Magazine

Here at Meander we are constantly inspired by those who push the boundaries and live a life full of adventure. We also find it inspirational when someone manages to turn their passions and love of the outdoors into a career. So when we came across Seana Forbes, who is not only a passionate skyrunner, but also happens to be the Press Officer for the Sky Runner World Series, we just had to get in touch. Seana encapsulates the adventurous spirit and love for the outdoors that we so admire and we really enjoyed hearing about her experiences running high altitude races, her introduction to a life outdoors and what makes her tick.

From stone structures to camouflaged barns, these retreats work with the landscape rather than ruin it and are yours to stay in. These nature-inspired hideaways seamlessly blend into their surroundings and are perfect for outdoor lovers seeking an unforgettable nature-fuelled experience. All of these homes were built with greenery at the heart of their projects, so anyone seeking a break from the urban environment will love looking at these. We have gathered five of our favourite homes from around Europe that celebrate the natural beauty around them. Best of all they are all places you can stay yourselves!

Being based in Edinburgh, we’re just across the water from Fife and with just a bridge separating us from miles of stunning coast on offer we really need to make the journey and get exploring more often. If you want to explore it all, then the Fife Coastal Path is a great place to start either all in one go, or broken up into sections over several trips.

There is nothing quite like finding a beautiful, white, sandy, uncrowded beach that you can explore alone, without tons of other people getting in the way. Finding new hidden gems makes for great road trips and adventures, but sometimes you do need some local knowledge to help find the best ones. We’ve tried to make it a bit easier for you by asking some of our adventure buddies where their favourite hidden beaches are and they’ve definitely delivered.

Scotland hosts some of the most unique and challenging ultra-endurance races in the world. Thanks to the variety and difficulty of terrain as well as the hostile weather, more and more events are popping up around the country to test the stamina and nerve of endurance athletes. Below we have listed some of the events that the Meander team have been eyeing up.

Back in November, we had an absolute blast hosting a book launch event for ‘The Art of Wild Swimming’ written by the wonderful for Anna Deacon and Vicky Allan. Anna and Vicky are both seasoned wild swimmers, and in fact this isn’t the first book they’ve written on the subject. Their book ‘Taking the Plunge - The Healing Power of Wild Swimming for Mind, Body and Soul’ was published in 2020 and documents the stories of the wild swimmers and the reasons they swim outdoors.

Over the past couple of years with various lockdowns, many of us have become cyclists. Whether this was out of choice or by obligation, cycling gained traction as many of us took up cycling as a COVID-friendly alternative for our daily commutes. Not only has cycling grown hugely in recent years, but bikepacking has picked up pace too.

Whether you’re looking for a peaceful place to escape to with your partner, or just trying to beat the January Blues, we’ve compiled the perfect list of staycations for your next long weekend.

There’s something about the long-distance hike that feels very calming. It strips away the stresses of day to day life, leaving with a very simple existence. Walking for days on end with the only goal in mind being arriving at your next stop has a way of revitalizing you in a way only a a week in nature could. Scotland is the perfect place to experience this simple pleasure. Beautiful coastal trails, rolling hills, glittering expanses of open water serve up world class scenery making it a must for anyone keen on multi-day hikes. We’ve narrowed the list done to five routes to help inspire your next adventure!

New Year’s resolutions, love them or hate them, they either keep us on track or end up in the pile of “I’ll get round to it”. But, who says resolutions have to be chores? We think resolutions should be enjoyed even if they do mean challenging yourself. So instead of a list of things to give up, we have some ideas to kick start your 2022 adventures.

As the year draws to a close and we wind down for the Christmas holidays, this means a well-deserved break from routine and work (for most of us). Christmas is also a time when we start to reflect upon our resolutions and goals for the year ahead. For these reasons, this time of year is a great opportunity to delve into a new and inspiring read. Inspiration comes in many different forms, and regardless of what you do for a living, there is a lot to be gained from reading about unfamiliar and thought-proving subject matter. All of these books seek to guide you towards a better you, and perhaps even a better lifestyle/future. They are also available (and many others) to browse or purchase in both of our stores, or on our website. So, without further ado, kick back with a glass of mulled wine and let’s check out these inspirational books.

Finding the perfect Christmas present should be a pleasure, not a challenge. To help you out, we’ve rounded up our top picks from the Meander store to give you some inspiration for you to treat your friends and family with.