As part of our 2010 Education for Sustainable Development programme, the History and English Subject Centres launched two initiatives to encourage students and lecturers to engage with the environment beyond the classroom. We wanted to motivate staff and students whose teaching and learning takes place primarily indoors to go out and experience the places that form the context for the subject of study in order to enrich both academic learning and environmental awareness. To this end, we asked students and lecturers from throughout the UK to submit case studies describing how off-campus field-trips and visits enhanced their learning and increased their environmental awareness. We hope these case studies will inspire others to explore learning opportunities beyond the university classroom.