Adventures are good. Adventures are fun, rewarding, interesting, and informative. Reading about the adventures of inspiring people like Thor Heyerdahl, Thomas Stevens, Rosie Swale-Pope, Joshua Slocum and Celia Fiennes has enriched my life. These “Great” adventures have helped me reflect on my own life and what I may be capable of achieving.

I moved from reading about adventures to taking on adventures of my own. They are now a big part of my life and who I am. Writing about my trips (in books, magazines and blogs) is also an important part of what I do. One thing that has often struck me is that I am fortunate to have the time, inclination and physical capability to embark on large journeys. Many people do not.

However I have also realised that you do not have to have an epic adventure to have an adventure. You do not need to fly to the other side of the planet to do an expedition. You do not need to be an elite athlete, expertly trained, or rich to have an adventure. Adventure is only a state of mind.

Adventure is stretching yourself; mentally, physically or culturally. It is about doing what you do not normally do, pushing yourself hard and doing it to the best of your ability.

And if that is true then adventure is all around us, at all times. Even during hard financial times such as these. Times, I believe, when getting out into the wild are more enjoyable, invigorating and important than ever.

That is why I have begun a series of “microadventures“, trips that are close to home, affordable, easy to organise, and designed to encourage other people to get out There and Do Stuff! They may be small, but they still encapsulate Adventure.

Examples of microadventures I have done include walking the Fosse Way, crossing Scotland by foot and inflatable raft, and walking a lap of the M25. All you need is a bit of imagination. It doesn’t matter if it’s a bit daft. The dafter the better! Find a challenge that excites you, pack a rucksack with waterproofs, warm kit, a sleeping bag and a tent, bivi bag or tarpaulin and you are ready to go. It is as easy as that. There really are no excuses.

If you walk out of your front door and keep going for 15 miles then everyone in the UK would be out in countryside. Head for somewhere you have never been before. Find a secluded field or forest. Sleep out under the stars, wake up and watch the sunrise. Then walk home again. I can guarantee that in this tiny, 24 hour, very cheap “expedition” you will have found some sort of adventure. You will have challenged yourself, seen something new and beautiful, and -hopefully- opened up your eyes to the possibilities for microadventure even in little old Britain…

This post originally appeared on Fresh Air Fix