Get outdoors, says survival expert Ray Mears on Shrewsbury visit

Hundreds of people cheered as Mears cut the ribbon to open Go Outdoors at the former Homebase superstore site at Sundorne Retail Park in Shrewsbury.

The presenter, famous for his programmes showing people how to survive in the wild, marked the official opening of the 32,000 sq ft shop on Saturday which has created about 40 jobs.

He said he couldn't wait to go and explore the county himself.

He said: "I have been to Shropshire before but I have not seen enough of the outdoors in Shropshire, I have to admit. It is the most astonishing county in terms of outdoor opportunities.

"The way life and work is for me, I seem to be passing through all the time and every time I do I want to stop and see the Long Mynd, the meres and the mosses, there is so much I would like to see.

"This is the most amazing county – it has got so many different features and I cannot think of another county that has so much diversity – and this store is right in the heart of that county, it is in a perfect location.

"I definitely want to come back to Shropshire for longer, I will come when no one knows I am going to be here."

He added: "Those of us who do go outdoors, we do need equipment and this is so convenient.

"I think people do still like to go outdoors, although maybe they do not go outdoors for as long as they used to which is something we should tackle because it is very important to go outdoors.

"We should encourage young people to go outdoors and we should not stop when we get older.

"It is good for the soul. It has good qualities, it is good for society and for encouraging each other."

Mears cut the ribbon as the doors opened to the new shop, which saw about 500 through the doors by mid-morning on Saturday.

He said: "I think it is great the amount of people here. I looked across from the balcony at the store buzzing with people. A cynic might say, of course, it's all about the cash register – but if you look carefully people are planning what they are going to do with what they are going to buy here today and it is so exciting.

"My advice to people would be take an interest in the outdoors. For me it was easy. I had an interest in nature but take an interest and learn the skills. You buy the equipment but it does not replace the skills and the training – learn to use a compass, a compass is the key to the outdoors."

Mears also revealed he had a busy year coming up - saying there were "a lot of TV projects" on the horizon – but he remained tight-lipped as to what they were.

"You will have to wait and see," he said.

He also has a new book coming out which he said he hoped would be a "magnum opus on the far north and how to live in the forest".

Mears first appeared on television in 1994 presenting the BBC series Tracks and then, in 1997, Ray Mears' World of Survival.

In 2003, he presented the BBC documentary Ray Mears' Real Heroes of Telemark about the Norwegian heavy water sabotage mission during World War Two.

While filming a documentary in Wyoming in 2005, Mears was involved in a serious accident.

The helicopter in which he and his camera crew were travelling struck the ground during a steep low level turn, and broke apart, rolling to a stop. The fuel tank was ruptured in the accident and escaping fuel covered Mears and the crew.

No fire occurred, and Mears was able to escape the wreckage uninjured and assist in the rescue and administer first aid to one of the crew who was badly hurt.

Chris Matthews, Go Outdoors chief executive, said: "We are delighted to have opened the doors of our 51st store here in Shrewsbury.

"As the UK's largest outdoor goods retailer, we are thrilled to be able to offer the Shrewsbury community a one-stop superstore for all of their outdoor activity needs.

""The Go Outdoors Shrewsbury team are outdoor enthusiasts who will offer our customers a wealth of information and advice on all of the products we offer."