I hope there’s a nugget or two in this newsletter that you enjoy. But if nothing else, here’s Usain Bolt reminding us that it’s possible to be both ambitious, successful, and a thoroughly decent human.
Fancy winning £1000 “to undertake an unusual and adventurous objective in a geographically remote wilderness area”? Apply for the Wilderness Lectures grant here before the end of the year.
The Ramblers are giving away money to help communities replace stiles with gates and increase accessibility to the countryside. Apply now.
If you like the idea of using your local map to prompt you to explore your neighbourhood (nice Xmas gift idea), then SplashMaps have kindly offered 1/3 off the price of their Washable, Wearable, All-Weather, Worldwide Adventure Maps. Use the discount code ‘local’.
Books:
What is the best book you have read this year? Please hit reply and let me know! Here are my favourite books of 2023.
Christmas present ideas: I’ve written six books for children. And my new book is available on my website but not in any shops (or Amazon) until January – a nice little exclusive…
Sorry… I originally didn’t add this button below as I hate endlessly hassling people about my books. But then I thought that there’s no point spending three years on a book if nobody reads it, so I added this as a PS!
❤️ Martin has created an app that helps you find a phone signal when you’re off the beaten track.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
50 Newsletters Ago
Shouting from the Shed 63
✂️Want some advice on what to wear this winter?
✂️ The year in nature, as a calendar.
✂️ The best books I read this year.
✂️ You are never too big to make someone’s day with a little gesture.
✂️ Totally off-topic, but here’s how they made bridges in ‘the olden days‘.? For more than a year I’ve published a podcast episode at 5am on Tuesday morning, every single week. That streak comes to an end next week with the 65th (and possibly final) Living Adventurously interview. You can listen to them all here.
? Travel joy without travelling. Window Swap is my new favourite website. And if you enjoy that, try pairing it with these Sounds of the Forest.
? Enchanting, delightful, fascinating. ‘Mudlarking‘ is searching for treasure at low tide on the banks of the Thames. Exploration and curiosity right under our noses: a wonderful book. (And @london.mudlark‘s Instagram photos are fabulous too.)
? The Glorious, Almost-Disconnected Boredom of a Walk in Japan. “Let me make it clear: I was luxuriously, all-consumingly bored for most of the day. The road was often dreary and repetitive. But as trite as it may sound, within this boredom, I tried to cultivate kindness and patience. A continuous walk is powerful because every day you can choose to be a new person.” There is so much good stuff in this essay. Pair it with these high-fidelity audio recordings of the walk’s ambient sounds (great to work to).
? I Think I Should Quit?90kg overweight and tackling The Pacific Crest Trail.
? In my life as a speaker, a few events really stand out. The Do Lectures is one of those. A wonderful event with amazing people attending. And so to be told my talk is one of their “Top 10” most viewed makes me feel extremely proud (and a bit surprised).
❓Can I help you? Let me know if you have a relevant project that my readers would appreciate. This week we have 28 Summers, a podcast for anyone looking to reframe their lives and find their purpose, and MY ADVENTURE SERIES about women who have dramatically changed their lives through and with nature / adventure.
Thank you for reading. As Austin Kleon says, “This newsletter is free, but not cheap.” To show your support, would you mind forwarding it to someone who’d like it, sharing it on Twitter, reading one of my books, subscribing to a free podcast, getting a birthday greeting video from me, or maybe even donating to keep the newsletter going.
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