My plan after coming back from Georgia was to explore the UK so this year I’ve done a number of ‘microadventures’. They have been a good way to get out of London where I’ve been living for almost a year now. Apologies that this is not an in depth report, I intend to do full write ups in when I have time.
Back in February I took a bus (from Victoria coach station in London) out to Merthyr Tydfil in Wales and walked up to Pen Y Van and wild camped and hiked for three days.
In April I went back to Wales for three days of brilliant mountain biking.
At the end of May I cycled across the Midlands and into Wales, up to the north coast at Abergele and along the cycle path down to Bangor, across Anglesey over to Ireland on the ferry – a 300 mile trip. Then I spent a week exploring the west and north east of Ireland. I experimented with an old Soviet Zenit camera and got some pleasing shots.
In July I hitched a lift down to Cornwall and went surfing up on the north coast at Harlyn bay and Pen Hale. I walked some of the coast, camped on a beach, cooked food over a campfire of dry seaweed and caught a Pollock fishing.
Recently I went up to Edale in the Peak District for a walking trip with school friends. We walked the Pennine Way to Kinder Scout and down into Hayfield and hitchhiked back to Edale.
This year has been an example of how easy it is to get out and about in England. If you book the trains in advance they are affordable and buses are cheap. Its worth trying hitchhiking and sharing lifts if possible.
It seems that living in the city makes me appreciate the countryside more than ever which is an unexpected outcome of the last year.
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I love it! Getting out and about is what it’s all about. We did Pen Y Fan a couple of years ago – about 4 days before Christmas. Beautiful (if a bit nippy).