Achievable Adventures: With Charlie and Jess from The Travel Project

Often it seems that adventures are restricted to fearless travellers, requiring big budgets and far away locations. They can be daunting and seem unattainable for the everyday person. However, this doesn’t have to be the case! Adventures can be simple, cheap, short, close to home, yet still be extremely exciting, challenging, and even better – guaranteed to refresh your mind.

I had the pleasure of catching up with Charlie and Jess from The Travel Project, who founded Achievable Adventures, a UK movement focused on altering the adventure space. They aim to break down the barriers preventing people from embarking on adventures, by creating a wide spectrum of UK-based adventures, where they head out on trips to inspire you and show you how to make the most of your spare time. They talked me through their inspiration behind starting Achievable Adventures, the importance of implementing adventure into routine, offer some great adventure advice, and more.

We’ve really been enjoying reading your blogs recently and love the idea behind ‘Achievable Adventures’, which makes adventure more attainable, for more people, more often. What inspired you to set up Achievable Adventures?

Well it all really started after we got back from the best part of a year on the road. Turning 29 we decided to save up, quit our jobs and travel the world for a year. On our return we realised that the thought of just going back to our old lives didn’t seem fulfilling anymore. The mental and physical benefits of having regular adventures whilst being on the road was something we didn’t want to give up, but we also needed to earn money and so we set about finding a way we could incorporate regular adventures into our daily lives whilst still allowing us to have a job.

Devon Cove Hopping

It sounds like implementing adventure into your routine is something that’s important to you?

We think so yes. Pushing yourself and doing something out of your comfort zone usually results in an incredible buzz and sense of achievement… which, if done regularly, ultimately leads to better mental health, productivity, resilience and overall happiness. What’s more, it often leads to meeting incredible people and interacting with the world in a whole different way.

You guys have been on some really incredible adventures in the UK. What are your top three favourite adventures you guys have been on?

We canoed the length of the Thames a couple of years ago which definitely has to be a highlight. The physical challenge aspect along with experiencing an area we both know very well (having both grown up at different ends of the river) from a whole different angle was really quite incredible. What’s more, there is a real sense of community on the river… something we had no idea existed before this trip.

Another favourite has to be when we wild camped on the Isle of Mull… anyone who knows Scotland knows that the beaches there are simply incredible… yellow sand, turquoise waters… they look almost tropical, yet they are completely deserted. I can’t think of another time we’ve woken up with a view quite as good as this.

And finally, we’d probably have to say sailing on the Norfolk salt marshes. Known as one of the UK’s last true wildernesses, you can’t access this part of the UK except for by boat which is quite incredible when you think barely any other people have ever ventured here. It’s an incredibly peaceful way to take in your surroundings and the impeccably restored old mussel boats really are the icing on the cake, adding to what is already a quite stunning sight.

Sailing on the Norfolk salt marshes

What is your advice for someone who wants to start implementing adventure into their routine? How should they start off?

Probably the best advice we can give is just to start and start small… it’s so easy to put things off until next week, next month, until my friends are free to do it with me etc., or to make big plans that require too much time planning and so never get actually come into fruition. Plan something for the next free day or evening you have and just do it, even if that means you’re doing it by yourself or that it’s simply doing a slightly different/ longer walk than usual. Once you start it’s much easy to keep going and can scale up to bigger and more challenging things if that’s what you want to do.

You are currently undertaking the 52/52 challenge, where you embark on 52 adventures in 52 weeks. Could you tell us a little bit more about why you decided to set yourselves this challenge? How did you choose the different adventures?

The main idea behind the challenge was to show people just how prime for adventure the UK really is. And that by exploring what’s on your doorstep, it’s not only possible to fit regular adventures into an already busy schedule, but that it’s also much more sustainable this way, both financially and environmentally.

What’s more having the challenge element meant that it really pushed us to keep exploring. For us it’s a bit like going on a run… sometimes it can feel like a lot effort but once you’re out there you never regret it.

Charlie and his baby on an adventure

Quick-fire questions:

1. Land or sea? Would have said land but since 52/52 we’d probably have to say sea.

2. Favourite way to relax and unwind? For me (Jess) it’s always a long hot soak in the bath post-adventure. Add a glass of red wine and you can’t really beat it.

3. Is there anything you’re afraid to try? Squirrel suiting looks pretty terrifying.

4. Who/what is your biggest inspiration? It may sound like an odd one but the way Jamie Oliver has brought cooking to the masses and Joe Wicks has made exercise accessible to everyone is something we find really inspirational. Ultimately we would like to make adventure achievable for everyone too. Like good food and exercise, we feel that regular adventure can have a hugely beneficial impact on people’s wellbeing.

5. Do you have a favourite quote? A Norwegian once said to us that in Norway they say ‘there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing’. Something that is very relevant to us in the UK as well. As long as you have the right clothing, being outdoors can be hugely enjoyable in any weather.

6. What is your must-have piece of outdoor equipment? Probably good shoes/ boots. We didn’t have any for so long, which made wet/ muddy/ cold conditions so much less appealing. We now have a couple of pairs each but our Danner Boots are probably the ones we both live in. They’re expensive but last forever.

7. Do you have any superstitions/rituals? We try not to talk about the weather.

8. Favourite post-adventure meal? Anything cooked outside on an open fire.

9. What is at the top of your bucket list? Once we’ve completed the 52/52 challenge we’re quite keen to start exploring some of our closest neighbours in Europe by car. France, Spain etc. seeing what’s possible and fairly accessible from the UK without having to jump on a plane.

    

Thank you so much to Charlie and Jess for taking the time to chat to us!
You can read more about Achievable Adventures on theirWebsite where there is tons of inspirational ideas and follow thier progress on 52/52 Challenge. You can also keep up on theirInstagram.