Author: Julie

Teaching archery at a large-scale event title pic

Sparkle & Ice 2018: A volunteer’s perspective on a large-scale Adventure weekend

February 12, 2018

Girlguiding has four annual flagship events. There’s the Big Gig, a huge pop concert at Wembley Arena (in previous years they’ve taken it to Manchester or Birmingham and so on but last few years, it’s settled at Wembley). There’s Wellies & Wristbands, a huge music festival/national camp in August at three venues simultaneously, Magic &… More Sparkle & Ice 2018: A volunteer’s perspective on a large-scale Adventure weekend

How I learnt to love Paris title pic

How I learnt to love Paris

February 5, 2018

If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram or saw my photoset last week, you might know I went to Paris recently. I didn’t mean to but work colleagues were trying to plan travel to a supplier presentation in north-central France the week before. Paris being the only international hub within three hours, calls of… More How I learnt to love Paris

Extreme gardening title pic

Juliet Tries… extreme gardening with the National Trust

February 1, 2018

This is a travel & outdoors adventures blog… but I don’t seem to do a lot of outdoors adventures recently. However, in January I spent a day volunteering with the National Trust, specifically with the volunteer rangers on Brownsea Island. Now, Brownsea Island is a bit special. It’s local but it’s also where Scouting and… More Juliet Tries… extreme gardening with the National Trust

Lulworth title pic

New Year, New Unicorn

January 29, 2018

I used to walk a lot. Well, a bit. But it’s been a while since I’ve been out, or at least, out of my own volition. I go on Girlguiding region walking weekends when I can because it means I have to but other than that, I can always find more appealing things to do… More New Year, New Unicorn

Climbing Laki header pic

The day I climbed Iceland’s deadliest volcano

January 25, 2018

I’ve climbed a few mountains in my time. Small ones, easy ones, sometimes only halfway up and always slowly. Sir Edmund Hillary I am not. Climbing Laki was entirely unlike any mountain I’ve ever climbed before. Laki is a volcano. That’s not what makes it unusual. Actually, it’s not “a volcano” in the traditional sense.… More The day I climbed Iceland’s deadliest volcano

Weekend in Paris photoset

Photoset: Paris 2018

January 22, 2018

Last weekend I went to Paris. Some people at work went for a business meeting south of Paris last Wednesday and spent weeks trying to plan it – it’s very hard to hear “There’s a plane at this time for this price” and “we could take the train at that time” and so on for… More Photoset: Paris 2018

Weird souvenirs: lava

My best souvenir: lava!

January 18, 2018

In mid-2014, a volcano in Iceland started rumbling. On August 29th 2014, I shrieked aloud in excitement in front of a dozen uninterested elderly ladies because it had finally started erupting. Well, the volcano hadn’t. But its magma was oozing out of a fissure not too far away. It oozed and poured and fountained for… More My best souvenir: lava!

Charmouth title pic

Fossil hunting in Charmouth: Tom & Juliet’s Annual Adventure

January 4, 2018

Every year, between Christmas and New Year, my friend Tom and I go on an adventure to the beach. I guess the beach isn’t a rule but it always has been the beach. This year we went to Charmouth. If you watched Broadchurch, Broadchurch itself is everywhere from Bridport to Lyme Regis, so Charmouth is part… More Fossil hunting in Charmouth: Tom & Juliet’s Annual Adventure