Slow Adventure Hike and Camp
Date: Saturday, Saturday August 17th & Sunday 18th 2024 (possible to arrive on evening of Friday 16th)
Location: West Cumbria (exact location will be confirmed closer to the workshop date)
Price: £200 per person
Slow Adventure Hike and Camp with Misc Adventures and Clare Dyson
What does it mean to go slow, what is a ‘slow adventure’? In society, the default is to go fast - we are forced to strive for bigger and better, yet in all the rush we miss so much. The same is true of many outdoor adventure activities - we are told to strive to be the fastest, to go the furthest, to climb the highest. Nature passes us by in a blur and we miss out on many small joys along the way. For us, to go slow is an act of defiance, a radical stand against normality, a way of reclaiming joy and finding connections in an often chaotic world.
Join us and Clare Dyson (aka The Horseback Adventurer) in the Lake District for an intentionally slow adventure. We’ll spend the day walking together through a variety of landscapes, taking time to notice the details. We’ll point out fascinating interconnections, forage and learn about medicinal plants, ponder interesting features of the landscape, contemplate deep time, geology and the forces that created it, tracing echos of wind and water. We’ll take time to breathe, to sit, to swim and to feel part of the landscape.
Notebooks will be provided in which to collect observations, make drawings, write words and collect specimens. We’ll learn how to identify plants using field guides, taking our time to study features in detail. We’ll gather plants for a wild first aid kit and learn how to use them. There will be stops for snacks, to brew warming drinks and experiment with wild tea tasting.
As evening falls we will make our way down into the valley and our camp for the night on a beautiful nature friendly farm. Here we will cook up a hearty dinner as we relax, enjoy our surroundings as the light fades, and enjoy views of the spectacular star filled night sky before heading to sleep.
You will need to bring:
Suitable clothing for an outdoor adventure in the mountains (waterproofs, sturdy footwear and warm layers)
A water bottle, mug and snacks
Camping stove (if you have one - we will have spares)
Tent and sleeping stuff (we can help with this if you don’t have your own)
Swimming gear and a towel (if you want to swim)
Some level of fitness is required as we will be walking in the mountains over potentially rough terrain
What’s Included:
Lunch (trail food) and a cooked dinner on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday
Notebook and pencil
Camping on a nature friendly farm with some access to basic facilities
Further info:
If you have any questions about the route, borrowing equipment, ways to pay to help spread the cost, or anything else please get in touch here. We want this workshop to be for everyone, regardless of previous outdoor experience or access to gear.
About us:
Clare Dyson: For this workshop, we’re super excited to be teaming up with adventurer, environmental facilitator, guide and speaker Clare Dyson. A traveller of landscapes by foot and on horseback, Clare is a passionate advocate for slow adventure and for creating ways to help people connect with Nature and wild places. A qualified mountain leader, her knowledge of the fells and valleys runs deep.
Emma Groves: One half of Miscellaneous Adventures, Emma has a certificate in Foundational Ethnobotany and a love of sharing her knowledge of plants, their traditional uses and medicinal qualities. She will be introducing us to a range of flora on our walk, foraging along the way and brewing wild teas.
Andrew Groves: The founding half of Miscellaneous Adventures, Andrew is an experienced woodsman, having worked in and around woodlands for the last 12 years. He is passionate about the benefits of a life lived slowly and intentionally in connection with Nature. Andrew will be sharing tales of interconnectivity as well as introducing us to the trees we meet along the way.
You must be 18 or over to attend this workshop.
Workshop T&Cs:
On booking a place, you will be sent further details of our location plus a confirmation of booking form to complete. Refunds of full payment can only be made if you cancel within a full 14 days before the workshop to give us time to fill the place. If cancellation is made no less than 7 days before the workshop, 50% of the place fee will be refunded. We cannot guarantee any refund for cancelations within 7 days of the workshop unless there are exceptional circumstances. All such refund decisions are at the discretion of Miscellaneous Adventures.
If for any reason Miscellaneous Adventures have to cancel the workshop, a full refund will be given.