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The new year is here, and it's a time when we are all encouraged to set goals, hit the ground running, and start the year as we mean to go on. However, with the freezing temperatures this year has brought us so far, it's a whole lot easier said than done. We must admit, we've been slightly more inclined to stay indoors for a duvet day these past few weeks than we have been to go for a hike or a wild swim. So, we thought we'd remind ourselves of all the great reasons to get outdoors, by taking a trip down memory lane and seeing what our magazine collaborators have had to say on the matter. Keep reading to hear why they love to push themselves to get outdoors, and why it's so important that we do too.
We spoke to Alex Staniforth, who told us that being outdoors is a way of life for him. He can challenge himself in a safe environment (at least from bullying and life stresses) where he finds clarity on his problems and worries. Nature has its own pace that slows down our hectic modern busy-ness, and it gives hope when the world is dark around us. Nature just carries on business as usual, and comes back to life every spring. You can read more of Alex's story and tips here.
When we spoke to Alice from the Adventure Girls Club, an adventure community that aims to help bring down the barriers that prevent women from realising their full potential and going on outdoor adventures, her outlook on getting outdoors is one we share in tenfold. Alice tells us how she feels outdoor adventures don’t always have to be big or challenging to make a difference, and simply just existing amongst outdoor spaces and appreciating natural landscapes can have such a benefit on your, and the environment’s, well-being. Taking the first step to doing so can be daunting, and so Alice says, joining a community provides us with the opportunity to connect with others, allowing skills to be shared and learnt and helping people to feel empowered. You can read more from our conversation with Alice here.
Our conversation with Isaac Kenyon revolved largely around how we can get outdoors in the most sustainable way possible. The founder of Climate Explorers, a company that offers sustainability education and outdoor reconnection experiences, and adventurer tells us the importance of not only getting outdoors, but making sure we are mindful and caring for the planet when we do so. Isaac also touches on how the outdoors gives back to us, and in his case, has helped his mental well-being. After being convinced by a friend to go on a long walk in nature back in his University days, Isaac realised the link between getting outdoors in nature and better wellbeing, and says his life instantly transformed from one trajectory where he was considering ending it all, to another full of happiness, opportunity and hope. You can give the rest of our conversation with Isaac a read here.
Joshua Adeyemi, otherwise known as Tales by Josh, spoke to us last year about his work as co-founder of Black Scottish Adventurers (BSA), a company that aims to introduce more ethnic minorities to the outdoors in Scotland. After noticing some of the challenges hindering his friends and the wider Black community from connecting with nature, Josh decided he needed to provide a solution to help break down barriers for his community and kick-start their connection with nature. Josh tells us the biggest benefits of running BSA so far include helping people’s physical and mental wellbeing, helping to eradicate their loneliness, and helping others understand how their daily activities impact their environment. Josh tells us of his belief that it is crucial to keep encouraging others to get outdoors as much as possible as a way of safe-guarding our planet, stating “If people don't connect with nature, they won't understand it, and if they don't understand it, they ultimately won't look after it.” To read more of our conversation with Josh, click here.
We caught up with Gilly McArthur to talk about the wonderful outdoors communities she’s created throughout the years. She has truly mastered a fine skill of bringing people together, whether it's a tight-knit men's swimming club, or a grand get-together of trad-climbing women, big or small, Gilly is an expert on creating warm, friendly, safe spaces for people to assemble and enjoy the outdoors. We loved hearing about how her all-men swimming club, Blue Mind Men, first began as a challenge Gilly and a friend set themselves to swim every day of the month with different men to highlight how cold water swimming can be great for men as well as women, and to raise money for a men’s mental health charity.
By the end of the month the pair had swam with over 150 different men, and Blue Mind Men is still going to this day. To read more of Gilly’s fantastic stories, head to the article here.
We spoke to Harrison Ward, otherwise known as Fell Foodie, on the joys of the outdoors, and in Harrison’s case, cooking outdoors too. Harrison merges the comfort of warm, well-cooked meals with the freedom of being able to meander as he does so, and shares this with his 25k followers.
As well as this, Harrison opens up about how getting outdoors has helped him through some of his hardest times, and that something as simple as getting some fresh air can make a big difference. After a friend taking him up into the Lake District mountains, Harrison tells us, “that sense of achievement and that positive endorphin flow really hit something in me and carved a new path. It was a bit like my 80s movie montage if you will, that pinnacle moment that a character realises they need to make a change.” To read the rest of our conversation with Harrison, click here.
Keri Wallace and Nancy Kennedy, the co-founders of Girls on Hills, spoke to us about what inspired them to create Scotland’s first guided trail running company. They told us, “We were always hearing ‘I could never do what you do’ from other women! We recognise that there is a myth around mountain running – namely that you have to be very fit or fast to be able to do it. We have tried to reframe the narrative and emphasise the journeying and restorative effects of running in upland spaces.” After chatting with Keri and Nancy, it’s inspiring to know that sometimes the hardest thing about getting outdoors is just getting past that initial mental block. Sometimes all you really need is a helping hand to guide you and remind you that you are more than capable of getting outdoors and out of your comfort zone. To read more of our conversation with Keri and Nancy, click here.
We caught up with skyrunner Seana Forbes on how to turn your passion and love of the outdoors into a career. As the perfect example of how to live life full of adventure, it was fantastic to hear about how Seana juggles skyrunning, while also working as the Press Officer for the Sky Runner World Series.
We loved hearing about Seana’s experiences running high altitude races, and her introduction to a life outdoors. She also offered us up some valuable advice, “Sometimes the thought of heading out into the hills can be daunting but once you’re up there, especially on a good day or for sunrise, you will be so happy you went!”. You can read more of Seana's story and tips here.
Thank you so much to our adventurers who have taken the time over the years to share their stories and words of wisdom with us. We hope you have a great 2025 packed with adventures, and if you've got any tips or stories you'd like to share, please go ahead and comment them below.
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