Since I set out to walk a lap of the M25 in search of adventure within the constraints of real-life, ‘microadventures’ have grown and grown into a major dimension of my adventuring life. They even led to me being named as a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year which is clearly absurd (though lovely)!
I’mve slept on hills, swum down rivers, even walked a lap around my own house. I have shared many of the microadventures as blog posts, videos and -soon- a book. The idea of microadventures has grown tremendously. I’mve put a lot of effort into writing blog posts that will enable other people to experience the simple but powerful joys of cooking on fires and sleeping in bivvy bags. I’mve run competitions to tempt people to try their first microadventure. We had entries from toddlers, old folk, people in Japan and America and many other countries.
The microadventure hashtag (#microadventure) has worked as a wonderful focal point for demonstrating to ‘normal’ people that it is not just adventurers who do this sort of stuff.
I hope that my website is crammed with enough information for any individual to be able to plan and carry out all sorts of great adventures. Money should not be an obstacle that prevents you enjoying the wilderness.
In short, I’mve put a lot of time and effort into the idea of microadventures and I have loved receiving emails from people who have enjoyed their first night under the stars. It’s been great. The only thing I haven’t yet managed to do is make any money out of all this work (and I’mve got a shed to upkeep these days)!
But there seems now to be an opportunity for me to combine the motivational corporate work I do with the powerful benefits of microadventures. I have started a small venture to take groups of people out of London for a team-building microadventure experience. (I’mll also be running a few microadventures for individuals too.)
If you work in London, or if you have friends who do, please will you take a look at my new website?
It’s called microad.ventures.
I would love to hear your thoughts on the concept, and also on the website itself.
Here’s the basic premise:
MICROADVENTURE: 5-TO-9 LIVING
“Short, thrilling trips that fit in around work and family commitments.” – Financial Times
- Are you trying to inspire your team and bring them closer together?
- Does your business need space to think and to daydream?
- Are you stressed, busy and under pressure?
Jump on a train after work. Escape the city. Climb a hill, cook on a fire, sleep under the stars.
Take your Team on a Microadventure this Summer
Please do have a look at the new website and share the link with anyone you feel may benefit from this opportunity. And keep getting out and doing microadventures of your own!
What a disappointment to see this on your site. You had so much integrity and seemed such a genuine adventurer. But now you are just cashing in and turning just to rich corporate people. Your not in the real world any more.
Not a disappointment at all and slightly dramatic comment. Sure the spin offs aim to make a bit of money which will no doubt help further sustain what is an epic inspirational blog but at the same time this is a much needed service for businesses. I’ve worked in the corporate world and this authenticity and different approach, as a service is much needed in their grey vanilla world.
Hi Jody
Most of my preamble to this blog post was to counter exactly this sentiment.
I’m sorry that you feel this way. I hope that you make the most of all the free content on this blog which will enable you to have microadventures of your own.
Al
That’s a bit harsh! He’s gotta make a living somehow. I’m sure adventuring isn’t that profitable (although I’m sure its great fun).
Keep up the good work, Alastair. I’m gonna keep reading this site, and hopefully soon do my own micro-adventure.
There’s nothing wrong with making money from adventure but there is something wrong if you are dishonest about your intentions. By all accounts for some time you’ve been telling your explorer mates how you “have to make money” out of microadventures, that you trademarked it last year and that the corporate market is the most lucrative (so you’re ignoring the little people?). So you want us to pay £1000 to spend the evening with you? I’m not surprised to see this on here at all. You lost me last year when you claimed to be National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, you were nominated by your journalist friends, but you did not win it. You are NOT the National Geographic Adventurer of any Year. No one else “nominated” makes such claims, I was a fan but when I saw you claiming that, that is where I started to question what was really going on. Also your FB page screams ‘Oxford University’ but what degree did you do there or was it actually a PGCE conversion course that you did in the ‘town’ of Oxford? Al, you’re a great self publicist but what adventures have you really done? An impressive cycle ride many years ago and since then you’ve been camping near home making out like you invented camping.
Hi Fiona,
Thanks very much for your comment.
I would strongly take exception that I have ever been ‘dishonest about my intentions’.
I certainly have felt for a while that I need to try to make some money out of microadventures – I try to make money out of all my adventures in order to keep it as a sustainable, viable lifestyle.
I haven’t got any trademark at all on ‘Microadventure’. I did make an effort to do so last year (after a large travel firm released a press release about the way ‘microadventure’ was changing the travel industry, or something like that) but I didn’t succeed and I didn’t make any attempt to reapply for it. I actually love it when other people use the phrase / the idea and develop it for themselves (eg – http://www.berghaus.com/community/?cat=318). It benefits other people and, indirectly, of course might one day benefit me too.
I’m not sure which of my ‘explorer mates’ you’ve been talking to, but anyone knows that the corporate market is more lucrative than, say, primary schools (of which I’ll be visiting several this week). I don’t think that trying to do corporate speaking work or business microadventures means that I am ‘ignoring the little people’ at all. It need not be either/or. It can easily be both.
I’m not anticipating any individual would want to pay £1000 to spend the night with me (!) – that’s why it is pitched at businesses not individuals.
And, as I make very clear in this blog post – the blog is still full of advice helping anyone to go and have microadventures of their own for free.
I don’t really think this new venture is particularly different from, say, talking to a corporate audience one week, a primary school the next, and a charity event the week after that, is it?
As for the Nat Geo thing…
I don’t know, nor have ever met whoever makes the decision of the awards. I certainly knew nothing about it until I got interviewed on their long list of nominees.
You can see on their own website that I was, in their words, one of the 2012 ‘Adventurers of the Year’ (http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/adventurers-of-the-year/2012/alastair-humphreys/).
I certainly don’t think I was one of the 10 most amazing adventurers that year (nor any other year), but it’s an award I am still proud of and -yes- I am aware that milking it is helpful in the grubby world of self-promotion that is a necessary part of most professional adventurers’ day job.
Off the top of my head, and without wishing to drag them into a squabble, two of my adventure friends both state the same thing on their site (and are right to do so):
– http://www.edstafford.org/about
– http://www.rozsavage.com/contents/biography/
Now, trawling back to my uni days – I did a BSc at Edinburgh Uni, then a PGCE at Oxford Uni. Both are on my FB page and in my first book.
I am aware, more than anyone else on Earth, that my biggest adventure finished when I got back from cycling round the world. I hope I have never given an impression since then of claiming to be some sort of superman, for I certainly am not.
I’ve rowed the Atlantic since then, written a book about walking across southern India, spent time in the high Arctic and Greenland, walked and packrafted across Iceland, and made a film from the Empty Quarter desert. I hope I have never claimed those things to be greater than they are.
And, yes, I’ve recently spent a lot of time camping near my home. The introduction to my Microadventures book makes it very explicit that I’m not claiming to have invented something new (Google ‘S240’ for an example of earlier ‘microadventures’). Absolutely not.
I’m sorry overall that I seem to have given off a distinctly unpleasant impression of myself to you!
Best Wishes,
Alastair
ps – I’d be very happy to respond to any other points you may have.
ps – I forgot to mention the campaign on my blog for the whole of this year – encouraging people to save £1000 over the course of an entire year for a big adventure: https://alastairhumphreys.com/adventure1000
Hang on.
So an adventurer isn’t allowed to be an entrepreneur as well?! It’s extremely unfair to hold Al accountable to some kind of arbitrary standards of purity related to adventure and making money. This is a job… his job… and he needs to earn a living. How do you earn your living? Is it pure? Have you sold out yet?!
I’ve followed Al for 5 years and never doubted his integrity nor sincerity for helping people go on big adventures. He is incredibly transparent about his intentions – too transparent it seems. I’m genuinely shocked that in a world so lacking in authenticity and brands that matter (as Al is of course his own brand) – you choose this guy as the target for your gripes. He’s one of the few good ones in a world full of profit for profit’s sake, mediocrity, and painfully shallow PR.
The amount of energy and value he has put out into the world for free is astonishing. The amount of emails he replies to where there is NOTHING in it for him other that the satisfaction of helping someone else. The amount of talks he gives for free. The amount of money he has raised for Hope and Homes for Children…
If he can persuade corporates to pay for their employees to go on authentic, genuinely life-affirming experiences then bloody brilliant. Or would you rather that money kept circulating in the system – between one big organisation and another? The corporate pays Centre Parcs for a corporate away day, 300 accountants go and get drunk in the woods and pretend to listen to their CEO?
Lots of adventurers and motivational speakers earn their living from corporate speaking gigs and some of them can only do their adventures due to corporate sponsorship. What’s the difference between those two sources of income and an arguably far more genuine experience related to taking some suits out for a perspective-altering adventure?
Good ideas, content and organisations can’t sustain themselves on goodwill alone. Everyone has a boss. Everyone answers to someone. It’s a real shame that you chose Al as the target for your mean and unfair judgment. There are plenty more people and organisations out there who deserve far closer scrutiny.
Onwards Al – you’ve influenced more people than you’re probably aware of and 99% of them are touched by you in extremely positive and inspirational ways.
Hi Fiona,
I’d just like to add this link to the discussion too, to show you how many people are off doing microadventures without needing to pay me a penny!
https://tagboard.com/microadventure
Oh Al, what spiteful comments your honesty provokes 🙁 No one can doubt your good intentions or integrity… Keep on doing what you’re doing…you are an inspiration to all of us 🙂
Oops you’ve got to admit she’s got you on the Adventurer of the Year thing. Just because other people are misclaiming it, its still wrong. Do the right thing and call yourself a NGAY “nominee” from now on, still an achievement to be nominated – and well deserved. I suppose if you put yourself out there into the public domain you really have to expect to be prodded if you’re caught exagerating a little 🙂
Hi Stuart
I’m afraid you’re mistaken here.
Each year Nat Geo choose a number of “Adventurers of the Year”. You’ve got muddled because they then offer up those Adventurers to a vote to determine the “People’s Choice Adventurer of the Year”.
In 2012 this was won by Sano Babu Sunuwar and Lakpa Tsheri Sherpa. And rightly so! I encouraged people on my blog to vote for them not me.
Apologies if I sound like I’m nit-picking but it is important for me to clarify that what I say is truthful. I have never ever claimed to be anything other than “an adventurer of the year”.
Best Wishes
Alastair
Next time you ask your friends to defend that you’re not selling out maybe dont ask two city businessmen to do it!!!! Reading it back, maybe I was too blunt and I apologise but I was disappointed, I’d heard the rumours and this confirmed it. I’m now even more disspointed to see that microadventures is in fact a copy of someone else’s idea – “S240”. If your aim was to promote a great concept, why didn’t you just promote ‘their’ concept? Why did you feel you had to trademark it to yourself? You have a comments box for feedback so sometimes someone should point out what is blaringly obvious to a lot of us, even if its negative. I hope you will be more transparent in future
Hi Fiona,
I didn’t ask anyone to ‘defend’ me – I welcome all forms of comments on here and find them all interesting. No need to apologise!
I’d be intrigued to hear what “rumours you’d been hearing”, but I have not done anything secret or disingenuous here: I’ve just added a way of making a financial return out of an aspect of my adventures.
As you pointed out before, microadventures are essentially just ‘camping’. So I obviously didn’t copy that concept, nor is it particularly novel or earth-shattering – it’s just going camping. And so is ‘S24O’ – they are both just words to describe something that people have done for decades.
I didn’t promote S24O for a few reasons: I don’t really think it’s a catchy word, and many of my microadventures take longer than 24 hours. It’s not as though I’m trying to stamp out ‘S24O’ or ‘Camping’ or whatever other word you want to put on a very harmless activity.
I tried to trademark the word because there was a rising interest in the word, and if – say – Nike suddenly decided to launch a range of ‘Microadventure Trainers’ (unlikely!) then I would have wanted to be involved in that.
I honestly don’t think I have done anything that is not transparent. We’re talking about taking folk camping here – that is all.
And I absolutely welcome your feedback comments, I honestly do.
Best Wishes,
Alastair
Alistair, well done for being so open to discuss criticism, it’s quite refreshing to see a conversation like this online that doesn’t descend into shouty hatred.
However, I must take issue with the photo on this page that clearly shows you pissing about on Facebook on your phone, while your mates look after the fire. TSSSSK.
It’s called delegation…
😉
I am sure that Shackleton and Scott et al all went around making money from their various talks and book promotions plus any royalties from the expedition photos etc, not to mention dispatches in the newspapers and sponsorship by industrialists of the day.
Self publicity to help raise coffers for further expeditions and to live on is nothing new and nobody would question the authenticity of either men mentioned above would they.
So why when someone turns an idea into a money making exercise is it frowned upon? Starting out on a business venture is an adventure in itself and as adventure is a state of mind surely this could be classed as just another adventure, albeit in making money.
We would all like to swan around playing at being adventurers but the reality is in a capitalist society we all have to earn money at some point to be able to live and to eat. If you can turn what you love doing into making some money then you have struck pure gold and found the magic formula, so good luck is what I say to him.
As a footnote Alastair has always taken time to answer any questions or comments posted over the years on this blog for no personal gain to himself as far as I can see and don’t forget his content is all completely free!!
Hi,
As a fan of your big adventures and books, I would just say, “all power to you” Al.
Perhaps you would also like to consider taking groups to micro-adventuring in British national parks and on short photography tours.
I wish you the very best in this new adventure 🙂
I think its a good idea to tap into the corporate market and use his “Brand” to his advantage, the website looks very slick and as others have already said Alastair has to make a living like everyone else. Given the chance 99% of the population would like to be their own boss doing something they enjoy, so if he can make enough money to put food on the table and clothes on his back I personally don’t see what the problem is.
However, I can see where some of the negative comments are coming from.
I think you’ve been on some great trips and you are clearly dedicated to forging a career out of adventure, I’ve read a lot of your blogs which have been very interesting and insightful and I think all the free advice on your website is a great source of info for those who need it.
The bottom line is when you put yourself out there in the manner you do some people will adore you and some people will dislike you. Whether you like it or not the way you come across to others is sometimes interpreted in a different and possibly negative way but that’s the nature of the beast.
If you can make a living from what you love doing fair play, for anyone that isn’t a fan of what you’re doing then they don’t have to follow you on twitter or read your blogs.
If you want to head up to Sarek give me a shout I live in Sweden and might try and squeeze a trip up in August
I read with some interest the aspersions cast upon Alastair’s character and motives. As a 65+ soon-to-be bicycle adventure traveler heading out on a modest seven day bicycle tour in southern Florida, I have been greatly inspired by his past adventures and writings. I was so very pleased to receive a personal note from Alastair when I complimented him on his accomplishments and suggested that my own plans for a “micro-adventure” paled in comparison. He replied that my comment was “pure rubbish” and that my adventure was equally worthy of his. I have found him to be humble and always willing to not only share but perhaps even deflect the spotlight to others and their adventures. Contrary to those that believe he indulges in self adulation, I believe he champions the adventures of others. If he is able to profit from his experience and efforts, I say more power to him and do hope he will continue.
Day after day during years hearing your voice like a mantra,
encouraging us to go outdoors beating up our excuses,
to sleep away from our flabby and comfortable premises,
by any means to burn out our fuses,
and give to our lives another clauses…
The only thought I can give you about all this (as you told us) is: ¡Avante!
Cheers, mate!
I would imagine that every person making a living from a life of adventure would offer some sort of training or public speaking to all kinds of markets, including the corporate world so I see absolutely nothing wrong with anything Al’s doing. I wish my employers would consider this but unfortunately I work in the cash strapped public sector so there’s no chance!
Hi Al,
Terrific idea! Just like others have said, you have to make a living, put food on the table – just like everyone else.
Well done to you, and I wish you all the success in your ventures, regardless of whether or not you make money off of them, or not.
Most people would give a lot to be in the position you are in. The best job is a job you love, and one where you are in control. Self-employment, I think.
Illegitimi non carborundum, my friend. Good luck – and please, do come to Canada soon! 😉
I love this: Illegitimi non carborundum!
Say what you like about ‘tapping the corporate market’ and ‘selling out’ but last year I bivvied out on a mountain, packrafted a river, and even winter camped in a snow trench. This May I leave for a bike ride from London to Barcelona through the Pyrenees.
The single most consistent source of inspiration in the face of the boat-loads of nay-sayers has been this website and Alistair’s simple admonishment that ‘anyone can do it.’
And you know what? Anyone can.
I agree with Lawsy, this is a brilliant inspirational website.
Quite interesting controversial conversation your latest venture stirred Al. It’s quite a lot of black and white I would say…
In general I certainly see the need of monetizing the things you dedicate your time to, but it will be quite of a tightrope walk. And I would agree that there might be quite a shift in direction when it comes to this approach. The thing is that your adventures always had a certain “makeshift character” and the microadventure thing was always a great way to show ordinary people that they are never far way from an adventure that doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Unfortunately I’m not able to find the article I read on your site the other day when I first dipped into this conversation. It was about the idea behind microadventures which didn’t fit very well to the path the corporate microadventures are following I think.
The main problem for most people is probably that “adventure” may lose it’s magic once it turns into business. Similar to let’s say “Camino Santiago de Compostela” experiences where you get your luggage transferred to the next hotel and join a group for a decent stroll during the day while having a fabulous dinner plus wine prepared when you arrive. In your case and the microad.ventures I just imagine a hill covered with let’s say around 20 sleeping bags when waking up in the morning after an evening in “fresh environment for brain-storming and kick-starting new projects” which migth be a bit contradictory to the 5-9 idea too. So basically not the romantic idea most people have in mind when it comes to adventure…
Still, I agree that there is the market for this idea and it’s legitimate that Al is pushing into this niche. Bottom line is probably that a few of your follower turn their back on you and your site, but you probably will gain new followers as well. Not to mentioned the additional potential exposure through business channels. I’m not sure if you Al still savour the taste of (micro)adventure yourself when organizing such “corporate camps”…
In terms of the new site itself, I really like it in terms of appearance. Modern one-page layout, nice navigation and visuals. Some of the text I find contradictory and in some parts repetitive, but in general I think it works… 🙂
Bottom line is probably following: as long as the guy in the bathroom mirror in the morning still looks familiar and you do these things with passion it’s probably the right way. Still, I’m a bit sceptical about it…
There’s two things I don’t understand about all this:
1. Why nobody objects to me soing different categories of talks: sometimes doing talks for free – for the hell of it, for a good cause, whatever – dressed in shorts and bare feet with a beer in hand, sometimes getting paid a bit in schools, and sometimes in a smart suit getting paid a lot for talking to a corporate audience.
2. Why the Microadventures are seen as either/or? My site is full of free info helping people and full of stories of me arsing around on hilltops. None of that has to end if I take a few guys out of the office for a night and help them to do something different.
Finally, if it is fair to assume that I’m allowed to earn some cash from my job (Adventurer), what might be an acceptable way to do this?
Best Wishes
Alastair
Hey Al, thanks for taking the time to reply. I wasn’t meant to sound too “black and white” myself, apologize if this has been the case. As I said, I certainly understand that you need to make a living and the amount of time you invest in your blog and everything related to it is massive – without much of some sort of revenue. So it’s understandable that you look for opportunities to earn some money while dedicating your time to things you love. This might be probably the dream of everyone out there, including myself. I only struggled to believe that you will really enjoy the microadventures with companies or better say feel the sense of (micro)adventure during these nights, but I might be terribly wrong. As I wrote, the “romantic idea” of adventure in general might be spoiled that way – for some people, mind you… That also goes pretty much along with the bathroom mirror mention above: as long as YOU feel it’s still Al, everything is fine. And I do not expect your other microadventures or the inspiration people (including me) take from your site to stop only because that wee “shift”, but the perception may change a bit, see!?
I hope all the negative feedback above did not spoil your enthusiasm completely when it comes to this new (ad)venture of yours.
Best of luck and speak soon,
Oliver
Hi Oliver,
There’s no doubt my enjoyment of a trip like this will be different – I’ll be working, there’ll be lots to arrange etc etc. But I’ll still enjoy meeting new people and the challenge of trying to get them to fall in love with the outdoors and an adventurous mindset.
Rest assured – if I hate it I won’t do it!
This whole comment stream has been really interesting. When I read of this new venture/project, I thought it was brilliant. On the one hand, you can make a bit of cash and on the other you will be introducing some people to the outdoors and to the idea of ‘adventure’. I was actually taken aback somewhat by the negative comments. I thought about where those commenters might be coming from and realized that at some point in my life I might have said the same things. Why I now find the idea of corporate microadventures a good idea instead of looking at it as selling out is a result of a retail job in the outdoor industry. While a lot of people on here have lauded Alastair for finding a way to make a buck, I find it much more impressive that he will be giving his time to introduce people to a completely different way to spend leisure time.
Like I said, my retail job at an outdoor retailer changed my view on “selling out”. Before holding that job, I would have cried foul at anyone trying to make money on any adventures. Or at anyone just doing it as a weekender. Car camping was a dirty word for me and anyone who did it was someone to be looked down on. Thankfully, I’ve grown up since then. My job helped tremendously with that by forcing me to be an ambassador to the outdoors to those people who have never ridden a bike, camped or even went for hike. As I helped people with their first adventure, I realized that everyone has to start somewhere and having a positive first experience is essential in getting people to go out a 2nd time. A lot of these newbies that I was assisting came back and thanked me and let me know how much fun they had. The best part was that these people would tell me how they had planned a second outing. I loved being able to help people get outside and my judgement free assistance made it possible for them to have a positive experience.
So when I read about Alastair’s new project, I immediately identified with it. I guess you could call him a sell out because he’s going to make some money taking people camping. I choose to look at it as Alastair is going to take some people camping that have never slept outdoors and he’s going to inspire at least one person on every outing to do it again. People who never thought they could do it or who thought that they wouldn’t like it might end up being the next big adventurer that inspires the rest of us to do something big with our lives. So good luck with this Alastair! I wish you all the best!
Thank you.
I think it’s bloody brilliant, will be a great success and who knows if you took a small percentage of the fee and gave it to Hope and Homes you’d be helping others less fortunate at the same time too! : )
Dear Fiona and Jody,
Didn’t your mothers ever tell you if you didn’t have anything nice to say then to say nothing at all? The world doesn’t need haters. Go on your own adventure, put yourself out there or do something that makes a difference to a significant number of people. Then people might care what you think.
Hi Al,
These comments made me chuckle! I find it hard to understand how someone can get bitter or annoyed at you about this. Especially as you’ve shared so much for free.
Anyway, I think this is/was a great idea. But I noticed this website isn’t running any longer. I would love to know if you are still doing this or if you had much success? I’ve been working in corporate team building/outdoor education for a while and think this concept is brilliant.
Cheers
Josh
Hi Josh,
I also thought it was a good idea but I have given up on it – trying to do fewer things, but make them better.