Seedling Magazine

Make new friends!
Ok, sounds harsh. I don’t really mean for you to ditch your
non­outdoorsy, busy friends. What I mean is that you could
form friendships with like­minded people by joining a club.
I’m a member of a kayaking and canoe club, and benefit from
the expertise and company of my fellow members (not to
mention the kit, trips, and amazingly patient coaches). There
are rambling clubs, walking groups, running meet­ups,
climbing clubs and team sports ­ the list goes on.
Go camping locally
I love sleeping in a tent and cooking on a little gas stove;
there's something about simplifying life that makes me feel
fresher. And you don’t need to travel miles to justify your
camping trip. How about this lovely spot just 35 minutes from
the centre of Manchester?
One of my kayaking club trips was down the river to a wild
camping site which would have taken about half an hour to
drive to, but it felt like a world away.
Do a long distance path, but just a little
each week
Google ‘long distance paths in the UK’ and there are loads.
But you’d need a couple of weeks off work and some serious
energy to complete most of them. So what about doing a little
each week? There are the 24 sections of the London LOOP ,
or Cardiff’s Capital Walk is 37 miles long so could be done in
around 4 sections.
accommodation. The overnight coach from London to
Edinburgh arrives at 6am, from where you can catch a bus or
train to see the stunning Scottish countryside. Or what about a
weekend in Paris? You’ll arrive at 7am. Getting the overnight
bus back on Sunday night means you might be a little tired on
Monday morning but you can grab a shower at Victoria
Station (I have never done this but it’s possible in theory) and
zoom right back to your desk.
Car club
It’s a lot easier to get away if you can drive. As a city dweller,
you may not own your own four wheels, but car clubs are a
convenient and flexible way to zoom off into the horizon. Two
hours' drive from London can get you to the Cotswolds, South
Downs, Chiltern Hills or the Sussex coast.
Camper van hire
This is right at the top of my to­do list. I’ve always wanted a
camper van, preferably one of those hippy vintage VWs. What
ultimate freedom. Drive where you want, for as long as you
want, stopping whenever takes your fancy. How about
planning a vaguely circular route from home so you don’t
cover the same route twice? I recommend a friend or two and
an extra couple of days to maximise this adventure into the
unknown.
What are you waiting for? Download a book, pack a travel
pillow and send me a selfie after cycling to the Eiffel Tower. I
can’t wait to hear about your next microadventure. SM
Once you start, you’ll probably find people will want to join
you for some sections, and you’ll still have half a weekend
left if you do a day of walking every week.
Seasoned pros
Picture the scene: the bright autumn sun is streaming through
your office windows as you drag your eyes back to the boring
computer screen. You want to get away and you have a clear
weekend, but you want to go somewhere new and exciting
and as far away as possible. Ladies and gentlemen, I present
to you The Night Bus.
About the writer
When she can sit still long enough, Hannah
the Traveller is a writer and blogger. The rest
of the time, she’s running or hiking or cooking
up vegan feasts somewhere in the world. Find
out more at www.hannahparry.co.uk/hannahthe-traveller.
Sleeping as you travel means you’ll get two whole days for
adventuring and you only have to pay for one night’s
seedling magazine | 46