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!
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.
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 :)
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…
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…
Mum and I will forever cherish those lazy afternoons relaxing in the Palazzo listening to the waves lap on the shores of Lake Como. The sun filtering through our window, and the memories of that morning’s activity - kayaking, cycling, breakfasting - fresh in our minds. Lake Como has been on my bucket list for 20 years and the moment I laid eyes on the place, I knew why.
The Outer Hebrides is one of the most magical places on earth. As my love affair with Scotland developed over the last few years, I remember whispers from people saying I had to go there. Having spent a week road tripping, adventuring and wild camping through the OH, I urge you to add these islands to your bucket list. If you are looking for an unforgettable, breathtakingly beautiful, fun, adventurous and off the beaten track experience, here are my favourite hidden gems for you to explore and experience.
It’s no secret that I have a sweet spot for Scotland. I confess, it’s more like a deep, passionate love fest for the place! What is it that I love so much about Scotland, and specifically, The Cairngorms?
It’s the raw and rugged beauty that gets me every time. Scotland has kind of scenery, wilderness and tranquillity you may think you’d have to travel to New Zealand or Canada for, yet it’s accessible with a one-hour flight from London. It’s the place I visit to step back, breathe, hang out in nature and reset my balance.
I have teamed up with Visit Cairngorms to share with you my favourite places; hidden gems as well as more well-known hot spots, experiences and adventures. Enjoy!
“Are you ready to feel like James Bond?” I asked Alexis as we climbed on our snow mobile. It was 7pm as we headed off into the wilderness for our adventure in Swedish Lapland with Discover The World.
After two hours of driving, we stopped off at a hut in the woods to eat dinner. “When do you ever get to do something like this?” I asked him later that evening as we were staring up at the sky hoping for a glimpse of the Northern Lights. “I know, I feel so incredibly lucky to be here, this really has been the trip of a lifetime.”
As the plane touched down in Salzburg, Charlie Watson – aka The Runner Beans – and I were squealing with delight. The snow was dumping big time in Austria. Our home for the next three days was a ski chalet in the heart of Saalbach, Hinterglemm. A magical, beautiful and buzzing town in the Austrian Alps. The purpose of our trip was to be part of #StoryBase2017. Set up by the Saalbach tourist board, the concept was to showcase everything this valley has to offer the winter sports enthusiast.
True connection, acceptance, and peace in exactly where we are is such a rarity, that when it happens I want to hold my breath and stay in the moment forever.
I close my eyes, drift away and survey the scene. I take in everything with a deep breath; what it feels like, where I am, who I’m with, or the feeling of being on my own. I remember the colour of the sky and the way the sun feels on my skin. I remember how open or closed I feel. I recall my journey to this moment, replaying all the million things that fell into place to get me here.
I imprint what I see and feel into my mind and my heart, almost with this idea that if I press hard enough, I can keep part of this moment with me forever. I lock these memories away like the most precious of gems, because that’s their worth to me.
It's 9pm and we're on-board the Adventure Train from London's busy Kings Cross station. We're going to Scotland. To the mountains. In search of adventure. In search of wilderness, lochs and whisky.
Iceland seems to be one of those destinations that everyone is talking about. Many of my friends have either been there or are super keen to go. My social media feeds are often full of people hanging out with Icelandic ponies, admiring waterfalls or bathing in hot springs. Now I understand why, and am an thrilled to have had the opportunity to explore this amazing country with my brother, Luke.
