Alastair Humphreys on building adventure into your life wherever you live
Jun 5, 2024
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Alastair Humphreys, an experienced adventurer, discusses the power of microadventures and finding adventure in local areas. He shares insights on exploring industrial estates, appreciating the beauty of everyday locations, and challenging preconceptions about adventure. The podcast emphasizes the joy of embracing wilderness in unexpected places and integrating small explorations into daily life.
Embrace micro adventures in familiar locales for thrills comparable to grand expeditions.
Redefine adventure by exploring wilderness in unexpected places, like industrial sites, to discover beauty.
Deep dives
Adventures Closer to Home
Alistair Humphries, known for his global expeditions, now embraces micro adventures closer to home. Starting with exploring nearby areas, he emphasizes that small local adventures can provide similar thrills as grand expeditions. By committing to weekly explorations of one-kilometer grid squares in his neighborhood, he discovered the beauty and wildness often overlooked in familiar surroundings.
Rewilding Urban Landscapes
Humphries challenges traditional notions of adventure by finding wilderness in unexpected places like abandoned industrial sites. He highlights the rewilding process in urban landscapes, appreciating the growth of nature amidst industrial remnants. By redefining adventure as exploration beyond conventional wilderness, he encourages others to discover beauty in overlooked surroundings.
Embracing Curiosity and Small Adventures
Encouraging a mindset shift towards exploring the familiar with curiosity, Humphries advocates for small, achievable adventures to spark a sense of wonder. He stresses the importance of scheduling and overcoming barriers to embark on local explorations, even in seemingly mundane locations. By instilling a sense of adventure in daily life, he believes that anyone can cultivate a spirit of exploration and appreciation for their surroundings.
Alastair Humphreys spent four years cycling round the world. He’s rowed across the Atlantic, run a marathon in the Sahara and taken part in an expedition to the arctic. But we’ve caught up with him on an industrial estate on the edge of the city, to talk microadventures and the power of thinking small.
A Life More Wild is an 18Sixty production, brought to you by Canopy & Stars. Production by Clarissa Maycock and recorded by Marnie Woodmeade. Our theme music is by Billie Marten.
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