‘Adventure doesn’t have to be exclusive to intrepid explorers, big budgets or far away lands.’
So say photographers and founders of The Travel Project, Charlie Wild and Jessica Last, who have spent the past three years exploring the British Isles and compiling 52 outdoor activities into a book called Achievable Adventures.
The new guide, by Quadrille Publishing, explores affordable and budget-friendly activities across the UK that can be reached without having to catch a plane.
The pair hope to ‘change the way people view the UK by showcasing the possibilities for extraordinary experiences that are right on our doorstep’.
Here, they’ve shared five of their favourite adventures with MailOnline Travel, from one of England’s ‘last slivers of wilderness’ to Northern Ireland‘s ‘best-kept secret’. Which one would you most like to try?
Staying in the Gearrannan Black Houses – Outer Hebrides, Scotland
Travel photographers Charlie Wild and Jessica Last shared five of their favourite outdoor adventures with MailOnline Travel. Pictured above are the Gearannan Black Houses in the Outer Hebrides, which they describe as ‘extraordinary’
‘When it comes to extraordinary places to stay in the UK, you’ll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else quite like this,’ the couple claim.
The Gearrannan Blackhouse Village is a traditional coastal crofting village on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides.
According to the couple, a visit ‘promises an adventure like no other’. The book reads: ‘Sleeping in the original thatched, stone-walled dwellings hidden away on a remote island immersed in history, you’ll feel a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of modern life.’
For more information or to book a stay in a cottage, visit: www.gearrannan.com.
Fell pony trekking – Lake District, England
Charlie and Jessica describe fell pony trekking in the Lake District as a ‘journey back in time’
‘This meditative adventure opens your eyes to a simpler, older and altogether wilder version of the UK,’ the pair claim.
The activity involves walking pack ponies, an ancient breed of horse, through the forests and mountains of the Lake District. Trekking the ‘centuries-old tracks’ feels like a ‘journey back in time’, according to the couple.
It’s not a strenuous activity, either. According to the couple, it’s the ‘very definition of a slow adventure’, as your pony matches your pace.
For more information, or to book the outdoor adventure, visit: fellpony.co.uk/adventures.
Surfing on the Causeway Coast – Northern Ireland
The couple recommend heading to Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coast (above) to surf. There’s ‘never any need to fight over waves’, they claim
‘It’s not the situation that would first spring to mind when you think of a UK adventure, but surfing is perhaps Northern Ireland’s best kept secret,’ the pair write.
They recommend heading to the Causeway Coast to enjoy the waves. They write: ‘Sitting on your board looking back at the dramatic Northern Irish coast as you wait for a wave is a very cool feeling.
‘On this stretch of coast alone, you’ll have ample choice of spots to choose from, and never any need to fight over waves.’
If you don’t own a surfboard, there are plenty of places that rent equipment. Visit www.troggs.com/pages/surf-hire for more information.
Sailing Norfolk’s saltmarshes – England
On this adventure, you’ll sail an ‘untamed network of narrow waterways and hidden sandbanks’
Located off the northern coast of Norfolk, the saltmarshes are ‘one of England’s last true slivers of wilderness’.
According to the couple, the ‘untamed network of narrow waterways and hidden sandbanks was once the domain of smugglers’. Now, the only way to navigate it is with local expertise.
The Coastal Exploration Company offers such know-how, offering sailing trips along protected creeks.
The couple continue: ‘This adventure will see you sailing the waters in a lovingly restored classical working boat, guided by a skipper who knows this part of England like the back of their hand.’
To book the salt marsh exploration, visit coastalexplorationcompany.co.uk.
Coastal foraging in Pembrokeshire, Wales
For an unusual adventure, the pair suggests foraging ingredients for a meal along the Pembrokeshire coast
‘If you’re a fan of outdoor cooking, fresh ingredients and rugged coastal landscapes, then this may well be the adventure for you,’ the pair write.
The activity involves finding your own ingredients along the coasts of Pembrokeshire – from mussels to plants and crab – and cooking up a feast right then and there.
According to the couple it is an ‘afternoon full of surprises’, that will ‘teach you skills to take forward into future adventures’. They write: ‘You’ll come away with a whole new appreciation of the rich bounty of the natural world around us.’
For more information, or to book a coastal foraging experience visit: www.coastalforaging.co.uk/.
Achievable Adventures, written by Charlie Wild and Jessica Last and published by Quadrille Publishing, is available to order on Amazon .
