14 Micro Adventure Ideas For Everyone To Try
Adventures can be big and small, and this post is designed to raise a glass to all those who love the small, simple adventures in life.
As quoted by adventure evangelist Alastair Humphreys, microadventures are adventures that are short, simple, local, cheap – yet still fun, exciting, challenging, refreshing and rewarding.
But where do you begin with microadventures? Here are fourteen microadventure ideas to set you on your way.
MICROADVENTURE IDEAS
1) Swim In The Sea – this doesn’t have to be in the summer on a packed beach. Often the best adventures in the UK are heading to a quiet part of the coast, stripping off to your bathers and taking a dip. Ridiculously refreshing and exciting!
2) Get Up Early To Watch The Sunrise – one of my favourite microadventures. No matter where you are in the world, there is something special about heading up a hill or to a good vantage point to watch the sunrise in the morning. I once climbed Arthur’s Seat in Scotland to watch the sunrise – such an incredible experience! I’ve also watched the sunrise in Gisborne, New Zealand – the first place in the world to watch the sunrise each day 🙂
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| Sunrise over Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand |
3) Take A Different Route To Work – ah, the daily commute. Often so boring, mundane and uniform. But it doesn’t have to be. Walk a different route, take an earlier train, drive down a different road – who knows where it will take you or what you will discover! Add a little microadventure to your everyday.
4) Spin The Globe – Not sure where to go on your next adventure? Find a spinning globe, give it a spin and stop it with your finger. Voila, your next adventure awaits!
5) Take Up A New Sport – I’m an incredibly competitive guy. I always want to develop new skills and be the best I can be at everything I do. Last summer I took up golf, and am learning the craft slowly! But this is a sport I can do well into old age, and I can do it anywhere around the globe! So why not learn a new craft or sport? It’s an adventure in itself 🙂
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| On the golf course in the sunshine! |
6) Go Wild Camping – this is something incredibly rewarding and exciting about getting out into the wild and having to fend for yourself. When planned correctly, wild camping is the ultimate microadventure. It combines hiking, wilderness and nature in one big little adventure. If you’re new to camping, do this in the Spring or late summer one of our National Parks. Have a peek at my wild camping tips post for advice on what to take.
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| Wild camping in the Lake District |
7) Take A Surprise Trip – plan a weekend off. Head to the airport and speak to the airlines about spare seats. Pay for your seat and off you go! An Expedia spin-off called Surprise Trips specialises in exactly that 🙂
8) Be A Tourist In Your Own Town – did you know I lived in Edinburgh for 8-years, but never visited inside the castle? Shocking, I know. Quite often we miss the best adventures that are right on our doorstep, so why not plan time to explore your own town and visit those places you’ve never been. It’s a microadventure that’s right on your doorstep 🙂
9) Watch The Sunset On A Beach – It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, but watching the sunset over the sea is pretty special. Especially if you combine it with wild camping, mentioned above.
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| Sunset over Ipanema Beach, Rio de Janiero, Brazil |
10) Sleep In A Hammock – This is one for your next camping trip, or even a little garden adventure! I slept in a hammock in Colombia, and it was great fun!
11) Climb A Hill – there’s something satisfying about setting off with the aim of reaching the peak. If you pick a clear days, the views alone will make it all the worthwhile. Get up high, get some fresh air and then enjoy a drink in the pub afterwards to celebrate. What’s not to love?!
12) Cook Food On A Stove – when combined with camping, cooking a meal on a gas stove is very enjoying. Try porridge with honey, bacon, or even a chilli for everyone. Just remember to soak everything, as it makes washing up much easier 😉
13 ) Find A Local Cycling Trail – you don’t need to be a professional cyclist to enjoy a good bike ride. There are cycling trails all over the UK, my favourite being the Camel trail down in Cornwall. Plan the cycle on a nice day and lunch in the pub – brilliant!
14) Go Geocaching – ever heard of geocaching? Time to download the app. This is the best treasure hunt on the planet, and the geocaches are hidden right under your nose. Have a peek at Geocaching.com and start hunting those treasures! This is the perfect mircoadventure to do with kids.
There you have it! Fourteen microadventure ideas for anyone to try :). Have a microadventure idea of your own? Add it to the comments below!
I think if anyone start it from his/her own town that will be great. May be I will apply it soon. Thanks for the share with us a great theme of traveling, enjoying.
That is A really Great, Motivated and Impressive Blog,
totally agreed with the your strategies and totally understand how it feel.
Managing time for extra activities these days is hell of the job to do, you mention the activities which can be manage easily and can easily be dirvert for future activities like Be Tourist in your own city, wast the sun set from beach If you don't have one in you city then watch it from roof top. As your Get in the Routeen then your will easy able to manage surprise Trip to other places.
Awesome blog, Once again. Thank you for sharing.
Must try my best to Get time for my own goods.