Living Adventurously

• Guerrilla Geography, Slow Ways, and Rewilding Cities. Living Adventurously 67

  Dan Raven-Ellison is an explorer of ideas, landscapes, and what’s possible. As the founder of Slow Ways, he’s building a grassroots national walking network to connect every town and city in Britain. Before that, he spearheaded the campaign to make London the world’s first National Park City, challenging how we perceive urban nature. A self-described guerrilla geographer, Dan blends creativity, activism, and deep curiosity to explore big questions: What makes a place wild? Who gets to access it? And how do we make everyday adventure more accessible?This is Dan’s second appearance on the Living Adventurously podcast (check out episode 49 for our first chat). In this conversation, we dive deeper into Dan’s mission to reimagine geography, walking, childhood, and cities. From rewilding Britain to the future of Slow Ways, we cover bold ideas, tough trade-offs, and the power of imagination in driving real change. Whether you're a walker, parent, teacher, or dreamer, there’s something here for you.Topics We Cover in This Episode1. Big Picture: What’s the Real Mission?What unites Dan’s unconventional and eccentric projectsWhy he’s called a “guerrilla geographer” — and what he’s rebelling againstTimes his imagination outpaced reality“Isn’t geography just colouring in?”The weirdest project he’s ever doneWalking as activism and creative tool2. Slow Ways – Do We Really Need This?Why we might need more walking routes, not fewerWhat makes Slow Ways different from existing maps and platformsCompeting with tech giants on a shoestringHow walking can reshape how we think about placeConnection vs. convenience — what Slow Ways is really forWho’s actually using the networkThe Right to Roam: field margins, farmers, and fairness3. Childhoods as PlacesSeeing childhood as a place, not just a phaseThe dangers of over-sanitised, safety-first childhoodsDesigning adventure for urban kidsScreens vs. mud: what kids today are missingWhy he wants children to get (safely) lostThe Exeter Citizens’ Plan — involving kids in civic imagination4. Rewilding Britain: Wildlife, Housing, and AdventureCan we have more homes and more wildlife?Housing vs. green belt vs. public access — what comes first?Whether we need to rethink the green beltIs rewilding compatible with human life and housing needs?Do people really want to live near wild animals and untidy land?5. Cities as National Parks – Serious or Symbolic?Is London as a National Park a policy or just a metaphor?Can cities ever be wild in an ecological sense?Do urban nature movements distract from protecting rural wilderness?Who gains — and who doesn’t — from the National Park City label?Is this a branding gimmick — or a mindset shift?Do commuters feel like they’re in a National Park?6. Slow Ways – The Future VisionBuilding local networks through schools and charitiesWhat a scaled-up version of Slow Ways might look likeThe challenge of going mainstream without losing charmCan volunteer-driven projects really shift national habits?What wild success looks like — and why it mattersCould Slow Ways be part of school curriculums or health systems? ★ Support this podcast ★

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• Craig Mod: Adventure, Discipline, and Design. Living Adventurously 66

  In this rich, wide-ranging conversation, Alastair Humphreys chats with Craig Mod about the overlapping worlds of adventure, creativity, and publishing. The two explore their different but kindred approaches to long walks — Craig’s meticulous, high-tech planning versus Alastair’s spontaneous, minimalist style — and how these journeys feed into their creative work. Craig shares the thinking behind his wildly successful newsletters, membership programme, and beautiful, obsessively designed books. They also dive into broader themes like cultural responsibility, self-discipline, nature connection, and why sometimes walking is just the best way to think deeply.🧭 Topics and ThemesCraig's long-distance walks across Japan (Tokaido, Nakasendo, Kumano Kodo)Comparison of walking vs. cycling as immersive travel toolsDigital minimalism and “no teleporting” rules during walksHigh-tech vs low-tech navigation: Apple Watch Ultra vs. paper mapsThe joy and discipline of documentation: notes, photography, audio, videoDaily synthesis as a creative practice while walkingBooks as tangible artefacts of ephemeral experienceCraig’s reasons for walking: presence, routine, deadlines, synthesisPlanning vs. spontaneity in adventuresThe special role of beautiful book designMaking creativity sustainable: Craig’s membership model (Special Projects)Emotional and logistical tension between audience growth and creative purityWalk & Talk retreats with Kevin Kelly: structure, goals, dinner conversationsLitter and cultural responsibility in Japan vs. the WestThe role of access in building care for the natural worldThe value of constraints, caps, and intimacy in building an audience📚 Books MentionedThings Become Other Things by Craig Mod (Random House edition)Kissa by Kissa by Craig ModRings of Saturn by W.G. SebaldKevin Kelly’s essay “1000 True Fans”Papyrus: The Invention of Books in the Ancient World by Irene Vallejo (mentioned by Alastair)💡 Concepts & Quotes“Walking is a platform for other things to happen.”“Teleports” as anything that removes you from presence (phones, news, etc.)“I’ve never thought: I have to do this because my subscribers are expecting it. It’s all selfish.”“The best piece of technology ever invented is the book.”“Snickers bar logic”: why we’re fine carrying snacks, but not their wrappers“Make the ephemeral tangible”: the purpose behind bookmaking“You can’t walk with someone and do the thinking.”🧾 Links & RecommendationsCraig Mod’s website and newslettersSpecial Projects MembershipRandom House edition: Things Become Other ThingsCraig’s essay on British sandwiches 🍞Do LecturesOutrage + Optimism podcastKevin Kelly’s “1000 True Fans” ★ Support this podcast ★

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• 500 Years Ago, Adventure was the Manifestation of Privilege. Living Adventurously 65

  Sadly this is the Final Episode of the Podcast (until I find a new sponsor)! Jack Thurston is a cyclist, a food lover, a photographer, a guide-book writer and an early podcast pioneer. He is the host of The Bike Show podcast and author of the Lost Lanes cycling guidebooks. We talked about adventures close to home and what the world of 'Adventure' looks like in the 21st Century.THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY Trees for Cities, the only UK charity working at a national and international scale to improve lives by planting trees in cities.(If your company or organisation is interested in sponsoring Living Adventurously, please get in touch!)PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THE LIVING ADVENTUROUSLY PODCAST(It’s completely free, zero hassle to do (click here), but very helpful for me. If you’re feeling extra kind, please leave a review on the app – that really helps.)Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.www.alastairhumphreys.com/podcastsSHOW NOTESIf you enjoy listening to this episode over a cup of coffee and think it might be worth the price, you can buy me a "coffee" here: www. ko-fi.com/al_humphreysKeep up to date with future episodes (and my other adventures, projects and books) with my free monthly newsletter: alastairhumphreys.com/newslettersSay hello on Twitter and Instagram: @al_humphreys@jackthurston - https://twitter.com/jackthurstonLost Lanes - lostlanes.co.ukThe Bike Show podcast has been running since 2005 Alastair Humphreys on the Bike Show - http://thebikeshow.net/alastair_humphreys_part1/Podcasts don't usually make money. But you have to do something that you love - that is the price of entry.Bike Show tries to pick up sounds and experiences - the sonic colour - from outside the studioThere are different kinds of audio perfectionAsking open questions is important. Ask them how they feel. Get beyond the facts into the emotion.Conversation ought to be structured but also feel naturalIf you let silence happen, people will fill it with something interestingYou need to give the audience what they are interested inLouis Theroux podcast - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p089sfrz/episodes/downloadsCheryl Strayed podcast - Sugar Calling - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sugar-calling/id1505881384There are so many different methods of cycling.Cycling is a great way to interact with the environmentraphael kraft caribbean cycling podcast - https://thebikeshow.net/raphael-krafft-reportage-on-two-wheels/Cycling breaks down barriers, gets you unexpected places, and you are not cut off from the world. Therefore it is a good way to have experiences.The bicycle is a tool to take in the world at the right pace (and at the right price)Jack is a touring cyclist and a utility cyclistTakes kids to school on the bike. Does the shopping on the bike.You can travel further, for less effort, than walking. It's the perfect vehicle for travelling at the speed of the land and of my mind.fuchsia dunlop every grain of rice - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Every-Grain-Rice-Chinese-Cooking/dp/140880252XJack's spice concoction for cycle touring - https://www.instagram.com/p/CDqv79llTaT/Jack takes tins of sardines, marzipan, parmesan, harissa on a bike tourI like a bike ride that starts and finishes at my front doorJack has done a lot of flying in his life, but now is repulsed by the connotations. It makes him feel queasy.Has committed to not flying for workThings (like not flying) which seem difficult to consider are actually not that hard once you do themThere are a lot of issues related to 'adventure' that are problematicAdventure is a useful word for the sort of things we do - embracing the unexpected as a leisure activityTo me 'adventure' has a lot of baggage from history500 years ago adventure was the manifestation of privilege - colonial expansion right up to Edwardian's doing it for 'queen and country'Money, power, privilege, whiteness were the preconditions for adventurePeople doing adventure - voluntarily putting themselves in harm's way. If danger is a normal part of your life then you're probably unlikely to want to go bungee jumpingJack enjoys wild camping, but acknowledges that if he didn't look the way he does [white] then it would be a much more intimidating experienceCycling guidebooks over 100 years agoWanted to make the Lost Lanes books seductiveMake going out for a ride around London really appealing: nice photos, make it look appealing, eat oysters by the sea rather than get sweaty, evocative writingLiving in London in the 90s Jack had to come up with stories / temptations to lure his flatmates to come out of the city and ride with himThe book is supposed to fire up people's imaginations, and then the website has the technical detailsEmphasis of Lost Lanes is on very quite lanes and roadsYorkshire WoldsBeverley MinsterSomerset LevelsSamuel Palmer, artistWhat makes a good bike route? Needs a good sense of flow. You don't want all the climbing at the start/end, need different landscapes, good reveals, good vistas, hills are important for the views, try to...

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• Don't Live in the Prism of Other People's Opinions. Living Adventurously 64

  Rhiane Fatinikun was a self-confessed fan of Netflix and raving when she spotted hikers getting off a train in the Peak District and, on the spur of the moment, decided to take up hiking! She set up the Black Girls Hike Instagram page and began leading groups of black women on hikes. Rhiane's mission now is to make the outdoors a safe and welcoming environment for people like her, breaking down barriers, broadening people’s horizons and empowering women to get outside their comfort zone.THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY Adventurous Ink, the book club for outdoor folk. Life is too short not to fill it with adventure. An Adventurous Ink subscription will inspire more memorable experiences and help you reconnect with the natural world whilst you're out there. Each month you'll receive a new book or journal featuring writers, photographers and illustrators who really 'get' the great outdoors.(If your company or organisation is interested in sponsoring Living Adventurously, please get in touch!)PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THE LIVING ADVENTUROUSLY PODCAST(It’s completely free, zero hassle to do (click here), but very helpful for me. If you’re feeling extra kind, please leave a review on the app – that really helps.)Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.www.alastairhumphreys.com/podcastsSHOW NOTESIf you enjoy listening to this episode over a cup of coffee and think it might be worth the price, you can buy me a "coffee" here: www. ko-fi.com/al_humphreysKeep up to date with future episodes (and my other adventures, projects and books) with my free monthly newsletter: alastairhumphreys.com/newslettersSay hello on Twitter and Instagram: @al_humphreysBlack Girls Hike Instagram pageWent on a 5 to 9 adventure to watch the Perseid Meteor shower - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PerseidsI hadn't done a midweek adventure before, but this showed I can fit more things in.Had a great night's sleep in a bivvy bag4 years ago her aunty took her on a hike in Rivington, aged 28I used to come home and watched NetflixI loved raving, Carnival and reggae festivalsChronixx - https://chronixx.com/Buju Banton - https://www.bujubanton.com/When you admire someone you feel like if you meet someone you might cry.Was on a train journey from Barnsley to Manchester when she saw hikers getting on and off.Said to herself "I'm going to take up hiking this year", then a week later set up @bgh_ukThe day before my first hike I went and bought a raincoat and new bootsI was late for the first hike and there were 13 people waiting for meFollowed a route she found in the Manchester Evening NewsOn that first hike I was winging it a bit, but I managed to get us back to the start. I was an imposterI don't have a favourite hill yet as I haven't done enoughLikes Mam TorChooses places to go from what she sees on InstagramAnyone can get out in the hills. You don't need all the gear. Try to find a community.Start small, start local.When you don't have experience in something you lack confidence and you need someone cheering you on. It's just about finding a community.Don't live in the prism of other people's opinionsBouji - https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=BoujiBlack Girls Hike is a safe space for black women to explore the countryside togetherNot connected to the other BGH groups worldwide - just doing her own thingHer idea of building a community came straight away - "This is great - you need to come!"Delegating her 'baby' is hard. The other group leaders she met via Instagram. It felt natural to try to target the UKI don't always want to be in the spotlight, just because I'm the founder. I'm just leading the spirit.Safe space: you experience so much racism in the UK that you want to be around people who have the shared experience.Good to go where people don't ask "stupid questions about your tan / hair" and everyone is in the same boat as you.You can be your authentic self in a safe space. In her work she senses people have lots of negative perceptions about black people from TV. She is always code-switching so as to not conform to the ideas they have about her.Conversations in the hills - people are more focussed on their well-being. Positive energy.BGH is a way to connect people. Friendships form.Manchester is a transient city so this is place for people to form relationships.A chance for people to be their best selvesOver 100 people came to the first hike in LondonMost of them were new to the outdoors and had never really considered going hiking99% of the time everyone is really happy to share the outdoors and see you enjoying what they are enjoying.Marketing the outdoors to black people is not being done right.The management of National Parks, brands etc are too white and cannot relate. They want you to be involved but they don't want to include you in the decision making.Need more than just having the odd black person in the marketing.It's quite exhausting when people seek her opinion as representative of all black people. The girls that come to the Black Girls Hike events do not come to the other ones that Rhiane organises - they want to be in that safe space@talesofahiker - https://www.instagram.com/talesofahiker/?hl=enhttps://www.humansofnewyork.com/By the time I was 33 I should be married with a mortage, but I'm not like other people my age. I don't want to get old before my time.Don't compare your journey to anyone else's.We are supposed to have an abundance mindset. ★ Support this podcast ★

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• Our Freedoms are all Different. Our Prisons are all Different. Living Adventurously 63

  Karen Darke is an adventurer and Paralympian handcyclist. It is lucky that Karen has what she describes as “an adventurous gene”, as life in a wheelchair is full of the unexpected. Karen was a keen runner and climber (she had climbed Mt Blanc and the Matterhorn), but fell off a cliff and became paralysed from the chest down at age 21. Whilst initially she thought “I’d rather be dead than paralysed”, Karen soon learned that with friends, creativity and perseverence most things are still possible. She says, “it is thanks to those ingredients that I have a pretty extraordinary life.” Continuing her adventures, Karen has handbiked the Silk Road through Central Asia, through the Indian Himalaya from Leh to Manali and the length of Japan. She has kayaked the ‘Inside Passage’ from Vancouver to Alaska and also paddled on an expedition in Patagonia. Karen crossed Greenland's ice cap whilst sitting on skis using her arms and poles to cover the 372-mile crossing. She even returned to climbing, summiting the iconic El Capitan in Yosemite. Always eager to challenge herself, in 2009 Karen became World Paratriathlon Champion and is now a full-time athlete. She was a silver-medallist in the London 2012 Paralympics and became Paralympic Champion in the Rio 2016 Paralympics. At London 2012 Karen missed out on a second medal by a whisker. After crossing the finishing line holding hands with team mate Rachel Morris, both in a time of 1:43:08, Morris was awarded the bronze medal. Karen is currently training for her third Paralympic Games. THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY The Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, a small charity doing big things to protect & enhance a very special place & enable everyone to enjoy it.(If your company or organisation is interested in sponsoring Living Adventurously, please get in touch!)PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THE LIVING ADVENTUROUSLY PODCAST(It’s completely free, zero hassle to do (click here), but very helpful for me. If you’re feeling extra kind, please leave a review on the app – that really helps.)Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn (“Alexa, please play the Living Adventurously podcast”) or on your favourite podcast platform such as Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Soundcloud, Castbox, Castro.www.alastairhumphreys.com/podcastsSHOW NOTESIf you enjoy listening to this episode over a cup of coffee and think it might be worth the price, you can buy me a "coffee" here: www. ko-fi.com/al_humphreysKeep up to date with future episodes (and my other adventures, projects and books) with my free monthly newsletter: alastairhumphreys.com/newslettersSay hello on Twitter and Instagram: @al_humphreyshttps://www.karendarke.com/Perhaps I'm an expert in reframing things to see them in a positive lightI wouldn't choose to be paralysed, but my life has been special and interesting since then.The one thing we always have control over is our perspective and how we view things.I try to bring more possibility to life.Aged 21 when a climbing accident paralysed herThe impact of realising the paralysis was about a month later when she saw other people in wheelchairs in hospitalI had a couple of weeks when being asleep was far more attractive than being awakeBut there were people around her in a far worse condition. Her perspective shifted from "this is the end of the world" to "come on..."Thought differently about herself after the accident - she was very judgemental about herself. Embarrassed to be in a wheelchair.Her whole body image changed totallyEarly on she realised that there are "helpful but over-helpful" people, and then other people who didn't know how to respond to her.When you meet someone in a wheelchair: just be yourself. But don't launch in with personal questions straight away. "Do you need a hand?" is nice. Just be a nice human being.At first it felt too painful to go back into the mountains so she considered totally changing her lifestyle. But what are the elements of being attracted to adventure? Uncertainty, nature, being with friends. She learned that it was possible to still get all those things.She got a special tandem so that she could share adventure with people. She misses that "shared" side of adventure now she is a professional athlete.Cats only have 7 lives in Spain, not 9Not always good at mitigating risk!I do actually quite like being alive...Hard to say what is the 'best' adventure, because they are all different.It's about the people, the landscapes, the lessons.Spent a few months seakayaking up the coast of Alaska. Had to leave her wheelchair behind. Group of 9 people, living in harmony with the tides and moon, looking out for bears.Suresh Paul - https://www.equaladventure.org/"I wonder how good you could be if you just applied yourself to one thing"I believe that if you put enough hours work in, if you like it enough to put the hours in, then we can all get surprisingly good at things.Karen has won gold and silver medals in the Paralympic gamesIt's much easier to focus when there's a clear timescaleEvery day makes a difference. Every thought makes a difference. The devil is in the detail.My future self will be disappointed if I make excuses and skip things.Karen and Rachel Morris crossed the line together, holding hands, at London 2012 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUeTQcbxl74Who really cares who can ride a handbike faster? It's ridiculous. And yet it's also very special.Rivals don't motivate me, but they inspire me.One of my first races I came last - the finish line didn't even exist by the time I got there! They'd all packed up.Alongside the physical challenge of paralysis, there was also a mental journey. Karen went to study Chinese acupuncture.There is an invisible, hard to define element to life. Connecting with nature is a part of that.I'm not into stuckness. Everything is possible.Before Rio she bought gold shoes and a gold phone case - total commitment to Gold. It shifted her mindset.Feeling free does not necessarily equate to being able to go to physical places. There are many levels to freedom.Our freedoms are all different. Our prisons are all different.Karen's thoughts on freedom -

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