Shouting from my shed

Get the latest news, updates and happenings via my shed-based newsletter.

winter hill

You’re not too late for the Winter Microadventure Challenge

 

This weekend is your last chance to enter the Winter Microadventure Challenge. It’s also a great chance to kickstart Your Own Year of Microadventure.

I thought I’md better practice what I preach and squeeze in a quick escape in that long, lazy lull period before Christmas and New Year. I’md been really keen to get out up into the Yorkshire hills. I’md managed a few short runs amidst the indulgence, but hadn’t quite got round to anything more than that. Indeed, I’md convinced myself that the cloudy weather forecast was reason enough not to bother sleeping on a hill. I reached for another mince pie and the remote control.

Christmas Tree

mince pies

The late night weather forecast came on the telly. “Clear but cold” I heard. It was time for action! It was half-ten at night. My brother was already tucked up in bed.
“Fancy sleeping on a hill?” I called into his room. To my surprise he said “OK” and hopped out of bed. I’mm not sure I would have bothered!

We quickly stuffed a few things into rucksacks. Mum declared us both “crackers” as we left the lovely warmth of home behind and headed for the hills.

house at night

Winter Solstice Microadventure

My brother and I were both instantly glad we’d made the choice. We laughed at the stupidity of it, but that’s half the fun.
The night was cold and clear. The moon raced through patches of cloud. Lights in villages far below seemed to be from a different world. It was beautiful up there. I’mve run and ridden up and over that bleak fell all my life but I realised I had never been up there before in the dark. It was memorable and fresh and fun and simple. And I hope it becomes an annual tradition.

Winter Solstice Microadventure

Morning comes late at this time of year in the north. We slept late and woke to a moody, quiet dawn at the tail end of the year. I never seem to tire of the simple pleasure of waking up on a hill.

Winter Solstice Microadventure

Winter Solstice Microadventure

We’d slept tucked against the lee of a dry stone wall, down and out of the sharp December wind. A perfect place to cook breakfast, too.

Winter Solstice Microadventure

Winter Solstice Microadventure

Winter Solstice Microadventure

Winter Solstice Microadventure

Winter Solstice Microadventure

A cup of tea and a bacon sandwich gazing down on half the world and looking back on the year almost past.
And that was that. We headed back down the hill for home, for a mince pie, and for all that the next year might bring for the both of us.

Winter Solstice Microadventure

If you’d like to try some microadventures of your own in 2015, why not get involved with the Your Year of Microadventure challenge?

Your Year of Microadventure

Read Comments

You might also like

10500 Days (and almost as many words) “My thoughts first turned to adventure 10,500 days ago today. The idea of adventure for me at first was simple and uncomplicated. It was the prospect of excitement, fun, and novelty that were pulling me forward, and the push of […]...
Survey results: What direction shall I go next? I recently asked the wonderful readers of my newsletter for a bit of advice on what things I should focus my attention on for the next few months and years. I thought I’d share the results here, partly to show […]...
Embracing the Adventurous Spirit in Life and Leadership In the journey of life, we often find ourselves at crossroads, contemplating the path less traveled versus the familiar road. Drawing parallels from a life dedicated to adventure, we can extract profound lessons that not only motivate us but also […]...
 

Comments

  1. Hey Al, Gabriel just completed his first chariot micro-adventure at 6mths! Is it too late to enter your winter (or rather summer;-)) solstices competition?!

    https://bridgetsbikeblog.wordpress.com/?p=2365

    Reply
  2. david Posted

    cracking bloke, would love to do a year pf micro adventures ..followed up by a calendar
    this might be the year 2017!

    Reply

 
 

Post a Comment

HTML tags you can use: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

 

Shouting from my shed

Get the latest news, updates and happenings via my shed-based newsletter.

© Copyright 2012 – 2015 Alastair Humphreys. All rights reserved.

Site design by JSummertonBuilt by Steve Perry Creative