The hardest part of coming up with a decent microadventure is adding a hint of purpose to what would otherwise be mere aimless meandering. So here are some book suggestions to give you ideas for planning a microadventure of your own:
- 39 Steps
- As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning (the first part of it, in England)
- Winnie-the-Pooh
- Swallows and Amazons
- Three Men in a Boat
- Rural Rides
- Lost Lanes
- In Pursuit of Spring
And some books that capture some of the essence of microadventure in the UK - Book of the Bivvy – Ronald Turnbull
- Running High – Hugh Symonds
- Feet in the Clouds – Richard Askwith
- Waterlog – Roger Deakin
- Walking Home – Simon Armitage
- The Gentle Art of Tramping – Stephen Graham
- The Night Climbers of Cambridge
- Mountain Day and Bothy Nights – Ian Mitchell and Dave Brown
- To the River – Olivia Laing
- The Wild Places – Robert Macfarlane
- Walking Home – Simon Armitage
- Millican Dalton: A Search for Romance and Freedom – Matthew David Entwistle
- Extreme Sleeps: Adventures of a Wild Camper – Phoebe Smith
- Britain and Ireland’s Best Wild Places: 500 Essential Journeys – Christopher Somerville
- Wild Swimming: 300 Hidden Dips in the Rivers, Lakes and Waterfalls of Britain – Daniel Start
- Wild Swim – Kate Rew
I have sporadically written other blog posts with lists of adventure books to read. So there is plenty more material for you to get stuck into: - These are the Books you Must Read
- Adventure Book List from the Experts
- And lots others here.
What have I missed? What outrages have I committed by omitting your favourite book? Please do let me know in the comments below….
For me there is one particular book you have missed out. The hobbit. It is the ultimate tale of adventure. Granted we dont have elves, dwarves (of the magical variety) or hobbits but bilbo just left through his door longing for that adventure. Hes the ultimate adventure/travel author. Plus the book can be enjoyed in three nights maximum. Ideal for a trip away. Its packed in my bag thats for sure.
Brendon Chase is a great kids own adventure book by BB about running away to live in the local woods, quite old fashioned, but that is part of its charm.
[…] a fasinating blog article that details a list of books to inspire a microadventure. Read the post Here. The books range from the Book of the Biviy to Winnie the […]
I recommend ‘No Fixed Abode: A Journey through Homelessness from Cornwall to London’ by Charlie Carroll. By exploring society’s attitudes to homelessness and our perception of those who live outdoors, Carroll has created a vivid travelogue; which makes throwing a tatty old sleeping bag out on the sand dunes and eating tinned beans and sausages seem the best thing in the world.
I’m reading Waterlog right now and have never felt more inspired for swimming.
Mike Cawthorne’s latest book Wild Voices is a good read and a bargain at three quid on kindle. His accounts of multi-portage loch to loch canoe trips are particularly enjoyable.
Swallows and Amazons – that takes me back to my youth. What a great adventure they had. I really wanted to be out on the boat with them. Thanks for the list, I’m going to check some of the other ones out.
[…] inspiring people of very cool adventures in far-flung places,” he says. Meanwhile, the adventurer Alastair Humphreys’ reading list is a mix of whimsical and practical […]
[…] inspiring people of very cool adventures in far-flung places,” he says. Meanwhile, the adventurer Alastair Humphreys’ reading list is a mix of whimsical and practical […]
[…] inspiring people of very cool adventures in far-flung places,” he says. Meanwhile, the adventurer Alastair Humphreys’ reading list is a mix of whimsical and practical […]