How We Turn Simple Walks into Microadventures (And Why You Might Want To)
The Season of Small Adventures - Tales from Oak Table 19/52
Around ten years ago, we came across a book by Alastair Humphreys called Microadventures. It lived in our bathroom and was mostly read on the loo! An odd compliment perhaps, but I think a lot can be said for the small stack of hand-picked books we leave in bathrooms. They’re the ones we dip into often, in snatched moments, the ones that slowly change us.
We didn’t know it then, but the quiet philosophy of that book would come to shape so much of how we’ve navigated life as a family of six.
We’ve always been a bit outdoorsy, though maybe not in the early years, when we were living a more urban life with two children. But just before number three arrived, something shifted. We realised that being outnumbered indoors made life feel harder. But get outside? Suddenly, everything was easier. Calmer. More connected.
“If you want to start incorporating microadventures into your life, the most important thing to do is change your perspective. Begin seeking out wilderness and adventure close to home, in seemingly familiar and humdrum places. The more you look, the more you find.”
— Alastair Humphreys
Over the years, as our family grew and the cost of living crept higher, holidays abroad and fancy staycations felt further and further out of reach. It would have been easy to feel deflated, especially on rainy days scrolling past other people’s sunny holiday snaps but Microadventures changed the lens. It gave us a different way to frame what adventure could mean.
Gone are the days of hopping on a plane to find culture and excitement. But we’ve found so many corners of Britain that have offered us joy, wildness, and a shared sense of something special.
I’m not talking about adrenaline-packed experiences, as we tend to leave the white water rafting and zip-wiring to school trips! I mean something quieter, slower: looking at somewhere nearby with new eyes. Romanticising the everyday. Bigging up a simple outing and making it into a small expedition.
Yes, you could call it "just going for a walk," but when your year isn’t punctuated by big getaways, you learn to make magic out of the local.
Our kind of microadventure usually involves:
A flask (or two)
All the snacks
A last-minute plan
Local inspiration from Instagram / or one of our well-thumbed "days out" books
A rucksack with swimmers, maybe a magnifying glass, sometimes the biggest stick in the world
Whatever gets us all out the door with a spark of anticipation.
Bigging Up the Ordinary
One of the best ways to elevate a day out is to dig up a little story or folklore about the place you’re visiting. Found a patch of ancient woodland? Look up its history. You might find a myth or legend to share as you walk.
Some of our recent favourites:
The Devil’s Sunbathing Steps (yes, we survived)
A Gruffalo-themed woodland trail
Puddle expeditions and stick races after heavy rain
Solstice sunset walks
RSPB birdwatching trips
Pitching up an Army den on a Dartmoor Tor.
Forty-forty at National Trust estates
Geocaching treasure hunts
Even the rainy day car-picnic with tomato soup and cheese sandwiches is a memory that sticks.
“You have plenty of time in life to find really beautiful microadventures. The difficult thing is not to find swathes of extraordinary wilderness and ten-mile views.”
— Alastair Humphreys
So yes—we could just go for a walk or a swim. But isn’t it more fun to call it a microadventure? To make it feel a little bit special?
And maybe, in naming it that, we bring just a little more intention, a little more magic, to our everyday.
So where will your next microadventure be?
Looking for inspiration? I’ve tucked some late spring and early summer microadventure ideas into the bonus section below……..✨
Microadventures Start Here 🧭
Sunset Spotting: Choose a nearby hill or open space and walk up with a flask of hot chocolate or elderflower cordial. Stay until the light fades.
Bluebell Hunt: Pack a simple picnic and head to your nearest woodland to see if the bluebells are out. Take a photo or try sketching what you see.
Car Picnic on a Rainy Day: Embrace the weather. Park somewhere with a view, pour soup from a flask, and listen to the rain on the roof.
Wildflower ID Walk: Bring a little pocket guide or app, and see how many flowers you can spot. Bonus points if you press some in a book later.
Cuckoo Listening Walk: Head out early or late in the day and see if you can hear one. Maybe take a voice note of the sound.
Solstice Adventure: Mark midsummer with a family walk, bonfire, or even just toast marshmallows in the garden as the sun sets.
“Choose Your Adventure” Walk: Let the kids decide the route, left or right at every junction and see where you end up.
Magical Object Hunt: Make a list of whimsical things to find (a feather, a perfectly round stone, a leaf bigger than your hand) and turn it into a quest.
Campfire or Stove Cookout: Take a small stove to the beach or woods (where safe and permitted) and cook dinner outside.
Stargazing Night: Bundle up, bring out duvets or sleeping bags, lie on a picnic rug and see what constellations you can spot.
Picnic packed? Flasks filled? Socks dry (for now)? Then you're ready. Here’s to finding big joy in small adventures, see you out there!
Love Charlotte x
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