Travel, Adventure
Sophie Roberts
10 Winter Adventures in the Amazing Austrian ...

Imagine hiking up a mountain under a full moon with fresh snow under your feet, breaking through the tree line and feeling that warm glow of sunrise hitting your face. Riding a sleigh pulled by huskies in a winter wonderland, cross- country skiing through villages nestled in the Austrian Alps, tobogganing down a mountain at sunset, swimming in a frozen lake or ski-touring up a mountain and descending through the trees. Imagine ending your day in a rejuvenating thermal spa before dinner and a well-earned sleep, to wake up and do it all over again. Welcome to winter holidays in Austria!

10 Winter Adventures in the Amazing Austrian Alps
Challenges, Cycling, Adventure
Sophie Roberts
Cycling Scotland's Epic North Coast 500

Not many thoughts enter my mind apart from what I am doing. I wish everyone could do something like this once a year, or even once in your lifetime. We need it! I switch off from everything. A challenge like this is so all encompassing that I don’t have space for much else. All my energy goes into the challenge, and the micro world I create with the adventure I am on, the world directly around me and the people I am with. My world becomes small but this gives me freedom to become bigger than I’ve ever felt. My mind is not filled with events going on all over the world, with emails, news, social media, and the need to reply to messages, my mind is filled with fresh air and miles, hills, sweat, tears and food stops. My mind is filled with views so dramatic and mind-blowing, I am speechless. My heart flips a bit with each corner I turn and the awe that the NC500 route delivers again and again.

Cycling Scotland's Epic North Coast 500
Inspiration, Adventure
Sophie Roberts
Building my Dream Custom Campervan - The One ...

It’s been a year since I started the project of creating my dream van ↠ @theonelifevan ↞ and as I get a lot of questions about it, I wanted to share the process and some resources with you! If you are thinking of building or buying a van i can say it’s ONE HUNDRED PERCENT as awesome as you might think it is! And my journey with van life is only just beginning... However, it can be a bit of a minefield and hard to know where to start. I hope this helps :)

Building my Dream Custom Campervan - The One Life Van!
TrailBlazers, Empowering Girls
Sophie Roberts
Just because my path is different, does not ...

There are preciously rare occasions in life when you are handed an opportunity to go somewhere or meet someone that truly inspires you. Somewhere that shifts your centre of gravity, allowing you to refresh, refocus and restart. Or someone that has the capacity to capture your imagination and transport it to places you aspire to go but don’t quite know how to access. When your mind has gone there, the chances are your body will follow…

Just because my path is different, does not mean I am lost
Sophie Roberts
TrailBlazers: Empowering Girls Sailing ...

In October 2019, I took 10 girls sailing for five days on a Tall Ships Youth Trust sailing adventure proudly sponsored by KEEN footwear. It was magical and lives were changed!

We stepped off the boat with a different perspective. With love in our hearts, faith in ourselves and confidence to go forth and grow into the women we know we can be. I asked the girls to capture their experiences and what it meant to them…

TrailBlazers: Empowering Girls Sailing Adventure

Adventure

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10 Winter Adventures in the Amazing Austrian Alps

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10 Winter Adventures in the Amazing Austrian Alps

Imagine hiking up a mountain under a full moon with fresh snow under your feet, breaking through the tree line and feeling that warm glow of sunrise hitting your face. Riding a sleigh pulled by huskies in a winter wonderland, cross- country skiing through villages nestled in the Austrian Alps, tobogganing down a mountain at sunset, swimming in a frozen lake or ski-touring up a mountain and descending through the trees. Imagine ending your day in a rejuvenating thermal spa before dinner and a well-earned sleep, to wake up and do it all over again. Welcome to winter holidays in Austria!

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Moray Speyside: Exploring from Sea to Summit in Scotland’s Whisky Country

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Moray Speyside: Exploring from Sea to Summit in Scotland’s Whisky Country

Standing on the summit of the mountain I’ve just cycled up, overlooking the vast Glenlivet Estate, being blown around by the wind, I’m reminded of why I love Scotland so much. Visiting Moray Speyside is an absolute delight. Known as ‘Whisky Country’ it has so much to offer. It covers the area of Scotland nestled between the Cairngorms and the NE coast between Inverness and Aberdeen.

Always on the hunt for adventure, my days were filled with surfing, wild foraging and swimming. I had adrenalin fueled packrafting and paddle boarding adventures down the rivers that feed the whisky distilleries so famous to this area. I explored the beaches by horseback, feeling so much freedom in galloping down a beach with the wind in your face and the waves lapping on the shore. Deep in Speyside, I spent an afternoon exploring the Glenlivet Estate by electric mountain bike, before relaxing with a wee dram at the most unique place I have ever stayed ‘The Hideaway under the Stars.’

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Life after Lockdown: Finding freedom and falling in love

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Life after Lockdown: Finding freedom and falling in love

It’s no secret that I’m in love with Scotland. It’s a love affair that’s developed over many years. Through adventure and friendships, through ‘character building’ challenges and mind-blowing moments in nature. I never knew it was possible to fall in love with a place like you do with a person. But that’s what’s happened to me. It feels like home, even though I don’t live there. The things I see, feel and experience when I’m there connect to the deepest part of me; my soul, my spirit, my aliveness. I tend to avoid the busier summer months; my favourite times to visit are Autumn and winter.

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Wonderful Weekend in the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean

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Wonderful Weekend in the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean

As we sit in our homes in yet another lockdown, dreaming of future adventures and travels is something that’s really helping me stay positive and pull through this challenging time.

Before the UK went into it’s third national lockdown, I spent the weekend in the Wye Valley and the Forest of Dean and can’t wait to tell you all about it! It’s a weekend I loved for many reasons and hope you feel inspired to do some or all of. Known as The Dean Wye, it covers three counties -Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Monmouthshire - and spans across England and Wales. The Dean Wye is a gorgeous, diverse and welcoming part of the UK that I can’t wait to visit again when we are allowed to leave our local areas!

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Cycling Scotland's Epic North Coast 500

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Cycling Scotland's Epic North Coast 500

Not many thoughts enter my mind apart from what I am doing. I wish everyone could do something like this once a year, or even once in your lifetime. We need it! I switch off from everything. A challenge like this is so all encompassing that I don’t have space for much else. All my energy goes into the challenge, and the micro world I create with the adventure I am on, the world directly around me and the people I am with. My world becomes small but this gives me freedom to become bigger than I’ve ever felt. My mind is not filled with events going on all over the world, with emails, news, social media, and the need to reply to messages, my mind is filled with fresh air and miles, hills, sweat, tears and food stops. My mind is filled with views so dramatic and mind-blowing, I am speechless. My heart flips a bit with each corner I turn and the awe that the NC500 route delivers again and again.

,

Building my Dream Custom Campervan - The One Life Van!

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Building my Dream Custom Campervan - The One Life Van!

It’s been a year since I started the project of creating my dream van ↠ @theonelifevan ↞ and as I get a lot of questions about it, I wanted to share the process and some resources with you! If you are thinking of building or buying a van i can say it’s ONE HUNDRED PERCENT as awesome as you might think it is! And my journey with van life is only just beginning... However, it can be a bit of a minefield and hard to know where to start. I hope this helps :)

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Experience the magic of Lapland in Levi, Finland!

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Experience the magic of Lapland in Levi, Finland!

If you’re anything like me, sometimes it can feel like a bit of a slog to get through the cold, dark winter months in the UK. I adore the bright winter days when there’s frost on the ground and everything glows in glorious sunshine, but in the depths of winter days like these can feel few and far between.

Hop on a plane for three hours and you can find yourself in Levi, a gorgeous village in Finnish Lapland founded in 1979, where winter comes to life in a unique and wonderful way. When the opportunity came up to stay at the brand new Design Hotel Levi and explore this part of the world, I jumped at the chance to go! I love being spontaneous and my Mum says “You must always make room for surprises” - I’m so glad I do this!

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Escape the Ordinary with a trip to the Emerald Isle: Ireland

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Escape the Ordinary with a trip to the Emerald Isle: Ireland

We all need the chance to escape. To forget about our to-do-lists, chores and pressures at work. To live in the moment, explore and feel alive. Moments to do this are vital in our demanding, fast paced, modern lives. Whilst juggling multiple projects and roles, it’s so important to take a break from the norm, to remind yourself of who you are and do the things that ignite the fire inside you! Fellow adventurer, Laura Kennington and I headed to Ireland, read more and win your own dream trip to Ireland plus a backpack of Berghaus kit!

Scotland Mountains + Bothies Road Trip

Scotland Mountains + Bothies Road Trip

I almost didn’t go to Scotland. I almost caved into my doubts “It’s too far to drive, it will be too cold, I’ll be on my own and might get lonely, it’s dangerous, I don’t want to leave my cosy home where I feel safe, have I completely lost the plot…”

Something inside me said “You need to do this” and so I did. Over the years I have learnt to listen to that voice inside me; my gut instinct and intuition. It has served me well.

I knew I needed to go to Scotland. To feel the wide open space and the wild of the Highlands running through my soul. For me, Scotland is the antidote to London life. Scotland, and specifically Glen Coe where I drove to, is my favourite place on the planet. The views are outrageous, you feel this power from the mountains towering over the road coming up from the South. The deep valley was carved out centuries ago from glaciers and volcanoes. It’s an amazing place to adventure and the widlerness reconnects me with who I am at my core. I wanted to feel that.

Sometimes you’ve just got to say “I hear you doubts and fears, thank you for protecting me, but I’m going to go for it anyway!” That’s exactly what I did.