Dive into the complete episode list for Living Adventurously. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
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Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
500 Years Ago, Adventure was the Manifestation of Privilege. Living Adventurously 65
01:11:25
Sadly this is the Final Episode of the Podcast (until I find a new sponsor)!
Jack Thurston is a cyclist, a food lover, a photographer, a guide-book writer and an early podcast pioneer. He is the host of The Bike Show podcast and author of theLost Lanescycling guidebooks. We talked about adventures close to home and what the world of 'Adventure' looks like in the 21st Century.
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY Trees for Cities, the only UK charity working at a national and international scale to improve lives by planting trees in cities.
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Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Jack takes tins of sardines, marzipan, parmesan, harissa on a bike tour
I like a bike ride that starts and finishes at my front door
Jack has done a lot of flying in his life, but now is repulsed by the connotations. It makes him feel queasy.
Has committed to not flying for work
Things (like not flying) which seem difficult to consider are actually not that hard once you do them
There are a lot of issues related to 'adventure' that are problematic
Adventure is a useful word for the sort of things we do - embracing the unexpected as a leisure activity
To me 'adventure' has a lot of baggage from history
500 years ago adventure was the manifestation of privilege - colonial expansion right up to Edwardian's doing it for 'queen and country'
Money, power, privilege, whiteness were the preconditions for adventure
People doing adventure - voluntarily putting themselves in harm's way. If danger is a normal part of your life then you're probably unlikely to want to go bungee jumping
Jack enjoys wild camping, but acknowledges that if he didn't look the way he does [white] then it would be a much more intimidating experience
Cycling guidebooks over 100 years ago
Wanted to make the Lost Lanes books seductive
Make going out for a ride around London really appealing: nice photos, make it look appealing, eat oysters by the sea rather than get sweaty, evocative writing
Living in London in the 90s Jack had to come up with stories / temptations to lure his flatmates to come out of the city and ride with him
The book is supposed to fire up people's imaginations, and then the website has the technical details
Emphasis of Lost Lanes is on very quite lanes and roads
What makes a good bike route? Needs a good sense of flow. You don't want all the climbing at the start/end, need different landscapes, good reveals, good vistas, hills are important for the views, try to...
18 Aug 2020
Why do you need to travel round the world when you can walk around Lewisham? Living Adventurously 46.
00:57:10
Jack Cornish is a walker, an artist, and a Londoner. He works for the Ramblers charity, working to protect and expand the places people love to walk and promote walking for health and pleasure. Jack has walked the length of Britain and is slowly walking every single street in London. In his spare time Jack works on his art and mixes gin cocktails.
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY Outdoor Rocks, a carefully curated showcase of adventure films.
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Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Getting Older, the Benefits of Having Time, and Being Aware of your Mortality - Living Adventurously #3
00:25:49
Mike Bagshaw is a Lancastrian by birth and a zoologist by training. He spent his working career in education, initially indoors, but then for 30 years he worked in outdoor education centres, introducing children and adults to the delights of watersports, mountaineering, forest education and how to understand and appreciate the natural world.
I met Mike for lunch at the picturesque Runswick Bay, at the foot of one of the steepest hills of the summer. The pub has a strong claim to the best sea view in the country, I reckon. Over a lunch of laughter and cheesy chips, I found myself hoping that I can be like Mike when I grow up.
Now retired, Mike is still extremely active, adventurous, and determined to keep behaving like a 20-year-old! He continues to explore many wild areas of the world on foot, underwater with scuba gear and afloat in canoes and kayaks. He is the author of two Slow Travel guidebooks to Yorkshire.
Mike lives near Whitby with his wife and two dogs and spends his non-travelling time managing the small birch woodland they own, volunteering for the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and writing regular nature columns for local newspapers and magazines.
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Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn ("Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast") or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
Below is the transcription of our conversation. It's done by AI so is perhaps a wee bit ropey here and there. If these transcripts prove sufficiently useful then I will make the effort to clean then up and make them better. Do let me know if you think it's worth my time to do that. (Or, better still, do it for me...!). If you'd like to listen as you read along you can do that here: https://otter.ai/s/dFozsyt8QeuS3_GAWOiyVA
Alastair Humphreys Could you tell me what you had for lunch?
Mike Bagshaw I had cheesy chips? not the healthiest meal in the world, but nice.
Alastair Humphreys Have you been on a podcast before?
Mike Bagshaw I've never been on a podcast before.
Alastair Humphreys Your son that was surprised that you can be on a podcast. There was? Why?
Mike Bagshaw Well, he thinks he just thinks I'm slightly odd for doing lots of young men things when I'm an old git. It doesn't think a 60 year old should be doing some of the things I do.
Alastair Humphreys So on a scale of one to 10 How weird are you?
Mike Bagshaw I think I'm three, but I think the rest of the world the rest of the world thinks I'm 9.5
Alastair Humphreys I love this specific use of your three why did why does the world think you're weird?
Mike Bagshaw I do lots of things outdoors. I love camping. I have a mug which says I love camping but on the other side it says but I hate campsites so I love wild camping. I love wild everything. I love wild camping. I love wild swimming. I love wild places. And I'm a passionate natural historian.
Alastair Humphreys So none of that sounds weird to me. Now the people your normal friends, what are the things weird about you? What should you be doing at your age?
Mike Bagshaw I should be playing bowls perhaps put my feet up watching a lot more Telly and staying in bed and breakfast rather than rather than camping.
Alastair Humphreys Very good. So, what does living adventurously that phrase? What does living adventurously mean to you?
Mike Bagshaw it means trying new things, going to new new parts of the world parts the world of I've heard about but when I was working never had the time to be able to go to now suddenly I've got the time to go places. Now, and I'm aware of my mortality, I know I've not got that many years left. And it's so so much so much world and so little time to do it. So I just want to go out and do as much as I can. While my body still works. And and have you always had that sense of urgency to get stuff done. It's not so much. Well, a lot of our friends will will laugh if I would say Oh yes, I'm always getting things done because because I'm quite slack on actually finishing jobs. But I've always had the urgency to explore.
Alastair Humphreys Okay, and you're so imagine yourself, say when you say 20 or 30? or pick a number that seems relevant to you? What what would living adventurous live looks too long time. Yeah, has it changed your view?
Mike Bagshaw It's pretty much the same thing. I think that's the essence of it is I'm still 20 in my head. So.
So it really takes me by surprise when
...
30 Jun 2020
If I lived my life again I'd be braver. Living Adventurously 39
00:44:00
Jo Moseley is @healthyhappy50. She is the first woman to SUP coast to coast across the UK. She describes herself as a Joy Encourager, Midlife Adventurer & Beach Cleaner. Somebody else called her 'a fruitbat on a glorified surfboard' much to Jo's delight!
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You can't change the world but you can change the world around you
THIS PODCAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KOMOOT
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
What you don't know you can learn by doing - Living Adventurously 17
00:32:48
Tim Frenneaux is a former martial arts instructor, nine to fiver and audio visual artist, turned ethical entrepreneur, microadventurer, climate activist and punk philosopher. His redemption started when the brief and fragile nature of existence became painfully real as he hit the big 40 in the same month that his Dad died. Unhappy conjunctures like that are a great way of forcing you to focus on what you want from “your one wild and precious life” (to quote the dear departed Mary Oliver)
Tim decided to return to the outdoor life that had brought him so much happiness growing up, and that the best way to make the difference he wanted to see in the world, was to start a business founded on social and environmental principles: Gather Outdoors.
Now he’s on a mission to encourage and enable folk to make the most of their fleeting presence on planet earth by spending more time outdoors. In doing so he hopes that great teacher, Mother Earth, will help them to reach their own understanding of the immense value of nature.
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Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
"I know that I'm better than some people and not as good as other people" - Living Adventurously 28
00:34:03
David Oakes is an actor known for his role in "The Borgias" and Prince Ernest in the ITV show "Victoria". David also runs the Trees a Crowd podcast "for those curious about the world around us." Charm, good looks and talent are just some of the things that I do not share with David. But the point of this podcast is precisely this: to find people whose lives appear to be very different to my own, and then seek out the overlaps, the commonalities, and the lessons I can learn from what they do. We discussed making a living in unpredictable and unreliable ways, the things that scare us, and how to deal with the imposter syndrome.
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Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
"What is it that I want?" - an Adventure with a Raft and a Piano. Living Adventurously 15
00:28:07
Ben Cummins is on a mission to deliver a piano from Liverpool to London. On a home-made raft. That he propels himself. Within 25 years... So far it has taken Ben seven years to push his raft the 127 miles along the canal from Liverpool to Leeds! This adventure / art project / way of life began when Ben asked himself a brilliant question, "what is it that I want from my life?" Ben invited me onto his charming, quirky, stylish canal boat-cum-raft (built from locally-salvaged and donated materials), cooked me lunch, and told me his story.
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I didn't want to be a numpty, to be irresponsible or unsafe. They were my concerns.
Having an anchor or a framework to the project is helpful, even when allowing possibility and serendipity into your life.
A 'purposeless mission' allows all the good stuff to happen once you have started.
THIS PODCAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KOMOOT
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
Going out to explore the world was not encouraged within the Pakistani community
00:36:53
Imran Mughal was the first British-Pakistani to cycle round the world. Over a delicious curry cooked by his mum the proud Yorkshireman told me how going out to explore the world was not encouraged within the Pakistani community. But the decline in health of his dad was a wake-up call to Imran that good health is not a given, nor does it last for ever. That, combined with redundancy, spurred him into action. Imran didn't tell his family he was going to cycle round the world, only that "I'll be gone for a few months, then I'll be back..."! The similarities and the differences between Imran's story of cycling around the world and my own fascinated me.
Going round the world, says Imran, is an education. It halts time. You learn more on a journey like that than you will in the rest of your life. A bicycle helped take Imran away from his problems, away from the challenges in the local area such as drugs and hanging around with a bad crowd. Nowadays Imran feels that all he needs in life is God, family and a bicycle...
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Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
On Sunday night I am excited to go back to work on Monday morning - Living Adventurously 11
00:43:16
Jon Barton is the founder of Vertebrate Publishing. It sits at the very heart of British adventure writing and outdoor sports. Jon says that "we publish books to inspire adventure. It’s our rule that the only books we publish are those that we’d want to read or use ourselves. We endeavour to bring you beautiful books that stand the test of time and that you’ll be proud to have on your bookshelf for years to come."
I asked Jon about the lessons he's learned from starting a company, the discrepancy between male and female authors in the outdoor world, and his scorn for self-titled 'Adventurers' (like me) who spend a lot of time talking about themselves on the internet...
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Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
We didn't know the first thing about publishing when we began.
I just employ people who are brighter than me and then stuff happens.
On Sunday night I am excited to go back to work on Monday morning, whereas my wife dreads it.
Just because you have done a good book in one niche doesn't mean you can leap into a different one.
Whenever we go out of our niche we haven't done very well.
The calm after the calm. (Phrase about book writing and launching)
When we are putting together we think, "is Hannah [regular customer] going to read this?"
Women and men, in general, write about their adventurous experiences in different ways
Waymaking: The book would have failed (regardless of sales) if it didn't change the participation of women in adventure.
We get 10x more submissions from men and women. Men are risk-takers - leads to epic stories and also they don't mind writing a book and getting a rejection.
An adventure is just having an experience and how you feel afterwards.
I got more from climbing with people who were better than me than trying to be the best myself
Done is better than perfect
TRANSCRIPT
Below is the transcription of our conversation. It’s done by AI so is perhaps a wee bit ropey here and there. If these transcripts prove sufficiently useful then I will make the effort to clean then up and make them better. Do let me know if you think it’s worth my time to do that. (Or, better still, do it for me…!). If you’d like to listen as you read along you can do that here:
We Live in one of the Most Nature-Depleted Countries on the Planet. Living Adventurously 62
00:53:39
David Elliott is Chief Executive at Trees for Cities, having previously cleared landmines around the world. Trees for Cities is the only UK charity working at a national and international scale to improve lives by planting trees in cities. David has overall leadership responsibility for the organisation. He has worked in the non-profit sector for a number of international organisations, prior to which he was a management consultant. He is a Commissioner for the London Sustainable Development Commission, a Trustee for the African Conservation Foundation and previously for the International Tree Foundation. He holds BSc degrees in Biological Sciences from Edinburgh University and Politics & International Relations from LSE, and an MBA from Cambridge University.
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY Happy People Hike who believe in the power of fresh air and camaraderie of strangers. The genuine joy experienced on the side of a mountain is a feeling they try to bring back to everyday life. Being outdoors can lift even the lowest of spirits and their apparel is meant to remind you of how great life can be when you spend your time truly experiencing it.
(If your company or organisation is interested in sponsoring Living Adventurously, please get in touch!)
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Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Turned down corporate career ladder to go and clear landmines. Quite an extreme change!
Famiy were a little concerned. Friends not so surprised.
Good for young people to chop and change, try things out to work what the right path was.
I had no qualifications whatsoever to clear landmines. The main qualification was the desire.
Straight in at the deep end, learning to clear mines.
It was one of the most amazing, grounding experiences of my life
Cambodia, Sudan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Kosovo, Guinnea Bissau, Liberia
The first time you dig up a landmine is terrifying - like anything in life the first one is hard. You come to realise that the greatest fear is fear itself
You get a one-metre lane to clear - first mine took about 5 hours to do
MBA at Cambridge
Landmine clearing, management consultancy and MBA all combine to really help with the role of CEO at Trees for Cities. You draw on them all in very different ways
Non-linear career - everything is useful. Variety is not something to be embarrassed about.
Trees for Cities is a charity that originally began by hosting parties then planting trees. The founders were DJs, so they put on parties for their friends and then planted trees
National charity with some international projects
The least green areas often overlap with social deprivation.
Initially people liked trees for the aesthetics, but they are vital for carbon storing, trees absorb heat, provide shade, prevent flooding, filter pollutants.
Green space is vital to the infrastructure of cities, and integral to the design of cities
TfC have planted a million trees
Not so much about lots of trees, but finding the most effective place to plant trees in cities
Tree planting is not always right - you don't want to convert peat bogs to forest, for example.
Even a single tree planted strategically in a city can have hundreds of years of benefits for that community, to be engaged and care for it.
The benefits on air quality and aesthetics.
Trees get people outdoors and experiencing the outdoors, to get them engaged, loving and cherishing the outdoors
Nature is thought of as a rural thing, but 80% of us live in cities so we need to make this available on our doorsteps
COVID has shown the importance of local green spaces
Many urban green spaces are poor quality - just muddy grass.
Many local authorities are really trying to make positive changes
GB is one of the most nature-depleted countries on the planet
We need to think more radically about transforming our environment
There are a lot of under-used green spaces. Sections of society don't use them at all. Make them safer, greener, healthier
Green belt is mostly farmland. It can be used better for nature and for people to use.
We have crazy rules about wild camping in Britain - we do so much to stop people enjoying the outdoors. This might be part of the reason why there was so much camping littering after lockdown
The Young People they work with have limited engagement with nature. At first there is repulsion with soil / worms etc. But once they plant something this really can transform their lives.
TfC Volunteer Planting days - volunteers do most of the planting. Helps them engage with their community. Hundreds of people from all walks of life come along and join in.
They have great diversity in the people who join in and participate.
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.
Favourite tree = bee...
07 Jan 2020
Don't stand on the edge of the diving board with your toes over the edge for hours - Living Adventurously #10
00:32:03
Tomo Thompson is Chief Executive of the charity Friends of the Peak District who work to safeguard the landscape of Britain’s first national park. Tomo is a retired Army Officer, with a recent background in business management consultancy. He also enjoys and instructs outdoor pursuits and is an encyclopaedia of knowledge about expeditions, equipment and fine places to unroll your bivvy bag for the night.
I asked Tomo whether the word 'adventure' was inappropriate for a career in the military. One similarity in our lives was that military life gives you restlessness and an appetite for uncertainty. Now caring for one of the most beautiful corners of Yorkshire, Tomo believes that a small thing which greatly improves life is to go to the top of a hill, sit down, turn off the phone, accept what the weather's doing, and accept both how big and how small you are. Wise words indeed.
(It’s completely free, zero hassle to do (click here), but really helpful for me trying to get a new podcast off the ground. If you’re feeling extra kind, please leave a review on the app – that really helps.)
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
The Army was a way to get lots of climbing, walking and paddling expeditions in far-flung places.
Developmental role of challenging expeditions in the outdoors.
When you've been in put in situations where risk are involved (military / expeditions), you become better placed to deal with risk in normal life.
One thing that military life gives you is restlessness, and an appetite for uncertainty.
A small thing that greatly improves life is to go to the top of a hill, sit down, turn off the phone, accept what the weather's doing, and accept both how big and how small you are.
Leaving a decision for too long you just stew in it. Don't stand on the edge of the diving board with your toes over the edge for hours.
The importance of looking after yourself so that you can radiate that in your engagements with family and friends.
Therefore self-improvement need not be deemed selfish.
"Place is a repository of memory." - Living Adventurously 22
00:34:54
Rob Cowen is the award-winning author of Common Ground, selected as a ‘Book of the Year’ in the Times and featuring in the Guardian’s Top Ten Readers’ Choice. After moving from London to a new home in Yorkshire, Rob found himself on unfamiliar territory, disoriented, hemmed in by winter and yearning for the nearest open space. So one night, he set out to find it – a pylon-slung edge-land, a tangle of wood, meadow, field and river on the outskirts of town. Despite being in the shadow of thousands of houses, it felt unclaimed, forgotten, caught between worlds, and all the more magical for it.
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Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Home is a fluid thing - I had a sense of it in London as they were my dad's old haunts. I enjoyed the heath in London as it reminded me of Yorkshire.
THIS PODCAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KOMOOT
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
Making Better Places for People to Live, Work, Play and Learn. Living Adventurously 52
00:47:42
Daisy Narayanan is the director of Urbanism at Sustrans and is working on the central Edinburgh transformation project. Daisy is an architect, an urban designer, a cyclist, and a fan of books, food and music.
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY OffGrid, a design agency that wants to work with people who aren’t scared to look at things differently, that want to make a difference and are willing to go a (little) Off Grid.
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The first part of changing your lens for how you view something is to not take things for granted. Listen and ask 'why?'
Safety is a big issue for getting more women cycling - well-lit cycle paths etc.
Without action now the car will become the default socially-distanced means of transport
In lockdown China went to a huge increase in car usership. Scotland is trying to encourage people to walk and cycle rather than a default setting of 'jump in the car'
The high street has to be a place where people want to linger, not just pass through.
Our Freedoms are all Different. Our Prisons are all Different. Living Adventurously 63
00:55:44
Karen Darke is an adventurer and Paralympian handcyclist. It is lucky that Karen has what she describes as “an adventurous gene”, as life in a wheelchair is full of the unexpected. Karen was a keen runner and climber (she had climbed Mt Blanc and the Matterhorn), but fell off a cliff and became paralysed from the chest down at age 21. Whilst initially she thought “I’d rather be dead than paralysed”, Karen soon learned that with friends, creativity and perseverence most things are still possible. She says, “it is thanks to those ingredients that I have a pretty extraordinary life.”
Continuing her adventures, Karen has handbiked the Silk Road through Central Asia, through the Indian Himalaya from Leh to Manali and the length of Japan. She has kayaked the ‘Inside Passage’ from Vancouver to Alaska and also paddled on an expedition in Patagonia. Karen crossed Greenland's ice cap whilst sitting on skis using her arms and poles to cover the 372-mile crossing. She even returned to climbing, summiting the iconic El Capitan in Yosemite.
Always eager to challenge herself, in 2009 Karen became World Paratriathlon Champion and is now a full-time athlete. She was a silver-medallist in the London 2012 Paralympics and became Paralympic Champion in the Rio 2016 Paralympics. At London 2012 Karen missed out on a second medal by a whisker. After crossing the finishing line holding hands with team mate Rachel Morris, both in a time of 1:43:08, Morris was awarded the bronze medal. Karen is currently training for her third Paralympic Games.
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY The Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, a small charity doing big things to protect & enhance a very special place & enable everyone to enjoy it.
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Perhaps I'm an expert in reframing things to see them in a positive light
I wouldn't choose to be paralysed, but my life has been special and interesting since then.
The one thing we always have control over is our perspective and how we view things.
I try to bring more possibility to life.
Aged 21 when a climbing accident paralysed her
The impact of realising the paralysis was about a month later when she saw other people in wheelchairs in hospital
I had a couple of weeks when being asleep was far more attractive than being awake
But there were people around her in a far worse condition. Her perspective shifted from "this is the end of the world" to "come on..."
Thought differently about herself after the accident - she was very judgemental about herself. Embarrassed to be in a wheelchair.
Her whole body image changed totally
Early on she realised that there are "helpful but over-helpful" people, and then other people who didn't know how to respond to her.
When you meet someone in a wheelchair: just be yourself. But don't launch in with personal questions straight away. "Do you need a hand?" is nice. Just be a nice human being.
At first it felt too painful to go back into the mountains so she considered totally changing her lifestyle.
But what are the elements of being attracted to adventure? Uncertainty, nature, being with friends. She learned that it was possible to still get all those things.
She got a special tandem so that she could share adventure with people. She misses that "shared" side of adventure now she is a professional athlete.
Cats only have 7 lives in Spain, not 9
Not always good at mitigating risk!
I do actually quite like being alive...
Hard to say what is the 'best' adventure, because they are all different.
It's about the people, the landscapes, the lessons.
Spent a few months seakayaking up the coast of Alaska. Had to leave her wheelchair behind. Group of 9 people, living in harmony with the tides and moon, looking out for bears.
Who really cares who can ride a handbike faster? It's ridiculous. And yet it's also very special.
Rivals don't motivate me, but they inspire me.
One of my first races I came last - the finish line didn't even exist by the time I got there! They'd all packed up.
Alongside the physical challenge of paralysis, there was also a mental journey. Karen went to study Chinese acupuncture.
There is an invisible, hard to define element to life. Connecting with nature is a part of that.
I'm not into stuckness. Everything is possible.
Before Rio she bought gold shoes and a gold phone case - total commitment to Gold. It shifted her mindset.
Feeling free does not necessarily equate to being able to go to physical places. There are many levels to freedom.
Our freedoms are all different. Our prisons are all different.
Karen's thoughts on freedom -
21 Apr 2020
The Right to Feel the Wind in Your Hair - Living Adventurously 27
00:28:18
Theresa Robertshaw helps the elderly get back on bicycles by taking them for rides on an adapted electric tricycle. The mission of Cycling Without Age is to create happiness among our fellow elderly citizens by providing them with an opportunity to remain an active part of society and the local community. They do that by giving them the right to wind in their hair, the right to experience the city and nature close up from the bicycle and by giving them an opportunity to tell their story in the environment where they have lived their lives. That way they build bridges between generations and reinforce trust, respect and the social glue in our society. Cycling Without Age is based on generosity and kindness, slowness, storytelling and relationships. Theresa was my most reluctant interviewee, suggested to me by her daughter who😉 I suspect was due to face her mum's wrath after I thrust a microphone towards Theresa! I really enjoyed going for a ride with Theresa in the tricycle and found our conversation fascinating (not to mention homemade brownies and coffee that she brought along). I felt bad about making Theresa squirm, but I hope that it was worth it to bring you this interesting and thoughtful conversation... Sorry Theresa!
(It’s completely free, zero hassle to do (click here), but really helpful for me trying to get a new podcast off the ground. If you’re feeling extra kind, please leave a review on the app – that really helps.)
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Generosity: Cycling Without Age is based on generosity and kindness. It starts with the obvious generous act of taking one or two elderly or less-abled people out on a bike ride. It’s a simple act that everyone can do.
Slowness: Slowness allows you to sense the environment, be present in the moment and it allows people you meet along the way to be curious and gain knowledge about Cycling Without Age because you make time to stop and talk.
Storytelling: Elderly people have so many stories that will be forgotten if we don’t reach out and listen to them. We tell stories, we listen to stories on the bike and we also document the stories when we share them via word of mouth or on social media.
Relationships: Cycling Without Age is about creating a multitude of new relationships: between generations, among the elderly, between pilots and passengers, nursing homes employees and family members. Relationships build trust, happiness and quality of life.
Without Age: Life unfolds at all ages, young and old, and can be thrilling, fun, sad, beautiful and meaningful. Cycling Without Age is about letting people age in a positive context – fully aware of the opportunities that lie ahead when interacting in their local community.
A chance for people who are immobile or unable to get out, to feel the wind in their hair
Phyllis, 100, "it's the first time I've felt air!"
Recreating the joy of being on a bike
Some 90-year-old passengers have never been on a bike before - the chance to smell things, to see things close up
I hope they feel like it is an adventure. It's very rewarding for pilots and passengers.
Passengers with dementia live very much in the moment, commenting on the clouds.
Children naturally live adventurously without really thinking about it.
Getting the most out of everyday = her focus of living adventurously these days
Regret: When I was 22 I got a visa to Australia on the same day that I got offered a job. I didn't use the visa.
Home is where I'm sleeping that night. It's also the family home. It's also where I'm from originally.
I'd rather be called weird than a lady
I'm going to be 60 in December and it's great fun
You should always risk big changes and new challenges.
THIS PODCAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KOMOOT
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
Not Flying doesn't mean Not Travelling. Living Adventurously 48.
00:55:00
Anna Hughes is an author, environmental campaigner and cyclist. She has worked in behaviour change and sustainability for over a decade, and is currently Director of Flight Free UK, a campaign set up to encourage people to fly less. After a brief career as a teacher, Anna began working on behaviour change projects for sustainable transport charity Sustrans in 2009. She has since worked as a bicycle mechanic, cycling instructor and workshop leader. Anna lives on a canal boat near London.
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY The Bendrigg Trust, a residential activity centre specialising in high quality courses for people with physical & learning disabilities or the disadvantaged.
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Sailing around Britain very different to cycling around Britain. Didn't really enjoy it and found it very hard. It wasn't her own adventure.
Then We Sailed Away - John Ridgway
Not flying does not mean not travelling. There are so many wonderful places accessible by train and boat
It's about seeing what you can do, not what you can't do: getting there without flying can add to your experience. It's a geography lesson and a slow way of feeling your way through landscapes and cultures.
Push to the edge of the comfort zone and emotional things happen. Living Adventurously 47.
01:01:32
Steve Denby is the founder of Primal Roots, a social enterprise that believes in the restorative power of fitness and nature as a tool to achieve more than just improvements in health and wellbeing. We talk about training in the woods, the joy of burpees, the benefits of nature and fitness for people struggling in life, as well as cocaine addiction, adoption, racism and meditation.
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY Sidetracked Magazine, a collection of inspiring personal stories of travel, exploration, expeditions and adventure.
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Don't think too much; don't worry too much - Living Adventurously 30
00:33:41
Charlotte Evans, at 20 years old, was the youngest person I interviewed on my ride around Yorkshire. She describes herself on Twitter as a Notts County supporter, singer/songwriter, geographer and occasional radio producer from up North currently studying at the University of Nottingham. I was interested to get a different perspective on things that I think I know well - the world of adventure, its accessibility (or not) to women, and the barriers that stop young women like Charlotte from travelling as widely as they may wish to do.
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Harvest Moon - Neil Young, written for people with tinnitus
Failing music was the best bad thing that ever happened to me
My main passion these days is geography
Main barrier to living adventurously is herself
Barriers for being a young woman wanting to travel - it's daunting.
Comparing to Lev Wood or Simon Reeve she sees that there's things she can't do because she's a young woman. But she also thinks you just need to find things way round it.
The phases of life when you have money / or time
Don't think too much; don't worry too much
The luck of being born in a country like the UK, and the freedom that comes from it
If I could magically change one thing in my life I would... mend my oven
THIS PODCAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KOMOOT
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
Alastair Humphreys interviews Alastair Humphreys. Living Adventurously 43
00:51:36
At the end of my ride around Yorkshire I decided to interview myself. Having spent a month grilling people with a card deck of difficult questions, it only seemed fair to have a go at answering them myself!
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THANK you so much to komoot for all their support in this podcasYour very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
"Ideas are Free: Give them Away." Living Adventurously 32
00:41:54
Mike Sowden is a curious writer and he is a fantastic person to share ideas and bounce thoughts around with. Mike describes himself online as an archaeology student turned writer and story geek, as well as a travelling disaster...
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Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
Before You Buy, Ask "Do I Really Need This?" Living Adventurously 57
01:00:14
ReRun is a Community Interest Company aimed at prolonging the life of running clothes and equipment. Founded and run by Dan Lawson, Team GB 24hr Ultra runner and his wife Charlotte. They say, "the biggest thing we can do is to ask "do I really need this?" before buying something. It is good for the planet, but also saves you money so you can work less, and therefore spend more time with your family or out in nature." Adidas makes 400 million shoes a year, but every trainer ever made still exists! So ReRun is trying to eradicate waste in the running community by prolonging the life of every item. As well as clothing, we talked about Ultrarunning, taking a degree in dance, and the world of Bollywood movies!
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY The Wave Project, the world’s first ‘surf therapy’ course funded by a government health service. The Wave Project brings people together through surfing.
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The record for cycling from Land's End to John o' Groats is held by Andy Wilkinson, who completed the journey in 41 hours, 4 minutes and 22 seconds on a Windcheetah recumbent tricycle.
Charlotte danced in Bollywood movies
With 2 small children we decided that life could be more exciting and decided to move to India Patnem, Goa
A lady asked Charlotte what she did for a living. She lied and said "a dancer" because she had always wanted to be a dancer. The lady happened to be an agent for Bollywood movies and offered her an audition. 2 weeks later she was tapdancing to "diamonds are a girls' best friend" on a piano in a 7-star hotel!
Dan used to be sponsored by running companies. Got tired of plugging stuff on Instagram to sell stuff nobody needs. It was kind of an ego thing.
We wanted to promote something...
24 Mar 2020
Trying to achieve perfection is usually a recipe for disaster. Living Adventurously 23
00:36:40
Brant Richards is the Co-Founder of HebTroCo which smashed Kickstarter funding targets and grew into a Made In Britain menswear brand from the ground up. With a career path started from rummaging in the garage, through writing in back bedrooms, editing and launching national magazines, to leading the design team for a leading global bike brand, Brant's CV is as intriguing and meandering as our conversation (which took place, for a reason I forget, on his kitchen floor following a run through the local beech wood). Shadowing founders and giving direction and assistance, working from "three blokes in a shed" to staff of over 150, from napkin drawings to Far Eastern sourcing and manufacturer inspections: Brant has done it all.
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Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
You Only Protect What You Love. Living Adventurously 55
00:46:01
Kieran Harkin is a conservationist and educator with 12 years’ experience working for non-profit organisations and over 500 days experience in leading groups of young people in wilderness area. Kieran was on his way to begin a law degree in Manchester when he decided instead to follow his heart and pursue a career protecting the environment. Twelve years on from earning an Msc in Environmental Management, he has never once regretted the change of heart. Kieran's career has taken him to the remote Botswana bush and the Nepalese Himalayas where he has spent long periods leading groups of young people in wilderness areas. He has more than a decade's experience working on conservation projects for non-profit organisations. Kieran strongly believes that all people must be engaged with the natural world to ensure its protection, a vision which led him to found GET OUT. GET OUT is a UK charity, founded in 2018 and based in the London borough of Tower Hamlets. The founding goal of GET OUT is to use environmental education to strengthen the connection between Tower Hamlets' young people and the natural world. Through a programme of outdoor education, surfing, campaigning and permaculture projects GET OUT strives to give young people self-confidence, life skills and experiences which will help them in education, life and as environmentally-conscious members of their local and global communities. They believe ALL young people deserve the same opportunities to experience nature and become voices for its protection regardless of their background. Kieran says, “At GET OUT we want to ensure that the importance of environmental protection is embedded and instilled in people’s values from a young age. Centred on the belief that people will only protect what they love, we believe it is essential for ALL young people to experience and value the natural world.”
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Spend 20 days doing your 'pop up' every night in front of the mirror
Biggest adventure was living in the African bush in Botswana for 7 months.
Got a job offer whilst doing a Masters degree, and the university allowed him to go and study elephants
Masters on Migratory patterns in elephants
I was pretty scared on my first night in the bush. By the end when elephants came through the camp I'd lob stones at them to get them to go away and then go back to sleep
Watching how animals interact is incredibly insightful
It's really important to study animals in nature during a degree course
His experiences in Africa led to him creating Get Out
Works on Tiger conservation in Vietnam and other countries
You can change people by exposure to the natural world
Being in the natural world helps people challenge their values
Get Out is a non-profit to connect disadvantaged people connected with the natural world through permaculture, outdoor education and surfing
If kids are not going out into the natural world, if they are not enjoying it and understanding it, they are not going to protect it.
Get Out tries to reverse these trends
Mostly works in Tower Hamlets in ...
07 Jul 2020
What are you messing around for being miserable? Change it. Living Adventurously 40.
00:35:51
Anna McNuff is an adventurer, author, Ambassador for Girl Guiding, and the co-founder of Adventure Queens; the UK’s fastest growing women’s adventure community. In 2019, Anna ran 2,352 miles (the distance of 90 marathons) through Britain – completely barefoot. Starting in the Shetland Islands and ending five months later in London, she weaved her way along rugged coastlines, through small villages, across moors, along beaches, over farmland and even pitter-pattered down the odd A-road too. Anna says, "I get my kicks by travelling the world on long, human powered journeys, and in sharing those journeys with others. When not running up mountains or sleeping in the wild, I encourage others to grab life by the balls (non-scientific term), and speak and write about the importance of adopting a growth mindset (scientific term), in everything we do. With a background in psychology and a career as an elite athlete under my belt, I’m fascinated by the powerful and delicate relationship that exists between mind and body. I have an insatiable thirst for exploring the limit of human potential, and in better understanding the (often misunderstood) feelings of fear, self-doubt, vulnerability and courage." Anna is awesome.
(It’s completely free, zero hassle to do (click here), but really helpful for me trying to get a new podcast off the ground. If you’re feeling extra kind, please leave a review on the app – that really helps.)
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
Learning to Slow Down and Choose Priorities - Living Adventurously #1
00:31:43
Claire Fuller is training to be an occupational therapist. She loves wild swimming and getting out onto the North Yorkshire moors for overnight camps. Finding the balance between being a busy working woman and a carefree adventurous soul can be difficult.
I spent a month cycling around Yorkshire, interviewing people along the way about their perspectives on trying to live more adventurously. I'd never interviewed anyone for a podcast before; Claire had never been interviewed.
But she did bake me flapjack and take me on a walk to the birthplace of Captain Cook. So I deemed this opening foray into the world of podcasting to be a success!
I was interested to talk to Claire about learning to commit, about adapting to a new career after many years roaming and dabbling, and the ups and downs of being a busy 27-year-old woman who loves the outdoors and adventure.
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Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn ("Alexa, play the Living Adventurously podcast") or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
Follow Claire on Instagram: soon to be occupational therapist making the most of the UK & Ireland’s natural wonders, wild dipping along the way...
Learning to slow down and choose priorities
Travelling the world made her realise that to be a true traveller she needed to know what was on her doorstep
Hitch-hiking round Ireland as a student pushed her boundaries but showed her so many amazing places
Transcript
Below is the transcription of our conversation. It's done by AI so is perhaps a wee bit ropey here and there. If these transcripts prove sufficiently useful then I will make the effort to clean then up and make them better. Do let me know if you think it's worth my time to do that. (Or, better still, do it for me...!). If you'd like to listen as you read along you can do that here:
Alastair Humphreys Hello. This is the first time I've ever recorded a podcast. Literally just take it out of the box and press go. And of course I want to start my podcast with a major hard hitting celebrity interview. So, would you like to introduce yourself?
Claire Fuller And yeah, my name is Claire. I live in Middlesbrough. And I thought that it would be great to meet Alastair to talk about living adventurously.
Alastair Humphreys The reason I wanted to meet you is because you're NOT a hard hitting celebrity, which is exactly what I wanted. I want to try and find normal people living interesting lives. And you live two minutes away from where Captain Cook was born. A Great Yorkshire adventurer. And that seemed like a good, good place to start. So what is your what's your day job?
Claire Fuller My day job is I'm a student, I'm training to be an occupational therapist.
Alastair Humphreys And you like it?
Claire Fuller I do. I love it. I love working with people and I love the flexibility and variety that we have for like peaceful therapists, the kind of people we work with.
Alastair Humphreys Okay, but when when you first got in touch with me, one of the things she said was that you sometimes find it hard to be stuck indoors. So what have you done about being stuck indoors?
Claire Fuller Yeah, so being a student means lots of time in the library or working in a hospital. And so basically every bit of free time I gotta try and get outdoors. Thanks to the concept of micro adventures I get I try and do the overnight camps when I can find a hill somewhere and company. I love wild swimming so I swim down in the river Tees just down the road whenever possible, not in the bit where there's loads of pollution and industry but some nice bits further down. And in the sea when I can.
Alastair Humphreys And you were out last night.
Claire Fuller I was out last night. Yeah, yeah, I camped up by Roseberry Topping with beautiful views between there and Captain Kirk Cook's monument. And the stars. I saw shooting stars. And it was a gorgeous night.
Alastair Humphreys practising what you preach. So you also told me that you struggle a bit with trying to do too much in life, because life is so amazing. And you want to go here and there and do this and see this and do that. So how do you go about trying to find some sort of balance between work and play, earning money, being with your friends, balance,
Claire Fuller I find the balance really hard. It's something I'm really working on. But I'm a bit too excited and enthusiastic about life. Lots of my friends and family will tell you that. And yeah, I have a part time job to see me through my studies, I have money. I study a lot of my time. I volunteer. I've obviously got friends I want to see a lot. I've got a boyfriend and my family live far away. And I'm all about adventure. And so basically, there's not enough hours in the day to do what I want to do. And I have to prioritise, which is unfortunate as studying is my priority. But whenever I've got their free time I do try and get out as much as possible and make sure that I go for a swim once a week and that keeps me keeps my head straight
Alastair Humphreys So how do...
25 Feb 2020
Green Spaces are an Opportunity for People to Come Together and Connect - Living Adventurously 18
00:25:19
Annie Berrington is the founder of Get Out More, a social enterprise working to help people engage with nature to feel better in mind and body. She is a qualified forest school practitioner, a busy mum, and a keen microadventurer. She works with urban groups who are "hard to reach", trying to help them get out into nature more. The biggest barriers aren't the actual dangers but people's fears about them. We are now as a society a generation removed from the free-range childhood we hear about nostalgically. That means that not only are kids not experiencing wild places, their parents never did either. This makes it hard to change habits and build connections with nature.
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Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
I've Never Really Noticed Things Before, Because I Haven't Looked - Living Adventurously #2
00:23:15
Kay Willis is the director at Beyond Boundaries, an organisation that provides opportunities for people with learning disabilities in the beautiful setting of Commondale, North Yorkshire. My ride to the farm took me (after a terrible night's sleep in a gale in a wood) up and over impressive, empty moorland and the first massive hills of my trip. It was a stunning location and extremely peaceful. The farm exuded an atmosphere of warm, welcoming kindness. I was invited in for a cup of tea amidst the busy bustle of getting ready for the day; choosing activities to get stuck into and preparing to feed all the farm animals.
Kay described the work of Beyond Boundaries, which she runs along with her husband Anthony. "Our service users range in age from 14 to over 65. We also provide a service for people of school age who are perhaps finding school very difficult and need a day or two of practical work. We offer a wide range of activities and like to be outside as much as possible, either looking after our animals or perhaps activities in the private woods on the farm. One popular activity is cycling and we have a range of inclusive bikes so that everyone can have a go. Some service users enjoy working with tools and we have a well equipped workshop for those activities. We have donkeys, pigs, sheep, chickens, ducks, pygmy goats and llamas which our service users help to look after, there are also cows on the farm."
Kay and Anthony were made redundant after 20 years of teaching. This difficult event has eventually led to a new life for Kay, of uncertainty and fun. She no longer wants to take time off, loves coming to work, and is enjoying this new chapter of her life now that her own kids are leaving home.
Morning at Beyond Boundaries was fun, informative and thought-provoking. I am sorry to say that I do not know very much about the world of profound mental and physical disabilities. Kay gave me some fascinating perspectives on adventure, challenge and achievement for the disabled people she works with. I loved how much Kay had learned from working with such a variety of characters, and the lively cheerful banter of the farm. It was a happy, kind and inspiring spot, nestled into a beautiful Yorkshire hamlet.
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The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
Beyond Boundaries offers fully inclusive training, activities, sports and courses for people with a range of disabilities in the beautiful countryside and coast of North Yorkshire.
The main difference from working in mainstream education is the never-ending stream of questions.
"I've never really noticed things [slow worms] before, because I haven't looked".
"They've not learned to hide their curiosity because they don't want to look foolish".
"They are more spontaneous" than we are.
Transcript
Below is the transcription of our conversation. It's done by AI so is perhaps a wee bit ropey here and there. If these transcripts prove sufficiently useful then I will make the effort to clean then up and make them better. Do let me know if you think it's worth my time to do that. (Or, better still, do it for me...!). If you'd like to listen as you read along you can do that here:
Kay Okay. I'm Kay. I run a small business called Beyond Boundaries, where we look after people with learning disabilities and physical disabilities.
Alastair Humphreys But you haven't always done that. So can you tell me about your life? In the olden days? What was your life?
Kay I was a teacher in mainstream education, and I taught business and economics for 21-22 years, something like that. And until my daughters were grown up, when I felt I needed a change.
Alastair Humphreys And and what was that change?
Kay Well, when I first left, I took a redundancy payment and spent a year doing not very much really trying to work out what I wanted to do, I met up with a lovely lady called Lucy, who ran a business very similar to the one that we run now, at the same place that we run it, who needs somebody to help her out and we get
Alastair Humphreys to go back. So you went from being a teacher in a normal school, being a mom as well, for 20 years pretty normal routine kind of life with it's the excitement's and dramas of being a teacher. Today, and I only just met you this morning. And I arrived Monday, early Monday morning into what I think I described as a very happy chaos. It's a there's people all over the place doing stuff. And this is running around. There's a lot of energy here, but but it feels to me, like a totally different world to life as a teacher in normal school.
Kay Absolutely. I think you've probably summed it up better than anybody else yet. Chaos, but happy chaos. And I never thought I'd have a job where I actually don'...
11 Aug 2020
Don't submit Zombie films to Adventure film festivals! Living Adventurously 45.
00:54:06
Rosie Riley is the founder of Adventure Uncovered and a dedicated North Sea surfer who settles for cycling, running and outdoor swimming when in London. She is an advocate and promoter of sustainability and clean technology, and working towards a PhD in the sector.
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY The Rebel Book Club, not your average book club.
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Adventure Uncovered's aim: "Our purpose is to influence social and environmental change through responsible adventure. We inspire and motivate outdoor enthusiasts to take positive action towards the health of our planet and its people."
Don't Live in the Prism of Other People's Opinions. Living Adventurously 64
00:48:20
Rhiane Fatinikun was a self-confessed fan of Netflix and raving when she spotted hikers getting off a train in the Peak District and, on the spur of the moment, decided to take up hiking! She set up the Black Girls Hike Instagram page and began leading groups of black women on hikes. Rhiane's mission now is to make the outdoors a safe and welcoming environment for people like her, breaking down barriers, broadening people’s horizons and empowering women to get outside their comfort zone.
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY Adventurous Ink, the book club for outdoor folk. Life is too short not to fill it with adventure. An Adventurous Ink subscription will inspire more memorable experiences and help you reconnect with the natural world whilst you're out there. Each month you'll receive a new book or journal featuring writers, photographers and illustrators who really 'get' the great outdoors.
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Black Girls Hike is a safe space for black women to explore the countryside together
Not connected to the other BGH groups worldwide - just doing her own thing
Her idea of building a community came straight away - "This is great - you need to come!"
Delegating her 'baby' is hard. The other group leaders she met via Instagram. It felt natural to try to target the UK
I don't always want to be in the spotlight, just because I'm the founder. I'm just leading the spirit.
Safe space: you experience so much racism in the UK that you want to be around people who have the shared experience.
Good to go where people don't ask "stupid questions about your tan / hair" and everyone is in the same boat as you.
You can be your authentic self in a safe space.
In her work she senses people have lots of negative perceptions about black people from TV. She is always code-switching so as to not conform to the ideas they have about her.
Conversations in the hills - people are more focussed on their well-being. Positive energy.
BGH is a way to connect people. Friendships form.
Manchester is a transient city so this is place for people to form relationships.
A chance for people to be their best selves
Over 100 people came to the first hike in London
Most of them were new to the outdoors and had never really considered going hiking
99% of the time everyone is really happy to share the outdoors and see you enjoying what they are enjoying.
Marketing the outdoors to black people is not being done right.
The management of National Parks, brands etc are too white and cannot relate.
They want you to be involved but they don't want to include you in the decision making.
Need more than just having the odd black person in the marketing.
It's quite exhausting when people seek her opinion as representative of all black people.
The girls that come to the Black Girls Hike events do not come to the other ones that Rhiane organises - they want to be in that safe space
Flying and "Stuff" are the Biggest Problems in Adventure. Living Adventurously 56
00:56:25
Kate Rawles studied philosophy at Aberdeen University, and environmental philosophy at Glasgow and Colorado State Universities. She was an indoor philosophy lecturer at Lancaster University for nearly a decade before leaving to work freelance in 2000. From 2004-2014 she worked half-time as a lecturer in Outdoor Studies at the University of Cumbria – teaching ‘big picture’ environmental issues, sustainability, environmental education and a bit of sea kayaking – and half-time as a freelance outdoor philosopher, writer, lecturer and environmental campaigner. She left Cumbria University in 2014 to develop her freelance work and make time for adventures, beginning with The Life Cycle journey.
Kate is passionate about the need to find urgent, effective and suitably radical responses to our multiple environmental challenges (including giving our values and worldviews a thorough overhaul) – and firmly believes our quality of life can go up rather than down in the process. She’s excited about the potential of adventurous journeys as a communication medium and believes the adventure of sustainability is an adventure we’re all on, one way or another.
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The attitudes to ClimateChange she encountered varied from blank faces, having never heard of it, thought it was a myth, God's will, or that the government would fix it. And then some people who were very keen on fixing it.
Kate loves travelling in America - the people, the landscapes, the generosity, the variety
I am not athletic, got into cycling as a way of commuting.
Cycling is an amazing way for even unfit people to cover miles. Every mundane journey becomes an adventure
A bike is like a magician - it scatters adventure all around you.
The idea that I can conquer mountains is ludicrous and I dislike that narrative with a passion.
Overcoming nature is an inappropriate narrative right now - the idea that we can 'defeat' nature has got us into a heck of a lot of trouble over the years
I think we need a different narrative now - we are part of nature. I like to think of myself as a citizen of an ecological community (on the same terms as everything else) - that really helps shift perspective
It's not just a human community - it's an everything community
Her ride through America changed her opinion of her carbon footprint. Flying to the US, she realised, demonstrated a mindset that is exactly part of the problem, "well my flight is different, my flight is special, my flight is justified."
Kate is on a flight ration - once every 3 years. Works well when talking to people rather than saying "quit flying"
It is not possible to tackle climate change without changing our lifestyles. Yet consumerism is not really the best, happiest lifestyle is it?
Number of bikes needed = n+1 [where 'n' = number you currently have]
Number of bikes needed = s-1 [where 's' = number at which your partner dumps you]
Outdoor brands: Adventure can stand for a different model of 'quality of life' if it is about connection with nature, quality of experience, time outdoors, pushing yourself in different ways.
The Wild Harvest school of self-reliance. Living Adventurously 33
00:20:29
Diana Page was raised by her soldier Grandfather and hippy Father in an unconventional upbringing for a little girl in the seventies. A childhood that necessitated teaching herself self-reliance skills led to a university post-graduate education in Criminal Psychology and teaching at college. Three children later, Di gave up academia to raise her children alone and off-grid in a remote North Yorkshire Dale. They had no heating, loo, or running hot water, living in a green painted caravan in a five acre field, they lived very simply using what was around them. Di now runs the Wild Harvest school of self-reliance.
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Unusual childhood with a soldier grandfather and a hippy father
Basically left to her own devices as a child
Peaked senses - the best part of living off the land. You're not blanketed by comfort
You can hold your dream, and when you are ready you can live it
Guilt at the separation between being indoors with central heating and what the weather is like outdoors
Raising kids off-grid
post grad in Decision Making in Sex Offending
Permaculture - observe then accept feedback (closed loop system)
I've had so many responsibilities for so long I just want to put on my backpack and walk
THIS PODCAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KOMOOT
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
Zahrah Mahmood lives in Scotland and loves the mountains. She says, "you can find me in the hills with some sort of head covering." For Zahrah is known on Instagram as 'the Hillwalking Hijabi', sharing her cheerful, joyful experiences with a fast-growing audience. Zahrah is at the forefront of a new urgency to make the outdoors more welcoming, more diverse, more representative. I really enjoyed chatting. to Zahrah about what first got her into the outdoors, the joy it brings her, the grind of microagressions and how the outdoor community can become more welcoming to everyone.
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY Trees for Cities, the only UK charity working at a national and international scale to improve lives by planting trees in cities. They get stuck in with local communities to cultivate lasting change in neighbourhoods – whether it’s revitalising forgotten spaces, creating healthier environments or getting people excited about growing, foraging and eating healthy food.
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Complained the whole way up her first mountain and didn't do anything again for about a year!
Links the mountains to the spiritual aspects of her life
Her preconception was that the hills were for fit people and crazy people.
I'm not the fastest or the fittest, I just enjoy hillwalking.
To welcome people to the hills, you should have a conversation with them before cheering them on, otherwise it can be a bit overwhelming - make sure that they actually are newcomers to the hills and not just unfit!
A Munro is a Scottish mountain over 3000ft. There are 282. Zahrah has bagged 21 of them.
Buachaille Etive Beag is her favourite peak so far.
Hiking with other people adds to the spiritual side for Zahrah - she doesn't hike alone. Enjoys the company and the deep chats, the philosophical and spiritual side.
A lot of people think hiking and hillwalking is more complicated than it is.
You don't need fancy, expensive gear. Trainers are fine for some hikes.
Lockdown has got Zahrah planning a camping trip when she feels comfortable to do so - some Munros require a night out in a tent or a bothy
Despite growing up in Scotland she didn't get introduced to the mountains as a kid. She was in the gardening and computer clubs and enjoyed playing badminton.
The outdoor community can become more welcoming to broader groups by having brands showcase adventurers and improving representation. Sticking a person of colour on their feed then thinking "tick, we've done it". We can see through that.
Brands need to take actual steps to champion diversity.
Not to say anything is wrong
The complex pros and cons of the 'black square' day on Instagram
Outdoors Facebook Groups - lots of racist comments / stereotyping in the aftermath of BLM.
Zahrah doesn't like getting dragged into other people's racist arguments
South Asians are at risk of many health ailments - the outdoors / hiking could be very powerful for this, if they were encouraged and welcomed more.
Reaching out to local community groups is a way of diversifying walking groups (and...
13 Mar 2020
"If I could live my life over I'd have been braver in my 20s." Living Adventurously 21
00:33:30
Michaela Hanna has completed IronManUK, the Lakeland50 ultra mountain marathon, cycled from Edinburgh to London and across the Western Cape of South Africa. She therefore has personal experience of the significance of precise and relevant nutrition and places a high level of importance on the nutritional value of the food. Having spent time working in fine-dining restaurants, high-end event catering companies and as a private chef alongside her day job, the time came for Michaela to follow her joy and feed people full-time again as a private chef.
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Adventure is embracing the unknown which is scary for me as I'm a bit of a control freak
My preference is to do short, intense bursts of work and then get away for adventures
Being restless and unsettled can be seen as a downside but it drives you forward and keeps you moving
I'm very purposeful and have to find meaning in everything. That can be exhausting
It's a problem when nothing is enough and you're always striving for more
I remind myself grateful how lucky I am
Working for myself means that for now I'm busy trying to get the money side of my life sorted
I think it's easier to find a good balance when you're self-employed
I schedule in my free time otherwise it never happens
In the first months I lay in bed thinking 'what on earth have i done'
It's a bit scary but I'd far rather rather work for myself than work for a toxic organisation
Always, always follow your joy
I've changed from a steady job, security, control freak to the risky freedom of what I'm doing now
Put the intention out there, and it will follow
It takes bravery and I'm going to change everything and make this happen
There's no space for mediocrity in life
If I could live my life over I'd have been braver in my 20s.
I'd advise a woman in her 20s to not allow her decision making to be influenced by a relationship
To be truly happy you need to either have everything you want or nothing at all
THIS PODCAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KOMOOT
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
We Need to Reclaim Time to Think in Our Life if we are to Do Meaningful Things - Living Adventurously #12
00:34:27
Sophie Stephenson was living the life she’d always wanted. She had a well-paid dream job in Australia, lived in a beautiful place and felt secure in the knowledge that this could go on, indefinitely. But she was, she realised, unfulfilled. She was not, it turned out, truly happy with this life at all.
By chance Sophie came across a reference to Nancy Kline’s book Time to Think. She described a way of being with one another that is both incredibly simple, and incredibly rare. We don’t give ourselves, or others, the freedom to think without interruption, or judgment, or time limits, or an obsession with outcomes. We limit our thinking, our conversations, our relationships and our entire lives by confining our minds.
Sophie began to question the life she had chosen. She began to ask what she really wanted, to explore the ‘authentic’ me, her instinctive mind, and gradually, she began to reclaim what really mattered. Sophie left corporate life, moved back to the UK, and met the man who is now her husband and father to her two children.
We need to reclaim time to think in our life if we are to do meaningful things with our life.
I was struck by how deeply Sophie listened and quickly figured me out. It was almost bizarre, in a nice way. I asked her how I could become a better listener, and how to ask better questions - both pretty crucial things for a novice podcaster to get to grips with...
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Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
The Thinking Project helps exceptional purpose-driven women create time and space so they can consciously create lives they love & businesses where everyone thrives.
We need to reclaim time to think in our life if we are to do meaningful things with our life.
Don't just fill the time with nothing: it needs to be a bit more conscious and structured than that.
Ruminative thinking - we just go over and over the same thoughts time and again (often negative)
Our brains try to keep us safe by just thinking the same stuff over and over
Thinking with someone else rather than ourselves helps keep it focussed rather than distracted. Having someone listen to us makes it easier.
Usually we come up with lists of all the things we don't want
First big question: "what do you really want?"
We jump to assumptions that stop us doing what we want to do, largely without evidence, largely unexamined.
At root there are a couple of major assumptions that stop us: a sense of worthiness, belonging and being enough.
We all have a need for safety, connection and autonomy, but they manifest in different ways for each of us.
Thinking is like a seed - it needs the right conditions to thrive
Consciously choose what it is that you want and do not want in life.
We need to warm up to thinking well and more deeply. Ask "so what?" to your answers lots of times.
Being a better listener starts with talking less, and choosing to become a better listener. Stop interrupting. Get really interested in other people.
Get interested in other people. Not necessarily in the subject they are interested in, but in the fact that they are interested in that.
To ask better questions, think about what is the purpose of your question?
The best questions are ones that you do not know the answer to.
Ask either very broad or very specific questions. For example, "what do you want to think about?"
Her decision-making has changed. It used to be about challenge and proving what a well-lived life entailed.
Often we lead the life that we think we Should live, rather than the life of our choice.
Change your motivations from being fear-based to doing things that you love.
When making a big change some people leap into the unknown, others establish some breathing space and time and security to cushion the leap.
You don't have to make enormous changes and drastic switches - it can be small steps that are transformative and life-changing.
The experiences when we are vulnerable are often those that transform our lives
The relationship between vulnerability and trust
Meditate, drink lots of water, and remove social media from the phone - all simple but not easy and beneficial things.
TRANSCRIPT
Below is the transcription of our conversation. It’s done by AI so is perhaps a wee bit ropey here and there. If these transcripts prove sufficiently useful then I will make the effort to clean then up and make them better. Do let me know if you think it’s worth my time to do that. (Or, better still, do it for me…...
04 Aug 2020
Change is always good; attempting things out of your comfort zone is important. Living Adventurously 44.
01:07:44
Danny Bent was voted one of the 100 happiest people in the UK, and one of the 50 most inspirational people in London. He is an award winning author and journalist, Guinness World Record holder, and celebrated adventurer and community leader.
Danny helps people who feel chained by life to break free, come together and realise they are capable of the incredible. Creating happier lives, more powerful leaders and encouraging the artists of life to create.
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY The Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, a small charity doing big things to protect & enhance this special place & enable everyone to enjoy it.
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Wisdom from a Professional Sand Castle Builder - Living Adventurously 25
00:40:07
Jamie Wardley is a professional sand artist who creates far more than the sand castles I joked about. In his own words, "I am a mixed bag with a dose of art, a sprinkle of theatre and an education in Environmental Sciences. I have always tried to do things that bring enjoyment, as I believe if you do, then there is a real chance you will be successful and fulfilled.
All the details sort themselves out in the end and great things happen if you just have a go. This led me to working in ice hotels and international sand sculpture festivals across the globe." This is an episode brimful of interesting nuggets about creativity, entrepreneurship, routines and art. My chat with Jamie was one of the most surprising of my journey. I enjoyed it very much. I hope that you do too.
(It’s completely free, zero hassle to do (click here), but really helpful for me trying to get a new podcast off the ground. If you’re feeling extra kind, please leave a review on the app – that really helps.)
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Don't undervalue routine - it's a good chance to reset and develop your business and yourself
Flair plus drive - you're going to get better at anything
His young daughter draws every day - practicing - because she wants to
Become the best in your tiny niche
The way it started was by saying 'hello' to someone [a sand sculptor] on holiday
Application and passion and enthusiasm is more important than raw flair
If people want this sort of thing then they can find it - getting a good blog and telling the world about it was key
niche, if you can, is really good
First time he got paid was for making a mermaid in Warrington
First one was very stressful but he has developed a self-confidence from persistence
Working out your running overheads is really important
25% art, the rest is running a business and planning
When you're an artist you really want to focus. But leading a team you are constantly being distracted.
There's only so many things you can do in life, so you need to focus on what you really want to do any say 'no' to everything else
You have to allow yourself and your team to make mistakes. That's really important.
Choosing a day rate is hard - this day has to pay for all the other days
Economic worth - the base costs, plus how much is something worth to the other side
Charge what it's worth, not what it costs.
If you have takeaway fish and chips don't put on vinegar - it sweats and go mushy
Originally was going to be an outdoor pursuits instructor
Allow yourself to have a go
You don't have to win to be a winner, you just have to try. A lot of people fail merely because they don't try
Ambitions are fluid - once you reach A you want to get to B
I started by having fun and following my nose. It's the path to fulfilment. Follow your nose and opportunities will arise
THIS PODCAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KOMOOT
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The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
One Thing at a Time, as Beautiful as Possible - Living Adventurously 14
00:25:26
Thom Barnett runs Mamnick, a clothing brand passionate about cycling. The tagline is "one thing at a time, as beautiful as possible". I cajoled Thom out of bed at early o'clock and we cycled out of Sheffield together, nipping down the back alleys and cycle paths he knows so well. Over breakfast I asked the fine arts graduate about life as a fashion designer, loving what you do, and Thom's love for exploring the hills and lanes of the Peak District.
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Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
I'm a fashion designer, but I also make the cups of tea and post my own clothes.
Do one thing at a time, as beautiful as possible.
If it was all about money I'd have a proper job.
I wanted to make a living doing something that I enjoy.
When cycling you do more chatting than in other sports, and some of the conversations you have can be fantastic.
I managed to make a living from my brand after about six months.
A lot of the challenge of turning dream into reality is about confidence
Story-telling is really important, but the narrative around this brand just wrote itself and was natural.
You don't want anything to feel phony. You don't want to have to blag it.
Yomping - your own marching pace - less about training and more about riding your bike, being in the moment, and living at your own pace
I've made life hard for myself at times by being so outspoken
Real things, real places, real people resonate more with real people.
My brand has basically become an extension of my own life
I can ride so much in the Peaks without going on the same road twice, so I don't feel much desire to load up my bike and cycle round the world. A friend of mine cycled round the world and told me that the Peak District has the best roads.
TRANSCRIPT
Below is the transcription of our conversation. It’s done by AI so is perhaps a wee bit ropey here and there. If these transcripts prove sufficiently useful then I will make the effort to clean then up and make them better. Do let me know if you think it’s worth my time to do that. (Or, better still, do it for me…!). If you’d like to listen as you read along you can do that here:
Managing a Farm through as many natural processes as possible. Living Adventurously 41
00:34:08
Leigh and Neil Heseltine run a traditional hill farm in Malham in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. They breed pedigree Belted Galloway cattle and Swaledale sheep in 1100 acres of limestone scenery, grazing animals free to roam the wilds. They place an emphasis on leaving room for nature and Regenerative Agriculture.
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Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
There's an intrigue and fascination with hill farming
When something becomes your daily life you forget that it is interesting
4th generation farmer
Biggest change in Neil's farming life is the mechanisation of the job
Managing the farm through as many natural processes as possible
Growing up in a small village is a very family-based, traditional community
A lot of people in farming struggle to get the work-life balance right
In amongst the busy-ness it is hard to squeeze in any time for yourself, especially being a mother and working
THIS PODCAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KOMOOT
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
Living an Authentic Life is One Less Thing to Worry About
00:29:36
Louise McMahon is a climber, caver, diver, occasional photographer and a trans woman she/her. So says her Twitter bio, and I like the order she has chosen to list things in.
Once Louise had unpicked and identified the problems she faced, the big change of committing to transition was a sudden release and huge relief. Committing was, in the end, easier than hiding. And none of the worries she had beforehand came to pass.
I began this podcast to ask people about worlds that overlap with my own but are also very different. Louise's open, thoughtful explanations of realising that she was not living the life she wanted to lead - and then summoning the boldness to make a massive change - are the very epitome of what I wanted on this living adventurously podcast.
(It’s completely free, zero hassle to do (click here), but really helpful for me trying to get a new podcast off the ground. If you’re feeling extra kind, please leave a review on the app – that really helps.)
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
Neither climbing or caving is scary - if you're scared you're probably doing it wrong.
High consequence actions versus the low risk of those high consequences.
The notion of consequences versus likelihood of happening are different things and useful in business
Once Louise had unpicked and identified the problems she faced, the big change of committing to transition was a sudden release and huge relief.
Committing was, in the end, easier than hiding.
None of the worries she had beforehand came to pass.
Humans are cautious creatures and we tend to focus a lot on the worries beforehand. Yet we don't realise what all the benefits might be until we have committed.
Spin-off benefits and enhanced self-confidence.
Living an authentic life is one less thing to worry about
"Sometimes I think 'oh, I'd quite like to do it one day', then just say 'oh, sod it, and do it!'"
TRANSCRIPT
Below is the transcription of our conversation. It’s done by AI so is perhaps a wee bit ropey here and there. If these transcripts prove sufficiently useful then I will make the effort to clean then up and make them better. Do let me know if you think it’s worth my time to do that. (Or, better still, do it for me…!). If you’d like to listen as you read along you can do that here:
Alastair Humphreys we met via Twitter originally and on there you say you're a climber and a caver. which is more scary.
Louise McMahon I don't think either is scary. If you getting scared you're probably doing it wrong or doing taking too many risks. Or not managing the risks well enough as like caving. If you get it wrong, it can be really dangerous.
Alastair Humphreys But you're not doing it for the adrenaline.
Louise McMahon no. I do the climbing because I enjoy it. So I like being out in the hills and the caving is exploration often find new cave and new new things
Alastair Humphreys Have you gone somewhere No one's ever been before?
Louise McMahon not no one's ever been before. But never in the last several hundred years. We do a lot in 17th century mines.
Alastair Humphreys Wow. That's a Amazing, isn't it? Well within an hour of massive city. how did you get into caving?
Louise McMahon I was a climber before that. And then so driving around the Peak District to these kind of moody people with harnesses with the equipment that looks a bit like climbing and I thought I'll give it a go. And so I found my newest book, to me is a technical psychological group and consultant. I went along and loved it just and just carried on doing it. And so I've been doing it unit now.
Alastair Humphreys decliners in cave is like each other.
Louise McMahon Hmm, interesting. I do both. There are the climbers in our club. And they don't tend to mix too well, because climbers like to get up quite early and got climbing and cables don't care what time of the day is and will drink until four in the morning because it's going to be dark anyway. So I'm a headphone, you know, having my in?
Alastair Humphreys what's the what's the difference in mindset between someone who is a good cave and somebody who's a good climate.
Louise McMahon I think good cavers are happy to suffer but also a doing it for a different reason. Often, we're doing it to extra, whereas a lot of climbers are just doing it because they like climbing and and that's fine.
Alastair Humphreys So it's okay. So it's more of a
bit more of a mission to Yeah, baby and purpose perhaps Yeah,
Louise McMahon yeah. You know, I am, before I started taping, I build things, I'll do th...
10 Nov 2020
Volunteering is Not Only Giving Something Back, it's Doing Something for Yourself. Living Adventurously 59
00:54:06
Paul Sinton-Hewitt is the founder of Parkrun, the worldwide phenomenon that sees thousands rock up to local parks around the world every Saturday morning to run a timed 5k. Parkrun is a positive, welcoming and inclusive experience where there is no time limit and no one finishes last. Everyone is welcome to come along, whether you walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate.
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY Outdoors Rocks, a well-curated collection of outdoor and adventure movies, from mountain biking to kayaking, extreme skiing to climbing the biggest mountains. Outdoorsrocks.com is the hub for outdoor video content.
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You've got to try and live every single day to the fullest - embrace the opportunities that exist and be as happy as you can about everything
Very early on I realised my own limitations. I am a generalist. I need specialists around me.
Brought in experts to ParkRun - handed over control of ParkRun UK and then worldwide. Feelings of immense loss.
The handover period was unpleasant and uncomfortable, but he knew that the right things were happening.
Difference between being inclusive and actively targeting under-represented groups. ParkRun targets disadvantaged communities deliberately and tries to draw people out.
ParkRun takes place in prisons
Behavioural Insights: things need to be Easy, Attractive, Social and Timely.
Everyone is welcome to ParkRun
I was not looking for monumental growth. Began with 13. When it got to 100, Paul thought "oh my god!"
Didn't ask anyone's permission to begin
Good decision in life - try to understand yourself. Be honest about your weaknesses. Then be honest to those you love about your weaknesses.
Have a Meaningful Specific - Don't Try to Please Everyone. Living Adventurously 53
00:47:37
David Hanney is the Co-founder and CEO at Alpkit, an outdoor and bike brand for enthusiasts and adventurers. We chatted about buying and selling stuff, what makes a good adventure film, the community of working in an outdoor brand, taking the elitism out of adventure, the need for a new approach to adventure, sustainability, and Blue Peter annuals.
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY WildBounds, who deliver both exceptional kit from independent brands and inspiration for your next adventure.
(If your company or organisation is interested in sponsoring Living Adventurously, please get in touch!)
(It’s completely free, zero hassle to do (click here), but very helpful for me. If you’re feeling extra kind, please leave a review on the app – that really helps.)
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Alpkit founded by a group of friends who enjoyed the outdoors but were frustrated by the gatekeepers of the retail stores.
Listen to your customers. Make a really good product. Serve your customers.
Alpkit moved from online to stores. Retailers just have an urge to have shops. Commercially it makes sense as the internet isn't the free democratic space it seems to be. Google and Amazon are the gatekeepers.
Web sales are stronger in places that they have stores. The stores make a sense of place. Becomes a hub to do stuff.
There is a Broken Connection Between Cities and Wildness - Living Adventurously 13
00:37:57
Professor Ian Rotherham is an expert on a range of environmental issues, including urban wildlife, extreme weather, flooding and climate change. He has published extensively in academic journals, and has released a number of books on UK wildlife and the environment. Ian is a man positively bursting with enthusiasm and knowledge and ideas.
Ian poured forth a cheerful stream of lessons on the environment, eco-tourism and rewilding. We talked about the cultural severance between cities and wildness, and the reassuring dictum that you can change the world, a little bit at a time: perhaps by beginning with rewilding your back garden.
(It’s completely free, zero hassle to do (click here), but really helpful for me trying to get a new podcast off the ground. If you’re feeling extra kind, please leave a review on the app – that really helps.)
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
You can change the world, even incrementally and a bit at a time. Rewilding your garden is a good start.
Globally and in Britain, in terms of nature conservation, biodiversity and sustainability we are indeed in a very bad way – essentially the ecosystem is broken and we need to mend it
The problems are not as simple as carbon = climate change = plant lots of trees! Such naïve thinking is actually dangerously misconceived
Rewilding offers a radical new approach to resolving many of the issues in ways which are, paraphrased from Lawton (2010), bigger, bolder, better, more joined …..However, this idea needs to connect with a far wider community especially in urban areas
Additionally, approaches have to be paid for and not just with ‘ecosystem services which are community goods’ – but with MONEY ….. (This is a fact not popular with politicians for example!)
I suggest that farmers & farming have to be part of the SOLUTION and are not, as often portrayed, the problem
TRANSCRIPT
Below is the transcription of our conversation. It’s done by AI so is perhaps a wee bit ropey here and there. If these transcripts prove sufficiently useful then I will make the effort to clean then up and make them better. Do let me know if you think it’s worth my time to do that. (Or, better still, do it for me…!). If you’d like to listen as you read along you can do that here:
If You Ride a Bike You Are a Cyclist. Living Adventurously 54
00:53:23
Brian Cookson is the former president of British Cycling, helping to oversee the miraculous transformation of the sport to become Team GB's most successful Olympic sport. He was also the president of UCI (Union Cycliste International), tackling the doping problems which have plagued the sport. Brian is a keen amateur cyclist himself. He also loves trees and posts a daily Tree of the Day photograph on Twitter.
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY Adventurous Ink, the book club for adventurous folk. Each month you'll receive a new book or journal featuring writers, photographers and illustrators who really 'get' the great outdoors. Their unique subscription will inspire more memorable experiences and help you reconnect with the natural world whilst you're out there.
(If your company or organisation is interested in sponsoring Living Adventurously, please get in touch!)
(It’s completely free, zero hassle to do (click here), but very helpful for me. If you’re feeling extra kind, please leave a review on the app – that really helps.)
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
I spent a glorious summer month cycling around Yorkshire, the county where I grew up.
I wanted to feel how exploring locally compared to exploring distant continents.
And I was interested in the idea of ‘home’ - and whether it is possible to have a proper adventure — make a REAL journey — close to home.
It turned out to be such a fantastic experience — riding through mile after mile of beautiful landscapes, discovering so many places I had never seen in all my life, and sleeping out under the stars for weeks on end. It was genuinely one of the adventuring highlights of my life.
But the best part of this journey — by a long way, was the privileged opportunity of learning from so many ordinary people who have chosen to live extra-ordinary lives. This then is not a podcast about adventure or cycling or camping.
I met students and parents and pensioners. Poets, artists, athletes, teachers. An IT expert and someone who earns a living from making fancy sandcastles. A man who lived out of a van; another whose castle had been in the family for 800 years. I met a self-confessed lazy chef, and a woman midway through running 100 barefoot marathons. I interviewed a gold medal Paralympian cyclist, a couple who had cycled round the world together, and a retired lady who takes old, homebound, lonely folk out on a modified electric bicycle for a taste of freedom, adventure and feeling the wind in their hair once again.
In each episode you’ll hear an un-edited conversation about the guest’s slant on living a curious, adventurous, fulfilled life.
I also had a deck of blank playing cards on which I’d written some of the big questions from life — about finding a balance between work and play, the barriers that stop us doing what we dream of, overcoming fears, and where you sit on a scale of weirdness from 1 to 10. Asking very different people an assortment of similar questions created some fascinating answers.
The interviews will all be released in the order that I recorded them, mirroring my own journey on the bike and the lessons I learned from each guest along the way.
Every character I spoke to was good company and a thoughtful guest. But inevitably you’ll find one person more interesting than another. If someone doesn’t float your boat just skip on to the next episode: there are over 40 interviews in this series. Life’s too short to listen to a chat you’re not that keen on!
I had never recorded interviews like this, never done a podcast before. For Many of the people I chatted to it was their first time being interviewed. I liked that very much. Ordinary people pursuing their own version of out-of-the-ordinary. I really wanted to speak to normal people, not famous people. It made the experience fresh and surprising and honest. I hope that you agree.
The podcast world is a crowded one — there’s so much good stuff out there clamouring for your ears. So if you do like the sound of this Living Adventurously podcast, could I ask you to help me by subscribing to the podcast (it’s free of course) on the podcast provider of your choice.
If you can be bothered it would also be a great help if you left a review, or mentioned Living Adventurously on your own social media channels.
Thank you, and welcome to Living Adventurously — I really, really hope that these conversations give you some ideas of your own towards living more adventurously every day.
SPONSOR: Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
Some of the Best Things have come from Ridiculous Ideas. Living Adventurously 49
01:01:20
Dan Raven-Ellison is a Guerrilla Geographer & Creative Explorer. He led the campaign to make London the world’s first National Park City and is working on a new project called “Slow Ways” to collaboratively create a network of 4,000+ walking routes that connect all of Great Britain’s towns and cities. Walking can improve health and wellbeing, tackle the climate and ecological emergencies, save people money, improve our environment and bring joy to people’s lives. In 2018 Dan also completed a completed a 100 metre nano-expedition for Friends of the Earth to make The UK in 100 Seconds, a short film that reveals what the United Kingdom looks like in its correct proportions. Each second of the film equals 1% of what the UK looks like from the air.
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY Soundshack Studios, a recording studio offering recording, mixing, production, composition & PA hire services for all applications, including podcasts and audiobooks.
(If your company or organisation is interested in sponsoring Living Adventurously, please get in touch!)
(It’s completely free, zero hassle to do (click here), but very helpful for me. If you’re feeling extra kind, please leave a review on the app – that really helps.)
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
London is full of empty childhoods. Children are an indicator species to the health of a community.
By not letting kids play outside parents are depriving them of so much (including their health)
Shifting baseline syndrome
Childhood needs to be safe enough, but not totally safe
What if? Why not' is the mantra of NPC
Why are we not prioritising nature, wildlife, childhoods in our cities?
We need to open imaginations and also highlight injustices
The geographies of why different groups of people are not going outside is very complicated and varied - the answers can change from one end of a street to another.
Other than white men - every other social group is under-represented in nature
Taking people out into nature and showing them it is an important way to broaden the range of people who experience it
People like watching nature on TV, but don't really care about it enough to actually care for it
The power of the story, and giving people epiphanies, is key to getting ideas off the ground
There is so much to be positive about.
Within cities we already have all the talent we need to make changes. The trouble is that the ideas are not spreading quickly enough and for action to take place.
It often takes years to get to the starting point.
It's often about jumping into the void and hoping for the best
We have very distorted impressions about land use and how much space there is in our countries.
5-7% of the country has been built on. 50% is used for agriculture ('milk and cheese')
Britain is one of the most nature-depleted countries on the planet
If we were to double the size of all hedgerows and hol...
17 Dec 2019
Adventure is Being Open to the Possibility of Something Changing Your Life in Ways You Can't Predict - Living Adventurously #6
00:24:30
Helen Mort is a busy woman. She is an award-winning poet and novelist, a runner and a climber. She has also recently become a mum which has transformed her perspective on living adventurously. She told me about being open to the possibilities of change in your life, and the weird way in which an expedition to Greenland can feel less daunting than staying in Sheffield at a gathering of other new parents. Helen is not only a highly-acclaimed poet but also a lecturer in creative writing. So I was intrigued to hear her take on imposter syndrome and her masochistic enjoyment of attempting creative projects that she has no idea how to complete. I had slept on a river bank (beneath a tree with a noisy hooting owl) the night before meeting Helen, so I was glad that I had the chance to chug down a speedy espresso at the cafe before Helen arrived. She is an incredibly smart woman and my brain needed all the help it could get! Helen graduated from Cambridge with a degree in Social and Political Sciences. In 2014, she completed her Doctorate at Sheffield University with a Ph.D thesis in English and Neuroscience. To clear her mind, Helen enjoys running in the Hills of the Peak District.
(It's completely free, zero hassle to do (click here), but really helpful for me trying to get a new podcast off the ground. If you're feeling extra kind, please leave a review on the app - that really helps.)
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn ("Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast") or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
"I enjoyed running because it was the first time I'd ever been good at something physical."
The difference between running and climbing for clarity.
There are times in your life when you can't just 'take off' but you can pretend you can by manageable adventurers
The changing approach to adventure (and writing) with parenthood.
Taking a baby running or up Snowdon - Helen enjoys that side of adventure
The baby gives her adventures more purpose because Helen is exposing them to adventure and the outdoors.
Adventure is being open to the possibility of something changing your life in ways you can't predict.
Life feels less risky when I'm in Greenland rather in Sheffield with a group of mums
The need for security stops Helen going freelance as a writer.
Fear of your own inadequacy.
Wilfully feeds her imposter syndrome by trying new genres.
Likes doing things she doesn't know whether she can do.
Writing comes from an urge to communicate and to connect
Transcript
Below is the transcription of our conversation. It's done by AI so is perhaps a wee bit ropey here and there. If these transcripts prove sufficiently useful then I will make the effort to clean then up and make them better. Do let me know if you think it's worth my time to do that. (Or, better still, do it for me...!). If you'd like to listen as you read along you can do that here:
Alastair Humphreys Helen, thank you for meeting me. I'm sitting on a Saturday morning outside nice cafe, your local cafe, you seem to know everybody walks past with the little one. And who's desperate at the microphone. So we'll give this a go see how we get on. And my first question to you is because I asked this for everyone who's done a PhD? Yeah. Because I love it. What was the title of your PhD? and
Helen Mort I'm embarrassed to say it! So the first part is a quote, I must emphasise. "something else, then something else. neuroscience: neuroscience and connexion making in contemporary poetry."
Alastair Humphreys I Really, absolutely love people's PhD titles. And I won't I won't ask another question about it! You're a climber and runner?
Helen Mort Yeah, kinda. Definitely. Not so much of a climber.
Alastair Humphreys Okay. And, and one of the things you enjoy it for is the clarity of it. Can you tell me a bit about that? Why you like the running and the climbing.
Helen Mort And well actually is I came to climb in a bit later I ran, I was quite, I think it was quite a quite a stocky little kid, I did a lot of walking with my dad, when I was a kid, I was always quite into something German sports, but I never thought of myself as particularly sporty. And I sort of got into running a secondary school and got picked to do a race decided to train for it. And then on the day that PT should pick someone else. And I was really upset and asked if I could run anyway, and then ended up doing quite well. So it kind of all started from there. And so I always enjoyed. I enjoyed running because it was the first time I've been good at anything sort of physical. And that then became my because of that it then became I becam...
10 Mar 2020
"I wanted to create the Runners' equivalent of a Biker Cafe." - Living Adventurously 20
00:31:11
Ben Dave ran a lap of Yorkshire because he needed a big challenge after running changed his life, helping him lose 30kg and stop smoking a couple of packets a day. Running also helped Ben with his mental health. When he was feeling down and lonely, Ben could only think of going to the pub as an option. Therefore he set up the Early Bird Run Crew - a friendly, daily, early 5km run in his home town to connect the community, making everyone happier and stronger individuals.
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He made a video about his trip and put it online to force him to commit to it
Raised £7000 before even beginning
Asking for help - people like vulnerability and people like to help
Biggest worry was getting a blister!
I never really thought very far ahead - the distance was too intimidating
I wanted to talk about my experience of mental health, and this was a platform to do that
When he was feeling down and lonely he could only think of going to the pub as an option. Therefore he has set up a running group to try to deal with that
Early Bird Run Crew. 6am / 6.30, every weekday. 6 turned up on Day 1.
He didn't know many people who run, but also saw loads of people out running by themselves every day. He wanted to bring people together
Wanted to create the runners equivalent of a bikers cafe
I don't want it to be 'my' thing, rather to be 'our' thing
For me, running massively helps my mental health. If I come out early and run, I'll have a good day.
It's brought some accountability and regularity to me
It's a way of bringing people together
Just because people are smiling on the outside doesn't mean that people are happy
Trying to chat to GPs to get running prescribed
Running can be a tool in the armoury of working against suicide
Running is such a leveller - we have bin men and chief execs. But when you're running it doesn't make any difference.
The difference we have with Park Run is the regularity - being able to do it regularly rather than having a whole week to get through. Important from a mental health point of view
THIS PODCAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KOMOOT
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
The Hardest Part of an Adventure is Coming Home Again - Living Adventurously 31
00:32:32
Clare Nattress and Matty Waudby cycled round the world together. Clare is a PhD Candidate Arts Researcher & Lecturer and an artist. Matty is an adventurous creative with a love for bicycles, camping and the great outdoors. He aims to create inspirational imagery that documents human interaction with nature and to show that there is always more than we realise outside the front door. (Matty created the funky logo for my podcast!)
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Different perspectives and motives for cycling round the world together
I wanted to go with no date and that was my end goal - to set off into the unknown
Being a teacher - people suck your creativity, so I was not inspired myself as an artist
Cycling RTW was about finding creativity again
Odd jobs Matt v Career Claire. Interesting diff takes on all this
Facing an adventure together when you both have the same mindset is easier
I'm not an idiot, but I've done idiotic things. There is a difference
Claire - only done a week's bikepacking in Scotland, then agreed to cycle RTW
Coming back has been the hardest part. I've had to start from scratch with my career and that has been quite frustrating.
Going back to the same job afterwards it's hard
Seeing different things is the best way to broaden your horizons and give you ideas to do things. You have a lot of time on the bike to mull things over.
If you're a photographer you need to get off your bike and make the effort to take good photos.
Not having a mileometer changes the vibe of a trip
Happiness and contentment are different things. Happiness should be saved for special occasions.
Enough is learning to be content with what we have. And social media is a pain in the arse for that.
THIS PODCAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KOMOOT
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
The Inspirations and Limitations for Women Getting into the Outdoors - Living Adventurously episode #7
00:27:41
Hetty Key combined her industry experience of the Outdoor / Adventure world with her academic background to investigate issues surrounding women in adventure. Hetty is passionate about using data to increase diversity and improve accessibility within the outdoors. Women in Adventure offers a collective voice for women, empowering others through the sharing of information, inspiration and advice.
We took refuge from the torrential rain in a cafe to chat. I asked Hetty what she believes limits women getting more involved with the outdoor community. She is an adventurer, an endurance athlete, and a massive data geek. It's a good combination!
(It’s completely free, zero hassle to do (click here), but really helpful for me trying to get a new podcast off the ground. If you’re feeling extra kind, please leave a review on the app – that really helps.)
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
Women in Adventure is an independent research-based organisation focused on empowering women through the sharing of information, inspiration and advice
Making a pact with a friend to do a weekly 7am swim - began only going in up to her knees
Adventure of moving from a proper job to pursue her research
When curiosity and a hobby grows organically into something bigger
Eventually she was doing so much with her passions that it reached a tipping point to quit her job and go it alone.
Women in Adventure survey around the inspirations and limitations of women getting into the outdoors
Mental wellbeing is unanimously improved by being in the outdoors doing sports
Life satisfaction, happiness, anxiety, worthwhile - different sports help different aspects of these better than others.
Women worry about looking out of place, about being beginners and looking fools
A lack of knowledge and information is a common barrier for women wanting to get into adventure
The importance of relatable role models
TRANSCRIPT
Below is the transcription of our conversation. It’s done by AI so is perhaps a wee bit ropey here and there. If these transcripts prove sufficiently useful then I will make the effort to clean then up and make them better. Do let me know if you think it’s worth my time to do that. (Or, better still, do it for me…!). If you’d like to listen as you read along you can do that here:
Alastair Humphreys what does living adventurously mean to you?
Hetty Key That's, that's a big question. I mean, I think that it is being out of your comfort zone. And so living adventuroulsy for me is... it's not, you know, the types of fun. So type one, type two, it's not always being sort of uncomfortable. But it's consistently trying to push yourself just out of the comfort zone into that. I think it's quite an exciting, I think the definitely challenging moments, really enjoyable moments, but it's just being out of your comfort zone and kind of going and doing the things that when you first think of them, you think, I don't know if I can do that. Okay, so give me an example of your life of adventure you had that does not include being in the mountains, etc. I think so. About two years ago, I was quite short on time, I was doing a lot of work and my kind of work life balance have gone down the drain pipe, so to speak. And friend and I made a pact the 7am once a week, we're going to try and slowly get into a river near because both of us are actually quite nervous about the concept. I like water fascinates me, don't get me wrong. But I would not have jumped in a river like open water was terrifying. It was like, you know, all the monsters on the bottom, like, the feeling of the ground with your feet, like the whole thing, like completely. It was it was very out of my comfort zone. But actually, every every week we went through at seven in the morning. And just gradually the first time I think I went like up to my knees and I was like I'm good enough. And actually we kept going and starting in started in October. And actually we by February, we were we went through the whole winter and it totally changed my outlook and perception on on water and actually something I still do a lot and really, really enjoy. But that was definitely adventure.
Alastair Humphreys Okay, I agree. What about moving from having a proper job to not have a job? Tell me what you've done
Hetty Key So recently, I took the decision to leave my full time joband actually pursue my research through a company called Women and adventure.
Alastair Humphreys Okay, so we're going to talk about adventure a lot but to pick you up here on the leaving your full time job to go into the freelance ...
24 Nov 2020
The Countryside is a very White Place. Living Adventurously 61
00:49:20
Sabrina Pace-Humphreys is an ultra-runner, a businesswoman, a mother of four and a grandmother of two. She is very clear which is the toughest of these challenges...! We talked about becoming a teenage mother, taking up running to lose weight, training for the Marathon des Sables, enduring rural racism, and the launch of Black Trail Runners whose mission is to increase the inclusion, participation and representation of black people in trail running.
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY The Outdoor Swimming Society which has spearheaded significant cultural change in the way outdoor swimming is viewed and the number of people who take part in it. Full of doers, thinkers and creatives, The OSS team uses its talents and personal time to drive change. Over the last 15 years we have had a direct impact on individuals’ swimming habits, inland access, social swimming networks and open water events, all of which has contributed to the lido revival, and the current art, science and culture around swimming.
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Being overweight with a baby, a toddler and a business to run meant that she could not move quick enough for everyday life. Needed to be more mobile
Managed half a mile on her first run. A friend said "it looks like you are breathing out of your arse." I was as red as a beetroot.
Gave up alcohol 5 years ago. 40th birthday decided to set a huge challenge, an adventure, something out of her comfort zone. Signed up for the Marathon des Sables.
Took up trail running to get the rough terrain training needed for the MdS
MdS - have to carry all your clothes, food etc. James Cracknell MDS film - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0Qak8e4vYA - That looks horrendous - I have to get an entry to that race!
I'm Out Of My Depth, Let's Do It // I Get Knocked Down, But I Get Up Again. Living Adventurously 19.
00:46:59
Boff Whalley, from the band Chumbawamba is a keen runner, never happier than when mud-splattered and gasping up on the windy hills of West Yorkshire. He is also a playwright, the founder of Commoners Choir, and the author of Run Wild - an account of his experiences as a fell runner. I arrived at Boff's house after a long day in the saddle. His family welcomed me and plied me with cups of tea and a veggie burger in the sort of living room I would love to have one day: filled with quirky art and design, masses of music, and a happy level of lived-in clutter. We had a fascinating, wide-ranging chat about success, creative ambition, and the child-like joy of running in the hills. As I left their home, Boff's wife gave me directions to her favourite river swimming spot. In short, the perfect podcasting afternoon!
(It’s completely free, zero hassle to do (click here), but really helpful for me trying to get a new podcast off the ground. If you’re feeling extra kind, please leave a review on the app – that really helps.)
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
I was in a pop group for 15 years before I had a hit song, but you can't measure success by that. The success of being in a band was just being together for that long and remaining friends.
Success these days is taking my son to school then going for a run and having an hour of my own time to disappear, to be offline and spend time in nature.
If you lower your expectations you can be continually happy (but don't be pessimistic)
The creative ambition is very personal and you can judge success by yourself
Life is like doing a run where you get lost several times, you fall over, and a series of weird dead ends and double backs. It's about the run not the finish.
We are 'supposed' to put away childish things - stop running for the bus - but actually fell running is just really good fun.
Early ambition: "Maybe we can go further with this [the band] than just playing youth clubs in Leeds."
I'm not a risk-taker in fell runs. But with life and music and art I don't want to get stuck so I take creative risks to keep me on my toes.
Try something that other people aren't doing
Boff has an underlying confidence in what he does
The band wasn't driven by ambition, but the creative impulse drove him on.
The creative impulse can be hard work because you can't switch it off.
Some of my artistic heroes (eg the Beatles) were people who changed a lot.
Why would you want to be in a band that does the same set every time?
I'm out of my depth, let's do it.
Leaving the city to live in a small town (where I could go running) was one of the most adventurous things I've done in my life.
Run Wild is about trying to nudge people into doing something.
Social media is doing a great job of encouraging people to get into new, physical down-to-earth things
I never thought I could make a living from expeditions - I just stumbled into it. Living Adventurously 38
00:30:30
Matt Kettlewell was born and raised on a remote farm at the head of a long valley. There is no through road. Matt had travelled very little when he accidentally got a job that required him to move to Africa! Matt now leads groups on expeditions around the world. We talked about growing up in a farming community, making a living from adventure, and motivational tattoos...
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Dream as if you'd live for ever, live as though you'll die today
"Great things are done when men and mountains meet." - William Blake
THIS PODCAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KOMOOT
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
Craig Mod: Adventure, Discipline, and Design. Living Adventurously 66
01:11:17
In this rich, wide-ranging conversation, Alastair Humphreys chats with Craig Mod about the overlapping worlds of adventure, creativity, and publishing. The two explore their different but kindred approaches to long walks — Craig’s meticulous, high-tech planning versus Alastair’s spontaneous, minimalist style — and how these journeys feed into their creative work. Craig shares the thinking behind his wildly successful newsletters, membership programme, and beautiful, obsessively designed books. They also dive into broader themes like cultural responsibility, self-discipline, nature connection, and why sometimes walking is just the best way to think deeply.
🧭 Topics and Themes
Craig's long-distance walks across Japan (Tokaido, Nakasendo, Kumano Kodo)
Comparison of walking vs. cycling as immersive travel tools
Digital minimalism and “no teleporting” rules during walks
High-tech vs low-tech navigation: Apple Watch Ultra vs. paper maps
The joy and discipline of documentation: notes, photography, audio, video
Daily synthesis as a creative practice while walking
Books as tangible artefacts of ephemeral experience
Craig’s reasons for walking: presence, routine, deadlines, synthesis
Planning vs. spontaneity in adventures
The special role of beautiful book design
Making creativity sustainable: Craig’s membership model (Special Projects)
Emotional and logistical tension between audience growth and creative purity
Walk & Talk retreats with Kevin Kelly: structure, goals, dinner conversations
Litter and cultural responsibility in Japan vs. the West
The role of access in building care for the natural world
The value of constraints, caps, and intimacy in building an audience
📚 Books Mentioned
Things Become Other Things by Craig Mod (Random House edition)
Kissa by Kissa by Craig Mod
Rings of Saturn by W.G. Sebald
Kevin Kelly’s essay “1000 True Fans”
Papyrus: The Invention of Books in the Ancient World by Irene Vallejo (mentioned by Alastair)
💡 Concepts & Quotes
“Walking is a platform for other things to happen.”
“Teleports” as anything that removes you from presence (phones, news, etc.)
“I’ve never thought: I have to do this because my subscribers are expecting it. It’s all selfish.”
“The best piece of technology ever invented is the book.”
“Snickers bar logic”: why we’re fine carrying snacks, but not their wrappers
“Make the ephemeral tangible”: the purpose behind bookmaking
“You can’t walk with someone and do the thinking.”
Nature TV has too much Emphasis on Jaws, Claws and Fangs. Living Adventurously 58
00:49:41
David Lindo, also known as The Urban Birder, is a broadcaster, writer, naturalist, photographer, public speaker, tour leader and passionate birder. Born and raised in London, David loves anything to do with nature, but for as long as he can remember birds have been his particular obsession. David says, "You don’t have to wear green anoraks; you can look cool and fashionable, I find the birds prefer it too. Get your friends involved. Find a local patch to regularly visit. Think that anything can turn up anywhere at anytime - that still works for me to this day. Don’t go out expecting to see anything. That way you’ll never be disappointed but most likely be surprised. And remember: look up!"
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY Offgrid Design Agency who want to work with people who aren’t scared to look at things differently, that want to make a difference and are willing to go a (little) Off Grid.
(If your company or organisation is interested in sponsoring Living Adventurously, please get in touch!)
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Birders make annual bird lists. A 'big year' is a personal challenge or an informal competition among birders who attempt to identify as many species as possible by sight or sound, within a single calendar year and within a specific geographic area. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_year
620 bird species seen in London, if only once.
Possible to see 200 bird species in a year in London
I remember watching a puffin from Hammersmith Bridge
Been to 350 cities birding
Almost nobody considers birding in cities - you become an urban explorer
Wild places exist even inside your house. Nature surrounds you.
Been birding since the devil was a boy
Birding is my reason for being. It was my destiny.
Birding makes me feel good. The moment you connect with nature you feel good. It's a great thing to do when you are in a tight corner
Trying to 'sell' birding as a life choice, like meditation or yoga
Some ornithogists think urban birding is not 'real' birding
You have to work harder in a city to see birds. This hones your skills
Anything can turn up at any time
Trying to make birding more accessible worldwide.
Cleveland, US. Starting a birding project in an urban, African American neighbourhood.
Urban birding is a way of helping people get to know their area
Grew up in Wembley, used to explore the local park and wasteground. Exploring wilderness, making camps, making dens, studying the bird life.
The top of tall buildings - the same height as migrating birds
I won't regret not washing the kitchen floor more often. Living Adventurously 36
00:24:57
Anna Ashfield describes herself as "a kind of can't-be-arsed girl (who is really a middle aged woman). If an opportunity to do something arises, I test it by thinking, "when I go to bed at night and the opportunity has passed, will I regret it?" Fear alone is not an excuse to say no. But, if I simply don't want to do it, that is the best reason of all to say no, not for me." Anna sent me an email in response to one of my email newsletters about learning to live more adventurously (https://alastairhumphreys.com/living-adventurously/). She went on to tell me some amusing anecdotes about her attempts to encourage a bunch of her friends to sleep out on a microadventure once a month. We met for a cup of tea before I continued my ride, but then Anna wanted to show me her favourite wood, and then we went to the pub and then she and her husband John invited me for dinner and then to stay the night! Proper Yorkshire hospitality...
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I won't regret not washing the kitchen floor more often
Both Buddhism and Royal Marine training are enquiries into the nature of suffering
Childhood cancer - having a real purpose helped deal with it. It taught us that what we have in life is so precious.
For the daughter, her recovery has made her more positive and make the most of opportunities
There were, in fact, gifts that came from childhood illness
I'm not allowed to say 'no' to anything if the reason is because I'm scared
Fear alone is not an excuse to say no. But if I simply don't want to do it then I say no.
The big decisions I've made in life tend to be gut decisions
I joined the Royal Marines because I wanted to test myself against the best
You often don't know the outcome of a decision you've made until you reflect on it much later in life
Am I really as brave as I think I am?
(As Anna's husband was a Royal Marine I feel that it's prudent for me to point out that when I asked Anna about her 'felted bottom' I was referring to a piece of artwork! 😂)
THIS PODCAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KOMOOT
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
Graham Wilson retired from the Police and is now on a mission to walk 120 marathons in 120 days (along with his dog, Tilly). The 120 marathons will cover 8 countries, 3 isles and cover a distance of 3180 miles - the equivalent of walking from Leeds to New York City.
(It’s completely free, zero hassle to do (click here), but really helpful for me trying to get a new podcast off the ground. If you’re feeling extra kind, please leave a review on the app – that really helps.)
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Got married at 21, had kids young: now I'm 52 and "it's my time now"
It's not just about fitness - it's wanting to do a big adventure
Adventure plans just grow once you have the kernel of an idea
Fundraising - think of a massive number and go for it. Spurred on by the unknown element of it
We know that at some point in the 120 days things will go wrong - it's about living with that and accepting it
Living adventurously is about doing something different to the day to day
If I could live my life over I'd have travelled more with the family
THIS PODCAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KOMOOT
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
'Yorkshire Rows' are four mums, friends, businesswomen who rowed 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean. The expedition resulted in an intriguing variety of outcomes: the same journey impacting on different personalities in very different ways. We talked about the perceived stigma of 'irresponsible mothers' swanning off on selfish adventures, about the struggle of life after huge adventures, and the differences in risk between running a business and rowing the Atlantic. This was a wide-ranging, honest and really enjoyable chat. In the sunshine. With cake. 👍
(It’s completely free, zero hassle to do (click here), but really helpful for me trying to get a new podcast off the ground. If you’re feeling extra kind, please leave a review on the app – that really helps.)
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
The best part of rowing the ocean has been all the people we met through doing the project - all these can-do individuals
I didn't plan for how I would feel AFTER getting off the boat. I struggle now with feeling content.
It took me about 18 months to feel normal again
Qualified as a performance life coach
Jeannete - came home settled and fine. Except she decided she didn't want to work any more. She'd worked so hard all her life and missed too much with her kids. It was a chance to reassess
Frances - the best thing about life on the boat was how simple it was
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
Adventure is a Vaccine of Resilience for Real Life. Living Adventurously 51
00:44:14
Mark Davey is the Chief Executive of the Youth Adventure Trust, a charity that uses outdoor adventure to empower young people to fulfil their potential and lead positive lives in the future. They work with them to build resilience, develop confidence and learn skills that will last a lifetime, helping them to face the challenges in their lives.
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY The Rivers Trust who work to protect, promote and enhance our river environment, for both people and wildlife.
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Young people often don't have a chance to begin the 'believe-achieve' process
A lot of the young people who come to the YAT believe they are failing.
YAT help children for 3 years between the age of 11 and 16
YAT is not an adventure-provider; they are a longterm intervention organisation
YAT has an adventure scheme (3 years) then a mentoring scheme
Developing resilience, mental toughness and the skills they need for life.
Poverty of opportunity - a supportive family, transport access etc.
The ability to trust and communicate are new skills for many of these young people
As the programme progresses it becomes more about communication and conversation than the adventures themselves
Making everyone in an organisation feel as though they matter: the key is to build a strong team, delegate and trust, give them resources and let them get on with it.
200 volunteers help YAT and are a key ingredient to the 'magic'
YAT run lots of corporate challenges and fundraising adventure challenges
Fundraising and supporters get similar benefits to the young people
Putting Restrictions in Place Enforces Creativity - Living Adventurously #5
00:50:12
Tommy Banks was the youngest chef in the world to be awarded a Michelin star. The Black Swan at Oldstead was rated the best restaurant in the world by TripAdvisor in 2017.
As a connoisseur of banana sandwiches and dehydrated expedition meals, this was not my usual world! But that is exactly what I was interested in on this bicycle ride: to learn about different people's worlds and ask myself how their lessons might overlap with my own.
I was surprised when Tommy agreed to meet me. I thought he would be far too busy and would not waste his time nattering to some bloke on his bike. I made sure to arrive early and swilled my smelly armpits from my water bottles before knocking on the door.
But Tommy was so generous with his time and I loved being shown around the restaurant and the impressive kitchen gardens. I asked him about his choice between running a cheap restaurant or a brilliant one, about how restrictions can encourage creativity, and the catalyst that serious illness proved to be for him.
I asked Tommy about ambition, defining success, as well as the delights of milk vending machines and flapjacks.
And, no, to answer your question, I didn't manage to blag a free Michelin-star meal! Back out onto my bike for more banana sandwiches in the rain...
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Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn ("Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast") or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
He focuses on normal, good techniques of cooking - and just does them really well.
In 2006 Tommy was running a pub, and probably not a very good one. In the credit crunch he was faced with two options to survive: "2-for-1 scampi night" or "do something out of the ordinary".
The Pub has a bad location - it's hard to get people through the door. Constraints can be good things.
His thinking when needing to change: "We need a thing - I don't know what it is, but we need a thing."
Putting restrictions in place (self sufficiency) enforced creativity.
For the first couple of years of the change in approach they were "serving weird stuff and still nobody was coming".
When you spend a long time in an area you get an understanding of the seasons.
Home is a connection you feel, not the buildings or the location.
Always wanted to be a cricket player but got ill. If he hadn't got ill he would never have gone down the path he is on now.
I was a horrible skinny kid with a colostomy bag. I needed to pull my finger out and make something of myself.
Impatience has been a catalyst for success, but it's not sustainable.
Would you rather play cricket for England or have the best restaurant in the world? Cricket, no question.
Values of sport that can transfer into business and into life and into the kitchen
Won a Michelin Star at 24, by using recipes out of other people's cook books. Took time to learn to be original.
Disappointment of never being quite fulfilled at finishing an achievement.
Do we actually want to fulfil our ambitions? Or does it just lead us to flatness and emptiness?
Doing 3 things a day, every day, to make the Black Swan better.
Endorphins of exercise vs being overwhelmed by the schedule
Relaxed approach to sharing of secrets. Tell the world, then go find something else. The way you go about things needs to evolve anyway.
Spontaneity is vital, but so to is organisation in the background
Below is the transcription of our conversation. It's done by AI so is perhaps a wee bit ropey here and there. If these transcripts prove sufficiently useful then I will make the effort to clean then up and make them better. Do let me know if you think it's worth my time to do that. (Or, better still, do it for me...!). If you'd like to listen as you read along you can do that here:
Alastair Humphreys Can I test the levels by asking you how do you cook a fried egg?
Tommy Banks low temperature, I think.
Alastair Humphreys Tell me more.
Tommy Banks well, it depends how you like fried eggs. Some people like them crispy. But the proteins been absolutely frazzled. Heat the oil or even butter if you feel that way. And then a lower temperature almost boil it in the fat so it's nice and soft. And then if you want a bit more CRISP you can always turn the heat up at the end and ...
10 Dec 2019
Living Adventurously is About Trying to Not Be at Work - Living Adventurously #4
00:25:10
Simon Jackson launched the superb Moors One Hundred bikepacking event in North Yorkshire. He guided me around some of his favourite trails on a glorious day of summer heatwave. Simon has a normal job and the usual commitments of raising a family. So he has to work hard to squeeze in bursts of adventure and spending time in the wild places that he loves. I loved the story he told me about setting himself the Strava challenge of cycling every single street in his hometown.
Simon is an evangelist for the North Yorkshire Moors and I could see why. We cycled over open moorland, through forests, and sweeping singletrack. It was a hell of a ride. Best of all, given that it was blazing hot, was that Simon planned our ride via a pub lunch and a return ticket on the famous Goathland steam train.
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Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn ("Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast") or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
Living adventurously is about trying to not be at work.
Pressure to do interesting stuff when short of time due to work and family.
If you ponder it too much you're never going to do it.
Tug between wanting to go on adventures and wanting to be at home with his kids.
Finding pleasure and beauty and interest close to home: count your blessings.
Challenge of trying to cycle every street in his own town. Is that not adventure?
Transcript
Below is the transcription of our conversation. It's done by AI so is perhaps a wee bit ropey here and there. If these transcripts prove sufficiently useful then I will make the effort to clean then up and make them better. Do let me know if you think it's worth my time to do that. (Or, better still, do it for me...!). If you'd like to listen as you read along you can do that here:
Alastair Humphreys Right. I'm sitting in a camper van. Very, very sweaty with Simon. Hello, Simon. Hello. Welcome to the podcast. Nice to be here. Are you in? Are you a veteran of lots of podcast?
Simon No, this is my first podcast experience. Excellent.
Alastair Humphreys That's how we like it. And what's your day job?
Simon I have a small garage. Nothing terribly interesting.
Alastair Humphreys What do you do then to try and fit adventure into your
Simon normal life, try not to be at work. And that's, that's the key. Especially midweek because they're the best adventures made week. Yeah, they're the best ones they feel and feel a lot more special. Because you should be at work. You know, you shouldn't be sat behind your desk, you shouldn't be doing something tedious and mundane. You know, and other people are, and it feels great not to be doing that.
Alastair Humphreys Okay, so what then is the secret of not being at work in the middle of the week?
Simon And having good people around you you can rely on a very understanding wife that complains but doesn't really mind in a heart that you are taking a day off to kind of blow off steam?
Alastair Humphreys how'd you go get your adventure kicks? Would you like doing
Simon anything you know, it can be something you've seen on TV, something you've read about something you fancy doing something you read in a in a book, something that fits in with that available time that you've got something that's going to be worthwhile when you don't have a lot of spare time when you're working when you've got a family has to be quality notes. You can we just Well, that was all right. Yeah, there's a pressure there to do something. Interesting. You just gotta try and make the most of it. And if you ponder it too much, never gonna do it.
Alastair Humphreys Yeah, that's very true. So we've just been out for a day out on a few hours out backpacking around North York tomorrow is that's how we got in touch originally, you run the most 100 is
Simon that we call it last 100. Yeah,
Alastair Humphreys yeah. Which is a bike packing
Simon as a bike talking event that runs on the most hundred miles, hence the name over two days. Pretty much doable for anybody of any level on any bike, very sociable. It's great fun, I really enjoy organise it and everybody's who's done it say the vast majority or whether whether you really did or not, but there seems to be a lot of happy faces.
Alastair Humphreys So I you you've been showing me around some trails day and I really enjoyed this beat North York was a beautiful place to this is beautiful. It really is. And you're clearly a...
14 Apr 2020
Exploring takes you in Circles - Living Adventurously 26
00:29:33
Chris Goddard is the Yorkshire Map Maker. He has been exploring and mapping his local landscapes ever since he was a child, spurred on by curiosity and a love of being outdoors. Chris dedicates his passion for exploring the minutiae of the world to creating intricate, beautiful books about the woods and moors around his home. He says, "My mother said I was born a good century too late and should have been out exploring and mapping the world in the age of empire. Yet the exploring I like to do need not be particularly exotic, rather it just has to be somewhere new – and you can discover new things around the corner from your house every day. Exploring is also not linear, but nearly always leads me round in circles as I am desperate not to miss anything. Indeed this is the only way to make a good map."
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Failed to write 'proper books' and settled on a niche of local writing and maps and detailed landscapes
Hyper-detailed mapping
Favourite tree = ash: gracefulness and large size
2.5 years to produce the book of his local woods
300mx200m wood - keeps finding new things
Right on your doorstep are things to be discovered
Wandering around and following your curiosity. Then later fill in the gaps.
I used to think I should be finding somewhere new, but there's nowhere left to discover so I started exploring closer to home.
Footpath surveyor for Lake District National Park for a while
Try cutting off all senses but one - then you experience the landscapes in different ways
THIS PODCAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KOMOOT
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
"Going blind is one of the best things that's ever happened to me." - Living Adventurously 24
00:53:17
Steve Bate has a condition that is slowly robbing him of his eyesight. He has now lost most of his vision, and because the condition is degenerative, Steve will go blind. He was devastated when he heard the optician tell him that he was going blind. Steve was working as an outdoor instructor at the time. It was 3 months before he began to find his way out of depression. By then, he worked out there wasn’t much he could do about his degenerating eyesight. But he had total control over what he did next. Just like everyone else, Steve isn't going to be on this planet forever, so he might as well make every moment count. And how much he let his condition get in the way of that was completely up to him. In his own words, "I had a dream and I set myself a goal: to solo climb El Capitan. It took six days to climb, sleeping on a portable ledge suspended hundreds of feet above the valley each night, and I cried when I got to the top. Let’s just say that it was the best experience of my life. When I got back from El Cap, I dreamt even bigger: the 2016 Paralympics in Rio. After two years of training, I was selected for Paralympics GB and won two gold medals, a bronze, and smashed the world record in the 4km pursuit. Now, I’m not going to indulge in any false modesty here. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved. But the point is, I'm not super-talented, I'm just a normal guy. All I do is dream big, set myself a goal, and then do everything I can to make it happen. We all have obstacles in our lives: stuff that life throws at us, or barriers we put in ourselves. I’m trying to highlight that there’s not much that you can’t overcome, or at least work around, with the right mind set. I'm still terrified of losing my sight, but I have to keep living while I still can see. Since my diagnosis in 2011, I've had some of the best moments in my life, just because I refused to let something stand in my way."
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"I'm going to go blind." "Oh great, you can race on a tandem."
Solo-ed El Capitan - I thought it was impossible. But if I've done that, then I realised anything's possible.
If you put your mind to something and invest 100% in it, you can achieve anything.
When I go blind I don't want to be bitter so I'm cramming in all that I can
Going blind is partially exciting - the thought of 'wow' - what will it be like?!
Most people in the paralympic squad feel pleased that the bad thing has happened to them
Failure for me now is not trying, not committing
Going blind is one of the best things that's ever happened to me.
It takes something horrific to latch on to living a full life
Walking my dog every day is good headspace
The thing I am most scared of is not fulfilling my potential
You have to think on the process not the outcome if you want to achieve something big.
THIS PODCAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KOMOOT
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
What Stories Do You Tell Yourself About Your Barriers? - Living Adventurously #8
00:36:35
Sarah Lister was drifting through her twenties until a 'doorstep mile' moment of commitment saw her quit her unloved job and begin again. Today Sarah lives in a cosy cottage at the foot of beautiful fells in the Peak District National Park. She works as a coach these days and this has given her a new way of thinking, teaching her that a fresh perspective comes from asking open, non-judgemental questions.
I arrived at Sarah's house in a torrential storm. I was soaking wet and a bit fed-up. So when Sarah invited me to join her for a swim in the stream cascading down the mountain behind her village I was not particularly keen. But I remembered one of life's immutable rules: you never regret a wild swim.
And, sure enough, the hills were beautiful, the waterfall was bracing and bouncing and we galloped back down the hill happy, and hungry for homemade pizza.
(It’s completely free, zero hassle to do (click here), but really helpful for me trying to get a new podcast off the ground. If you’re feeling extra kind, please leave a review on the app – that really helps.)
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
Busy London routine meant Sarah had lost her zest for life. She did not like who she was and the negative way she was complaining about everything.
Sarah began using small escapes from London as a way to escape the city life she no longer enjoyed.
For a while it felt acceptable to use adventurous weeekend escapes as a counter to the job she no longer liked.
Admitting to herself that she had been drifting through her twenties felt very daunting.
Whilst she knew what she did NOT want to do, Sarah did not know for a while what she DID want to do.
Sarah wanted to pay off her debts, to be financially stable before leaving her job and making the change. But in the end an evening of adventure talks plus a ticking off from her boss sparked her into resigning.
In her coaching work Sarah sees a lot of people who are heavily swayed by the amount of time and effort they have put into something, even if they don't like it. (The only important part of the runway is that in front of you). "I've come this far so I might as well keep going with it."
Sometimes it feels easier to keep going with the devil you know rather than risking the uncertainty and newness and pressure of change.
Coaching has been helpful for guiding Sarah that it is OK to change, it's OK to be upset by it sometimes, and it's not always easy.
Coaching gives a new way of thinking and a fresh perspective through open, non-judgemental questions.
Don't just ask yourself what the barriers are, but also break them down and think about what stories you are telling yourself about them.
It would be good to give more attention and voicepieces to the unsung heroes of society who are helping to solve various problems.
University felt like a wasted experience for Sarah (and me).
TRANSCRIPT
Below is the transcription of our conversation. It’s done by AI so is perhaps a wee bit ropey here and there. If these transcripts prove sufficiently useful then I will make the effort to clean then up and make them better. Do let me know if you think it’s worth my time to do that. (Or, better still, do it for me…!). If you’d like to listen as you read along you can do that here:
Alastair Humphreys How did you go from being a young woman working hard in London, to living a little cottage in the middle of nowhere, spending your days running in the hills?
Sarah Lister Well, it started really wanting to get out a little bit more. So I was in London and became very dissatisfied and not really thinking very, very critical. And I noticed that I didn't have not realised you know, something, my office paradise. And looking in the mirror I didn't like who I was. And the way that I'm talking, I'm saying negative complaining about my job and complain about everything really, even though I had quite nice job in my class, I wouldn't really keep making it or enjoying it. And it does come through just a little tiny mini adventure in a living. And I was asked to see what was around me, and then say that that I hadn't known before. And that made me start to work, roll and see more. And it's just like going outside of London. so I'm coming here on Monday 10 on the safer dog on a Friday, go home, packing my bags ready for the next morning, coming up at five and six o'clock in the morning whenever it started. And get on the train, set them on the street. So I did get back on a Sunday evening. And then go back to work Monday. I thought I've got it. I've got it down about a week. Yeah, I thought if I can say this. And I say my family hated me....
16 Jun 2020
The right tree in the right place. Living Adventurously 37
00:37:28
Tom Orde-Powlett's family have lived in Bolton Castle for 800 years. The Bolton Estate plays an important role in managing and caring for the beautiful area of Wensleydale. Tom considers it his duty to hand things over to the next generation in a better condition than he inherited it. Tom served in the Army for 7 years and was awarded the Military Cross. These days he is a passionate conservationist.
(It’s completely free, zero hassle to do (click here), but really helpful for me trying to get a new podcast off the ground. If you’re feeling extra kind, please leave a review on the app – that really helps.)
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.
I was 40 recently; it's probably time my life became a little less adventurous!
THIS PODCAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KOMOOT
Your very own outdoor experiences are waiting for you. Go explore more with komoot. Use the voucher code ADVENTUROUS to claim your free region maps bundle.
The personalised planning and navigation tools ensure you plan the adventure that’s perfect for you. Komoot is Europe’s number 1 outdoor app, with route planning and navigation functionality, and strong community-driven inspirational features in the form of recommended Highlights and inspirational route Collections. It is used by nearly 10 million adventurers worldwide. Komoot is becoming the app of choice for cyclists and hikers the world over, with rapid community growth in the UK, the US and other parts of Europe. You can see my ride’s route on komoot here.
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