Micro-adventures!

A micro-adventure is one that is short, simple, local and cheap; it is the concept of maximising the time given to you & fitting as much adventure into it as possible!

Training, or exam revision avoidance… (training sounds slightly more productive!) has been my micro-adventure of choice over the last few weeks – where time has been precious, yet I’ve been craving adventure in order to keep my sanity in check!

As you may have read on my about page, I have a busy lifestyle with working a full time job & working towards my engineering degree on a part time basis – as any student knows, this year is just horrific with exam & deadline pressures! Micro-adventuring has provided the perfect solution to my adventure cravings during this busy time of year.

‘Micro-adventures offer a realistic escape to wilderness, simplicity and the great outdoors, without the need to ski to the South Pole or go live in a cabin in Patagonia.’

For many people it could be a quick overnight escape to wildcamp in the great outdoors, leaving work at usual time – heading straight to the adventure destination & then heading straight back into work at normal time the next day. Therefore no time lost doing normal daily activities, yet you’ve scratched that adventurous itch, completed a challenge, giving you that feel good factor; leaving you feeling refreshed and rewarded!

(Check out Alastair Humphries article on micro-adventuring – http://www.alastairhumphreys.com/microadventures-3/)

So what do I do for 24 hours? Kayaking, mountain biking & hiking are the things which are easily accessible to me – they require minimal panning. I simply throw the bits of kit I need in my van & set off – all I need to do is choose a destination, I can formulate a plan whilst driving, thus, time saved!

Where do I go? The Ribble Valley is my local playground, however I’m one for planning my destination & adventures around the weather – if the weather conditions are forecast to better for a certain activity in either the Lake District, North Wales, or Yorkshire, then that’s where I’ll go! Being based in Preston, all of the aforementioned destinations are possible in the space of 24 hours, whilst we really are lucky with how accessible adventure destinations are – as always, there has to be a willingness to travel.

How much does it cost? Whatever the cost of diesel is to get me to my location + food/water to keep me fuelled during said micro-adventure. The idea is to keep it as cheap and un-extravagant as possible! I recently purchased a ‘young member’ (18-25) national trust membership – excellent value for money at £35 for the year, meaning all car parking is now free!

Who do I go with? If I have an adventure companion who is free & ready to go at the drop of a hat, then brilliant, if not, I quite frequently go alone. I figured that so many opportunities can be lost waiting on others and trying to fit a plan around others, slightly selfish I know, but who wants to miss out on the opportunity of an adventure?! (Of course, it goes without saying that there are certain things I wouldn’t do alone for obvious safety reasons!)

My latest micro-adventure saw me take off to Keswick at around 7pm on Saturday night in my campervan, armed with my kayak & hiking gear. Keswick is around a 1hour 45minute drive from my house at that time – plenty of time to plan what I was actually going to do with my 24 hours & pick up food/fuel on the way!

The beauty of sleeping out on an adventure is that it prolongs the adventure, you feel like you’ve achieved more & been more adventurous. The biggest advantage I find, is being able to wake up in right place for your adventure, not having to wake up & then drive 2 hours – perfect for witnessing those remote sunrises!

‘The appeal of micro-adventures is that they make adventure accessible to people who may have very little outdoor experience.’

My day consisted of a hike up Scafell Pike, from Seathwaite – a fairly demanding & lengthy route at 9.5 miles with a total ascent of 995m, but one with some absolutely stunning views & a fantastic scramble along the ‘corridor route’. The weather forecast showed a clear evening over Keswick on Sunday night – perfect for an evening paddle on Derwentwater & an excuse to get the Bialetti out and put some coffee on, to enjoy a brew with a view!

There you have it – one much happier Callum, ready to get stuck into another week of work, revision and deadlines!

There is nothing more valuable than taking time for yourself, rather than stressing about being stressed; just accept you’ll have a day where you aren’t engrossed in your books & notes, but instead clearing your mind and reducing your stress levels… get the endorphins & feel good factor flowing, such that when you get back to yours books & revision, you’ll have a clear mind, your adventurous itch will have been scratched and you’ll have a smile on your face – It makes the dreaded revision not so bad!

It doesn’t always have to be an overnight or 24hour adventure; it could be something that only takes a few hours – like a sunrise mountain bike ride over your local fell…

If there’s a will, there’s a way; all you need is a sense of adventure! Be creative, go do what you love, you’ll feel a million times better for it!

The reason for choosing to hike Scafell was to get some training in for the PHASE worldwide ‘Walk for Nepal 2018: Ben Nevis’ charity event in Scotland next month & ensure my back was feeling up to it. The event will take place on the 19th May & as most of my readers will already know, I have only recently been given the all clear to resume my adventurous lifestyle following the spinal injury I sustained over Christmas – so this event & the training going with it, is a massive step for me personally, all whilst raising money for a superb charity!

The main aim of the event ‘Walk for Nepal 2018: Ben Nevis’ is to support and raise money for the charity PHASE (Practical Help Achieving Self Empowerment). PHASE specialises in improving health, education services and livelihood opportunities for disadvantaged populations – with a mission to support disadvantaged communities, to provide people with opportunities and to encourage community centred and sustainable development. For more details about PHASE, the work they do & how to support the event, check out the link below;

https://phaseworldwide-bennevis.everydayhero.com/uk/callum

Any donations would be hugely appreciated!

Please feel free to get in touch for more info & inspiration about micro-adventures! I’d love to hear all about your micro-adventures in the comments!



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