It’s a fact of life. Sometimes you just end up in one of those ruts. You go through the motions and life starts passing you by in a blur as your adventurous hopes and dreams set up camp in the back of you mind.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Adventure is all around us and it’s down to you to find it. You may not think you have enough time for expeditions and challenges, or you might not be doing as many as you would like. Well, hopefully we can help change that with this article.
In an effort to get you outdoors more often, we’ve compiled a list of eight ways you can add more adventure to your life. Make it happen, ladies and gents, if not now, then when?
1. Embrace microadventures
Championed by Alastair Humphreys, microadventures are exactly what they sound like. Simple expeditions or challenges that are close to home, cost-effective and easy to fit around your standard lifestyle.
Instead of 9-5 being the main part of your day, why not turn it on its head and make it all about the 5-9. It’s remarkable what you can accomplish in the 16(ish) hours before finishing and starting work. Check out www.alastairhumphreys.com for some ideas.
2. Buy a slackline
Photo: Patrick Erickson
Walking along a thin line of slack webbing anchored between two stationary points may not seem like the most exciting of ways to spend an afternoon, but give it a go and you are likely to be surprised.
Slacklines are relatively cheap, unbelievably addictive and incredibly good fun. It may be frustrating the first few times you give it a go, but progress will come and when it does, you will never look back.
3. Take up wild swimming
We could have told you to take up cycling, climbing or kayaking, so why swimming? The fact is, jumping into a (normally freezing) lake, river or ocean is so refreshing and helps provide a feeling of contentment.
The other brilliant reason for taking it up is that most wild swimming locations tend to be away from civilisation, with beautiful surroundings and a sparse population. A perfect way to spend a morning/afternoon/evening.
4. Join a club
Struggling to find friends who are as into the outdoors as you are? Not to worry. As well as the standard cycling, hiking and climbing clubs you can join, there are new opportunities popping up everywhere.
Explorers Connect is one such option. A community of adventurers with hubs in many of Britain’s major hubs (including London, Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester), the network lets you connect with likeminded people and head out on good value adventures.
5. Start making the most of your local area
There’s no need to travel for ages in search of an adventure. You’ll be surprised at what you can find in your local area. Buy an OS map of the vicinity around your home and start getting out into the green spaces.
Whether you’re walking, cycling or running, you’re likely to find spots you never knew existed and you could even find some great locations for a microadventure.
6. Try wild camping
Camping is great, especially when there is a campfire, but nothing quite gives you the same feeling as wild camping. By escaping campsites and setting up wherever you stop for the day, you’ll be privy to a beautiful sense of freedom.
Make sure you are aware of the laws and best practices of wild camping and, if possible, get permission whenever you can. Nothing beats waking up in a stunning setting with no one else around.
7. Get inspired
Photo: Daniel Diaz Vera
There is so much going on in the adventure community that getting a touch of inspiration is easier than ever. Each month there are countless astounding people giving talks about their adventures, whether they’ve just ran the length of New Zealand or walked through the interior of Madagascar.
We really are spoilt for choice. Start going to these talks and, not only will you be entranced by their enthusiasm, but you may also meet like-minded people seeking out similar adventures. A good place to start is www.speakersfromtheedge.com.
8. Interact with the online community
This is a bit of an odd one. At the same time as convincing you to spend more time outside, we’re also encouraging you to jump on social media? Yeah, you’re right, it does sound strange.
The truth is, in amongst the photos of food, drunken nights out and the odd emotionally charged rant, there is a whole host of adventures who are actively engaging on social media constantly.
Whether they are providing updates on their own epic trip, or seeking advice and bouncing ideas off one another, there are plenty of people who will be able to get you in the mood and give you a daily dose of motivation. Instagram is particularly useful in this regard.