What is a Micro Adventure? & How can it benefit me?

What is a micro adventure? In short it’s simple it’s a micro adventure, these micro adventures are simple to organise, cost effective, normally local, challenging, builds new skills, confirms friendship and family bonds, new and easy to organise.

In a busy urbanised world it is easy for us to get sucked into that 9-5, tech controlled world, where we sit armchair surfing, becoming keyboard warriors, ooze and criticise YouTube videos of people doing just what this blog post is about finding the time to fit in micro expeditions into our busy life.

Look at it on the flip side we work say 9-5 that means you have from 6-8 to do something.

So you are fitting your work hours in to your adventure time.

Finish work head to the beach, cook some food, watch the sun go down, sleep on the beach, get up and head to work.

What is a Micro Adventure?
I’ve mentioned before the need to get out and use the outdoors to our benefit our mental health.

I recently read an article in the magazine ‘bushcraft and survival skills’ written by Dr Catherine Calderwood ( Chief Medical Officer of Scotland).

She stated there is increasing evidence that outdoor activities and learning outside the classroom increased academic attainment and improves well-being.

Like I said it strengthens family bonds and friendships. You will give yourself some ‘ME’ time or just adjust your usual dog walking into something different.

So what is a micro adventure?
It can be almost anything from a paddle down the river with a stop for lunch, the list is endless.

There are plenty of books / YouTube channels about micro adventures available.

Here’s are a few ideas of what you can do. The main thing is tailoring what you do to what you can do within these urbanised time / money constraints.

You should look at a micro adventure as a espresso short, full of flavour and only half the size of a Americano.

What is a micro adventure?

Breakfast outside

Pack up your bag the night before

Polska Kiełbasa

One of the best things we do in the summer is cook Polish Sausage over an open fire.

This is typical summer micro adventure in Poland. Spending the warm summer months sitting around the fire grilling smoked sausage and washing it down with some fantastic polish beers.

These sausages can be brought a your local Polish deli.

My favourite and the best ones I think are called Slanska.

Lay the sausage and cut just through the skin diagonally then turn the sausage and cut diagonally again to create little squares, flip the sausage do the same on other side then stock them on you stick you have whittled and heat them (as they are hot smoked) so they go crispy.

Serve in bed rolls with Sarepska (polish mustard) and pickles.

Wildswimming

This is so frowned upon I. The UK but pretty much everywhere else swimming in rivers and lakes is as normal as waking around them. The issue in the UK is knowing where is safe to swim. Regularly in the summer months whilst dog walking or paddling we will all end up in the river.

One of my most memorable camping moments was in Sweden whilst heading to the Klarälven we camped one night in the Glaskogen Park. I was woken early morning by the sound of Wolves in the distance. I got up lit a fire and had a early swim whilst waiting for the Coffee

Canoeing

This sport is so adaptable to what you can afford, what you want to do and time constraints.

My two love to use the Kelly Kettle to cook some noodles on the river bank.

If you are new to canoeing then pick a quiet spot and make sure that buoyancy aids are worn at all times.

Fire lighting

Simple day out try different methods of lighting fires. From a bow drill to magnifying glass. Get the family involved, have a competition in who can do it the quickest.

Geocaching

This is a great game to play with the kids they love finding the little caches especially when they are full of trinkets.

Download the app on your smartphone and search your local area for geocaches head out for the day and use your phone to locate the caches. Some can be tricky and you might need to work out some clues to find where they are hidden.

Sleeping on the beach

This is a great one to do any day of the week.

I usually pick my two up from school and head straight to the beach for a swim, get the Kelly Kettle out, make some tea and pitch a tent for the evening. There’s always some dry driftwood about for a fire in the evening.

Shelter building

There’s not much needed for this a load of trees, some brush for thatching and a good bit of time. Take some food, open fires I’d keep away from but take a cooler and cook something simple. Our Kelly Kettle gets used a lot for these little adventures. Search online for some plans on different types of shelters.

Hammock camping

This is now my most favourite method of camping. It is so versatile and it is so comfy and I sleep so well. You don’t need to spend a fortune on hammock camping kit to start of. Have a look online for a cheap hammock and have a look at my post on hammock camping.
DD Hammocks do some really good priced kit worth having a look at them.

Winter camping

As long as you’ve got the right gear it doesn’t really matter what the weather is and personally I love camping in the winter.

You do really need the right gear because there’s nothing worse than being cold or wet this time of the year.

A pleasant evening camping in the winter can become a very miserable night very quickly without the correct gear.
Good clothes, warm clothes a spare change of clothes, 4 season sleeping system and a waterproof shelter is a must.

Even if you are setting up for a day outside it is a great feeling building a shelter, cooking food and watching the world go by your shelter.

Sunday roast outside

There’s nothing like cooking outdoors and a Sunday roast is a great way to get out and enjoy eating outdoors.

Even if the weather is poor, erect a shelter and get the fire going and throw a joint of meat in a ditch oven and let it slowly cook.

Lamb is one of my favourites to cook.

Cut 2 onions in half and rest the joint on the onions, out the lid on and place some coals on the lid to evenly roast the meat.

Add vegetables after about 45 minutes and let them slowly cook be careful not to cook it to quick or hot from the bottom.

Dog walking

This is one of my regular trips out.

Dogs need walking everyday and when I have time I’ll take my pre packed day bag and head out along the river, forest or along the beach.

Spend some time to sit and reflect, brew a coffee and sometime take my breakfast with me.

Whittling

There’s something very therapeutic about whittling a piece of green wood into something or even nothing. You don’t need expensive tools. The two knives I carry cost about £25.
There’s loads of videos on YouTube or grab a book and see what you can make. Take your brew kit and sit and have ago with a coffee under the trees.