The Lake District: it's full of fresh air

Deskbound and dreaming of the open fells? Is the dreary grime of the city making you pine for the hills?

A little help is at hand: 0.42g of help exactly. That’s what the National Trust is offering to city dwellers, in the shape of a jamjar full of clean fresh air. Stressed-out workers in the City of London have already been given samples of the country air, and a further 100 jars full of the stuff are being offered.

The air has been captured in recycled glass containers at the trust’s properties on the banks of Lake Windermere, at Box Hill in Surrey and at Stourhead, Wiltshire.

Head of communications Andrew McLaughlin said: “With most of us living in an urban environment and having little time to escape to the great outdoors we thought it was about time the National Trust shared just a fraction of our copious amounts of fresh air with the nation.”

A study found that, for lowering stress, 72 per cent of those surveyed said seeing the sea was the quickest and most effective stress reliever. This was followed closely by a walk in the countryside (66 per cent), contact with fresh air (59 per cent) and the sand between the toes (33 per cent).

The National Trust says its fresh air has been captured in environmentally friendly British-made recycled glass jars that can be reused for jams, preserves or capturing more fresh air.

The trust is also opening up many of its country properties for free visits over the weekend of 20 and 21 March. Details can be found on the National Trust’s website.