Everyday Adventures #28
Slows Ways and Running 5ks.
The outdoors are changing so quickly this time of year. We’ve gone from muddy trails to hard dried bridleways, flanked by growing hedgerows and stretches of nettles. Grass which has spent months puddled and dormant is springing back to life, brushing across my legs as I run my local 5k.
The light evenings creeping even further into the night to offer us more time to spend time outdoors exploring.
Here’s a round up of some adventures over the past month:
24 Hours in the Peaks
I gave myself 24 hours to go an have an adventure in the Peak District. What could have easily been a day trip, instead turning into a night camping in the van, watching the sunset over Edale, before getting up early for a scramble.
You can check out a full piece I wrote on the trip here and see a video below.
Slow Ways
Last month I shared Slow Ways interactive map in my Interesting Things section. A community led project, linking the train stations of the UK’s towns and cities via hiking trails.
I decided to give one a go and walked the 8 mile route from my local station into Leicester City centre before catching the train home. I wasn’t overly optimistic or enthralled with the idea of walking into a city. I hate cities. However, the route strategically took us along trails, canal paths and parks, right into the city. It didn’t feel like I was in a built up area until the very last half a mile walk through the centre of the city.
Spending Time Outdoors Each Day
With the later evenings I’m finding I have more time and less excuses for not making the effort to get outdoors each day. Whether that’s an early morning dog walk, watching the sunset, listening to the birds from the nature reserve or taking the time to tidy away some litter in the park. Everyday is a chance to get outdoors.
How have you been enjoying your later evenings? Let me know in the comments.
When I find myself with free time that isn’t spent outdoors, I usually end up reading or watching other people spend their time outside.
This BBC In-depth article explores where responsibility lies when social media inspired mountaineers get into trouble, including the rising increase in calls for Mountain Rescue.
Our Land has hit selected cinema’s, an independent film on land access in the UK.
Why not do something to help out nature in your local community this June? The Big Help Out is taking place between 5-8th June. Why not organise a local litter pick at the park?
This is a segment I tried starting last year and lost time and love for pretty quickly, however I’m keen to give it another go though Each month I’ll set myself a challenge or adventure to go on and report back. Everyone’s free to join in, so if it’s something you’d like to try yourself, let me know how you get on.
5K Everyday
This seems a bit extreme, but I’ve lost all discipline when it’s come to running over the past few years. Initially I didn’t mind, because I thought it was better slowing down and taking the time to see the world rather than running through.
I have however, found over time that it’s led to some bad habits and a lack of motivation at times to go outside. Running used to be my escape to new places and a time to explore. I’d like to get that back.
With that in mind, I’m much better at sticking to something if I give myself a challenge, so why not try and run 5k everyday in May? That’s anywhere between 30 minutes - 1 hour everyday, outdoors and exploring. Noticing the small changes each day.
Why not have a go at running a 5k to go and explore somewhere new? It doesn’t need to be fast. If anything the slower the better. Run 5k one day this may and see what things your notice on the trails.
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