Last year I did my first ever virtual race. You sign up and even get a downloadable bib (has anyone ever printed and worn this?) but you do the race by yourself at your own pace at your own place. You don’t even have to run. I walked it but cycling is also an option. … More Virtual running and swimming
If you’ve read my posts about my previous kayaking adventures, you may have noticed I have something of a love-hate relationship with the sport. I liiiike it… but I’m not very good at it and I don’t like the sea. Why not use rivers and lakes for your early kayaking experiments instead of leaping straight … More I went sea kayaking and I didn’t capsize
This is the most ridiculous thing ever. I made a washing-up bag. When I go camping, I never have washing-up stuff. I traipse across a field carrying my plate and bowl and knife and spoon, I find a rusty sink tucked away behind the standpipe and of course, it doesn’t have any washing-up liquid or … More The camping kit-list: my washing-up bag!
Take a guess what country has the most Nobel Prizes in the world? It’s Iceland! Ok, let’s qualify that. Which country has the most Nobel Prizes per capita? Iceland has one Nobel Prize but on the other hand, it has a population the size of Camden, so that’s a pretty high ratio of Nobel Prizes to … More The A-Z of Iceland: N for Nobel Prizes
In June, I tried the Wildlife Trusts’ 30 Days Wild challenge. Spoiler: it didn’t go too well. It started ok. Well, it started ok in May. I found myself continually doing things that made me think “I should be saving this for next week” but when June started, it wore off a bit. The first … More 30 Days Wild
You may have noticed that I went camping in North Devon recently. I really like Ilfracombe and my little mind was blown by the scale of the beaches – although I was less impressed by the number of washed-up jellyfish. I had a free weekend and I’d have a weekend away in the UK. I … More Camping in North Devon
In previous years I’ve written Guide Camp Kit List posts on “What is a plate bag?“, “what is a camp blanket?” and “how to make a bedding roll” and they’re perennial favourites that have huge spikes in views in the summer months. But I’ve never written an actual guide to what to pack for Guide … More The Guide Camp Kit List: What to pack for camp
Ah, where do we start with the myths, monsters & magic of Iceland? Þórr, better known to English-speakers as Thor, who may as well be the patron saint of Iceland? The many ghosts blamed for causing various hot springs? The Eastfjords’ Lagarfljótsormur? The infamous witchcraft museum and the necropants? Every country – every place – has … More The A-Z of Iceland: M for Myths, Monsters & Magic
From the hill above my campsite – well, actually, the campsite continues right up onto said hill – you can see two huge expanses of beach, Woolacombe Sands and Croyde Bay. I’m very impressed with them both and the beaches of North Devon were to continue to impress me. I went to Woolacombe when I … More The vast beaches of North Devon
You wouldn’t think there’s much link between travel, adventures and body image, necessarily. Or at least, not within the improvement of relationships between body and image. I tend to credit Iceland for my lack of bodily self-hate. In a world where you’re always the wrong shape and size, it’s quite refreshing to share the Obligatory … More Travel, adventures, and body image
I Am A Polar Bear 