2022 has seen significant changes in my life. A new job and a new house have come, but so too has a drive for different types of adventures. Gone are the days of running laps of the park and chasing PB’s on Strava to get me out the door.
In January we moved house, and for the first time, I moved away from my hometown. I knew pretty much every road in the town I grew up in and had spent plenty of time as both a kid and an adult exploring. After the usual stress of moving house, it was exciting (and still is) to have new places on my doorstep to explore.
When I did move house, it was too a small village. Unlike my old place, I could be out in the country lanes on my bike within 2 minutes rather than 20. Having walked a few laps around the village to see the sights, I set off on my bike to explore the other local villages. Wanting to have a landmark to aim for, I set my sights on the church of each village, easy to see cycling in and usually full of history. My ride that day took me to 10 other villages, and although it was only a snapshot of their own stories, it left me wanting to explore them more.
My favourite thing about the new house is the fact there is a nature reserve just down the road and beyond that the only hill for miles. It’s so close it almost feels like it belongs to me. I can see my house from the top, but very rarely do other people go up there it’s easy to spend plenty of time alone. I spent a total of 5 times camping on top of the hill, not bothering with a tent and just pitching myself up under a tree in a bivvy, safe in the knowledge that if the weather gets too bad I can race home in no time.
Gardening
Another point relating to having a new house, but it also meant I got a garden as well. After years of trying, and failing, to grow herbs on a north-facing windowsill I jumped at the chance to grow as many vegetables for myself as I could. The daily routine of going outside in the morning to water and care for the plants was a nice way to spend some time outdoors before work, and it also gave me plenty of salad to make for lunch!
Peddars Way & Norfolk Coast Path
Once a year I try and plan a big trip. For the past 3 years now these have been restricted to the UK because of Covid, so the plan this year was to go abroad and find an adventure. A 7-day train ride through Norway was mentioned but eventually dismissed for another summer in the UK. There are thousands of miles of beautiful landscapes right on our doorstep that I’ve never explored and it felt right to keep to that trend.
Both these national trails are underrated and don’t attract nearly as much attention as other big routes in the UK. Mainly dues to a lack of mountains… or high views at all. However, the charm of walking along the coast was enough to attract me, and the 150-mile route felt like a perfect trip for a late British summer.
Random Trips to the Peak District
As I’ve spent more time trying to grow this blog, I’ve also spent more time on Instagram trying to promote it. Inevitably it’s meant interacting with plenty of other people doing their own adventures, and I’m always a little envious of their trips to the high peaks of England, Wales and Scotland. Days out to hike miles and miles are limited for me, so I had to settle for a few sporadic days in the Peak District looking for new hills to climb. I really enjoyed those days out, but I’ve also been looking for ways to have more adventures closer to home.
I’ve always loved taking photographs. Ever since I got my first camera phone, where I could go in search of ladybugs and flowers in my mum’s garden. This year I committed to getting my own decent camera, and have saved up a couple of times to buy extra bits of kit including new lenses and a drone. Previously I would have only gone outside to exercise. Long runs and big bike rides were my adventures. This year I’ve spent just as much time, if not more, just going out for a short walk with my camera. You don’t walk as many miles (or burn as many calories!) but spending time looking more closely at finer details makes for a great adventure.
I’ve got more adventures planned for 2023, both local micro-adventures and bigger, longer trips. I’m still practising writing, photography and filmmaking, and they will hopefully make up how I can share these stories with you. If you would like to keep up with my adventures in 2023 why not subscribe to this blog, or follow me on social media?
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