Single Map Adventures

[chriswoody]

I came across an interesting post today by Alistair Humphreys that chimes with some of the thoughts that have been running through my head of late. He basically posits that in our globally warming, pandemic ridden world, should be still thinking about adventures in far flung lands, or should we be reining in our carbon hungry adventures, all for the catchet of gaining a selfie in in some far flung land?

He proposes instead that we should be looking no further than our front doors and exploring our immediate neighbourhoods with more inquisitive and adventurous eyes. He's embarked on an experiment to just explore one map in detail and to that end he has ordered a custom made map from Ordnance Survey, with his house in the middle. He has several blog posts setting out some of the adventures that he's already had and it's certainly an interesting and thought provoking article.

For my own part, my gravel bike has certainly opened up lots of exploring potential for me in my own neighbourhood and I've already discovered a number of bivi spots that I'd like to try out. As well as shorter rides exploring my immediate neighbourhood, I've also planned a 350km off-road tour of the Heide, based on the new Orbit 360 gravel bike race, but starting from my own front door.

Certainly, for those of us who have busy lives, but a strong thirst for exploration, this is probably a good incentive to really look at our own backyards and explore them in detail, rather than constantly striving for far flung adventures.

 

[Randomnerd]

Yeah, been doing this for twenty five year. Expect many have. Know every lane, tree, gateway, path and pothole from here to there and back again.
it’s just as stimulating, exciting and rewarding as anywhere else I expect. Bit short on deserts and wonders of the world. Ah well

 

[raleighnut]

After 45+yrs wandering around the Derbyshire Dales I barely need a Map but always carry one cos there's always another delightful surprise round a corner you've never seen before, my personal favourite is Lathkill Dale,

 

[chriswoody]

I suppose it struck a particular chord with me because I've only been living in this corner of Germany for Eight years and I've often looked further afield for adventures instead of really looking and exploring this area.

Also it's fascinating to read some of his blog posts, the details he looks for in the landscape are often those we can easily overlook and I must admit, as well as I know my native North Devon, there is still a wealth of exploring to be had there.

 

[IaninSheffield]

Can also recommend Alastair's (fairly) recent and ongoing podcast series, 'Living Adventurously', both for ideas for adventures we might undertake from home, and for the fascinating range of people he's been talking with.
Oh, and it began with an adventure touring Yorkshire to meet those people. Top lad!

 

[lazybloke]

I came across an interesting post today by Alistair Humphreys that chimes with some of the thoughts that have been running through my head of late. He basically posits that in our globally warming, pandemic ridden world, should be still thinking about adventures in far flung lands, or should we be reining in our carbon hungry adventures, all for the catchet of gaining a selfie in in some far flung land?

He proposes instead that we should be looking no further than our front doors and exploring our immediate neighbourhoods with more inquisitive and adventurous eyes. He's embarked on an experiment to just explore one map in detail and to that end he has ordered a custom made map from Ordnance Survey, with his house in the middle. He has several blog posts setting out some of the adventures that he's already had and it's certainly an interesting and thought provoking article.

For my own part, my gravel bike has certainly opened up lots of exploring potential for me in my own neighbourhood and I've already discovered a number of bivi spots that I'd like to try out. As well as shorter rides exploring my immediate neighbourhood, I've also planned a 350km off-road tour of the Heide, based on the new Orbit 360 gravel bike race, but starting from my own front door.

Certainly, for those of us who have busy lives, but a strong thirst for exploration, this is probably a good incentive to really look at our own backyards and explore them in detail, rather than constantly striving for far flung adventures.

I ordered one of those os maps nearly 18 yrs ago and framed/hung it in the hall so it gets at least a glance every day. It's inspired plenty of exploration, mostly on foot with the kids on weekend strolls, and a fair bit of cycling too; there's something indefinably wonderful about maps.

I've got a Readers Digest one somewhere that predates the M1, and my brother has a circa 1900 atlas volume from Encyclopedia Britannica - LOTS of railways! Ooh i've got a proper map fetish.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Disappointed that he drove to his first grid square. The map is 20x20km centred on his house. So no square is more than 6 miles away as the crow flies. Yet he drove there. This sounds like the perfect sized area to traverse on bike and on foot.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Like others I’ve always explored my local area. It where you spend 99% of your time. I’ve always thought of wading along local streams if the farmers wouldn’t mind. Plenty of overnight stuff on bike and foot.

 

[MichaelW2]

I used to have a bunch of 1:10,000 OS maps of the area around my village. Shows practically every tree and stone.

 

[Notafettler]

1:25000 meant for walking house in the middle
1:50000 meant for cycling.
Bought a 1:25000 map for daughters airbnb cabin and for myself to use, when I am using the cabin. No bike there other than hers which has no working brakes.
Limited walking now as knee knackered at least till I get an op, so I don't get as much out of it as I could. Taking the dog for a long walk everyday has knackered any long cycle ride.
Was thinking of a say 1;12000 map as replacements.
So basically don't need maps anymore or at least rarely.
PS I would avoid putting house bang in the middle end up having to open the map out to much and your house ends up on the crease.
Better away from any crease put your house North or south.
Also always buy waterproof (laminated) maps. Last a lot longer anyway.

 

[snorri]

I set myself a challenge one summer to cycle every public road within certain geographic limits around my home. I explored a few I hadn't bothered to look at before, and there was the childish satisfaction in the evening of using a felt pen to colour in on an old OS map the roads I'd cycled that day.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I may not be the best placed to comment on this given my current location, but I agree wholeheartedly with the pleasures of local exploration.
It's a great way to test gear, equipment and self and to see local areas at different times of the year.

I was living in NL for 14/15 years before I threw my leg over a bike and it was a revelation to go places that I'd only visited by car or train. I remember specifically being amazed cycling so close to Amsterdam yet surrounded by green fields and tiny canals.

The fact that help is just a phonecall away is a great boon for anyone nervous about an overnight adventure.

As a "foreigner", I often played the dumb tourist just to enhance the whole "away from home" experience.

Depending on what road I left town on, I had certain markers where I donned my "touring head".

 

[chriswoody]

@HobbesOnTour I was thinking about your tour when I was reading the blog. Too be honest, I thought Alistair's comments were more aimed at folk like me, that are much more time poor, so will look to undertake just one or two big trips a year and as such will fly or travel big distances to get to our intended destination and in doing so create a large amount of carbon.

Not only did you take a cargo ship across the pond, but you have been living over there. Longer term trips like yours are different in the way they impact the planet and I really don't think they have the same negative impact that Alistair was talking about.

It's funny you should mention the dumb tourist schtick, It's certainly something I've relied on in the past myself a few times here in Germany! In our pandemic times though, there's sadly precious few tourists around, so it doesn't tend to work so well at the moment.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Well, @chriswoody before I start getting platitudes for my "green" outlook, the cargo ship was a dream of mine, long held, and the living here is less of a desire and more of a pandemic impact, although I think I am making the most of it!

I'm a great believer in the power of psychology of touring. It's great to "go away" but when I couldn't get away, I could "go away" locally too. It helps that I can get lost around the next corner!

I think the future will be very different in lots of ways. I may be odd, but this pandemic has given the whole world a chance to reset, re-prioritise. It will be interesting to see what changes.
One possible advantage for would-be tourers is the fact that people have been working remotely for so long, it may be easier to convince a boss to let them off on an adventure where wifi is available!

In any case, I'm looking forward to the springtime when I'm sure there's a little girl waiting for her first bike adventure and I'm betting she's not going to worry too much how near or far it is

 

[simongt]

Lathkill Dale,

One of my favorite Derbyshire walks. So much to see and so many contrasts.