Have a Good Yak On The Forum

Go on, chances are there are loads of other trapped souls out there, have a look.

Train for the Welsh 3000s

A bunch of OUTDOORSmagic members are planning to do the classic Welsh 3000s in a day walk in late June. If you're one of them, or you want to be one of them, it's time to get some long, low-intensity days under your belt. It doesn't have to be walking - cycling or running will both do fine - but the key is to keep it steady and long. For more details, see this forum thread.

Disclaimer Of course we can't force you to do any of these things, but you know that sitting in front of the telly with a cold lager, eating ice cream is simply wrong and won't do you any good whatsoever. So stop it! Now!