For most of us, day-to-day life can be a bit of a whirlwind, which often means planning time to do things we love and enjoy falls by the wayside. Setting aside time to explore or adventure can often seem a bit of a far-fetched way to spend our free time and planning this can be daunting and difficult, where do you even begin? Well, we are here to tell you with a few simple steps getting outside to do something new and out of the ordinary can not only be easy but the process can be completely refreshing and exciting. Trust us when we say, the juice is worth the squeeze, the benefits of spending time outside and experiencing wild and green spaces are something that simply can't be replicated and will leave you feeling refreshed, grounded and invigorated.
1. Keep it simple
Adventures don't have to be complicated, the whole basis of an adventure is to take on an unusual and exciting or daring experience. This can be as simple as camping out in some woodland (tent or no tent!), swimming in a river, exploring a wild location or taking on a physical challenge outdoors, the list really is endless. Going on an adventure is personal to you and the first step to committing yourself to this is picking your activity; try to keep it simple, remember the adventure is about the journey and not the endpoint. If you are a first-time adventurer try to limit yourself to one or two types of activities, for example, walking to a wild swimming spot (swimming and walking). Try to pick something that is new to you and most importantly, something that excites you.
2. Pick a Location
You have picked an activity, now you just need the location. It's easy to view an adventure as a large-scale operation that takes you to the wildest and furthest locations possible but trust us, this is not the case. Alistars Humphries puts it very well when talking about 'Micro-Adventures'..."get out of the towns and tourist spots. Climb a hill. Done". Your personal adventure just needs to be somewhere new that you have never explored and as remote/wild as you can factor in. Sit down with an OS Map or on your phone with Google Maps and based on your activity, pinpoint the local spots that you can explore. The easiest way to whittle this down is to pick the spot that ticks the most boxes for the activity you have picked and excites you most to go there. The final piece of the puzzle to pinning down a location is your transport. If this is your first adventure then lean towards a spot close to home that you can access on foot, bike or public transport; Being self-dependent on your journey really does make things all the more exciting and adds to the experience.
3. Choose a Friend
Shared experiences make for amazing memories, so choose an adventure buddy. There is no better conversation than reflecting on an adventurous or daring outdoor activity you undertook with a friend, these sorts of conversations keep the fire lite and inspiration alive for future wild exploration. Here at Black Rock Adventure the majority of our motivation to create adventures has been driven by reflecting on previous experiences which drives us to find new and exciting places together. If you are new to exploring the outdoors, pick a like-minded friend and involve them in the planning process early so you can both commit yourselves. If you are a seasoned adventurer pick someone who is new to outdoor activities, there is no greater gift than sharing the wonders of being outdoors with another human.
4. Pick a Date
Okay, so we have an outdoor activity, a location and our adventure buddy, time to pick a date. We are huge advocates for spontaneous trips. Randomly getting outside to explore on a whim really does create a different type of adventure, so, if you get the urge to get out and explore our advice is...grab your bag and go! For a lot of us, life is busy and time is precious, so as you've decided you're heading out on an adventure, pick a date and commit to it. Try to pick a date within the next month ahead (the earlier the better), this will ensure your excitement is less likely to drop off and motivation to get out stays high. When you have agreed to your date, get it in the diary, phone or wall calendar, tell the kids, tell your family, and tell everyone! As soon as you have the date written down, this creates a personal commitment and before you know it you will be out roaming, sleeping or swimming in the wild and the hustle and noise of everyday life will be drifting off in the wind.
5. Pack
Packing to be outdoors can require some specific kit, if you are sleeping outside you will need a sleeping bag and weather dependent a tent or bivvy bag. You will also likely need means to cook food. If you don't have the kit you need, some strategic begging and borrowing can be handy as you test the water for your activity. Outside of this, with fabrication and technology developments you can now pick up a lot of good outdoor kit without it costing you an arm and a leg. If you are new to the activity a bit of research online can be helpful in pinning down what you need. As a guide, you will need to consider:
Food and drink
Sleeping equipment
Clothing and footwear
Torch
Now you have it all lined up, set your alarm, wake up, get dressed and just go! Setting out on a personal adventure creates the most wonderful memories and really is an enlightening experience, if you are hesitant trust us, you won't be disappointed or regret it. The worst thing that can happen is you get tired, cold wet or muddy but when you are back home you will just be left with the exhilarating feeling of having explored a new and wild area.
Happy Adventuring!
Learn more on how to start your 2023 adventure below...
We are here to make planning easy...
Here at Black Rock Adventure, we have over 2 decades of adventure planning experience. This started out very much with last-minute spontaneous adventures and has developed over the years into some exciting expeditions and journeys. We are really proud to now be able to help others start out or continue on their journey to adventure through our Adventure Camper Jeeps. To this day when planning we follow the same principles to create adventures, and the end result never disappoints. We know how hectic life can be so have a team at hand to fully plan your adventure for you, all you need to do is pick the date and pack some clothes. If you are interested in starting your 2023 adventure click here to get in touch.