Offering local discoveries for great escapes, Microadventures is the latest offering from author, blogger and adventurer Alastair Humphreys. Brimming with adventurous ideas for mid-week escapes and weekends away, the book promises to transform our out-of- work hours. Intrigued, I caught up with Alastair recently to find out more.

Alsatair Humphreys Alastair Humphreys

1)Where did you come up with the idea for Microadventures? 

I realised that a lot of people love the idea of adventure but don’t actually do anything adventurous. There are lots of reasons for this… They don’t perceive themselves to be “adventurers”, they don’t have the time, money, kit, expertise or live somewhere wild and beautiful. I set about to break down some of these mental hurdles and show that you can find adventure anywhere, that it’s mostly a mindset thing, and that you shouldn’t let the barriers/excuses in your life stop you from squeezing in some bursts of adventure – espresso shots of adventure if you don’t have time for a full coffee pot!

2) What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done? 

Probably taking the risk to leave normal life behind and set off to cycle round the world. That part is more daunting than having to ride a long way through wild places. Leaving conformity and security and society’s accepted path is hard.

3) What’s your favourite Microadventure? 

Probably swimming the Thames, because it surprised me so much. It was more wild, more beautiful, more adventurous, more invigorating than I could ever have anticipated.

4) How can office workers inject more adventure into their daily 9-5 routine?

I don’t know about injecting adventure into the actual 9-5, but there’s loads of chance to fit it into the 5-9: when you leave work you can really make an effort to cram those 16 hours with new, wild, interesting experiences. Sleep on a hill for a night with a few friends, cycle home via a longer route, have a dip in a river along the way, even sleeping in the garden under a bright full moon: these are snatches of wilderness and adventure that are better than none at all.