Zoe Langley-Wathen shares her experience of finding lifestyle adventures and fun during a year restricted by the pandemic.
Heading out of my comfort zone hasn’t always come easy. It still doesn’t if I’m honest. There are many others who could probably echo the same sentiment. Hopefully, this blog, which rounds up a series of lifestyle adventures, will spark a seed of optimism. That everyday adventures can be woven into your own lifestyle, giving you a sense of challenge and achievement at home.
Boat Life Observations
Sitting on the bench seat of a 40ft narrowboat, I watch the runners and cyclists flash by. The dog walker bends to retrieve the gently steaming mound, carefully deposited right in front of my galley window by his four-legged companion. It’s September and reflecting over the last ten months amidst a flurry of sunshine and showers, I gaze straight ahead. The cluster of Welsh hills disappear and reappear, as the contrary cloak of cloud lifts and drops. An area of grass dusted with red and gold leaves serves as my yoga studio during warmer evenings.
Over my right shoulder, beyond the comforting lines of the compact wood burner and bow doors, lies the canal. The beginnings of autumn paint the trees surrounding the water. I feel a fondness for the mountain behind me, which at 561 metres isn’t really a mountain. The collective of pretty cottages at the old wharf could tell a masterful tale or two, of times gone by. Taking it all in, it’s pretty mind-blowing considering that it’s only been a matter of eleven weeks since my ‘yes’ into a new way of life began.
Yes’… that seemingly insignificant, three-letter word. Or is it? From saying 'yes' to attending the Explorers Connect writing workshop, a mammoth catalogue of lifestyle adventures since then seems far-fetched. From experience, however, I can promise that it's amazing how one three-letter word can, and did make such a difference. ‘Yes’. It packs such weight. It’s the union of a couple. It’s the master key to opening doors of opportunity. It can be the making of an individual. Never underestimate it
Contents of 'Simplistic Living'
From a writing workshop to so many new lifestyle adventures, in a blink. I could never have imagined where the following months would lead me. Guest blogs, own blogs, attending a conference, co-authoring and marketing a book. Illustrating a chapter, crazy challenges, magazine features, podcasts, and Zoom interviews a-plenty. It's a topsy-turvy, minimal-living-gently-rocking-lifestyle adventure, all within such a short space of time. The intention of ‘simplistic living’ seems a far cry from the apparent hubbub of my creative life. But that’s just the way I like it. To wind down, I can pick up my ukulele, and twang those strings in a way that only a novice can painfully deliver. And there is always my most favourite pastime to enjoy; heading outside for a wander. Of course, a highly unexpected obstacle has saturated seven of these ten months and I cannot ignore it. The Covid-19 pandemic…
Scary Days
Back in October 2019, I began my self-made challenge, 100 Scary Days. Searching for one hundred consecutive days of doing things that put me out of my comfort zone is not an easy task. One of my November 100 Scary Days, saw me attending a two-day Explorers Connect workshop learning about adventure writing with Bel Dixon. I had no idea what to expect but was keen to learn ways to add depth to my writing – particularly around the genre of adventure.
I should add here that my view of adventure, during these past few months has changed somewhat. The definition of adventure to one person is likely to be inconsistent with that of another. To me, adventure since the arrival of the pandemic, rather than a trip of epic proportions, is now more about appreciating and stepping up to life’s opportunities. Learning to navigate all the twists and turns that it leaves us wildly navigating.
In July of the same year, I said goodbye to my teaching job of thirteen years with nothing to go to. I was keen to unlock my writing potential within my new blog and venture, HeadRightOut. Started as a means to encourage women to head out of their comfort zone, it has developed into so much more. From the writing workshop where Bel shared insightful techniques, to many months of interesting (and sometimes challenging) lifestyle adventures, it has almost certainly given me more confidence in my own written pieces.
100 Scary Days Goes International
The next few weeks turned out to be quite a whirlwind. I found myself featured in an article in Woman&Home magazine, about taking on a solo adventure. After the success of the writing workshop, I wish I could say it was my own work. Actually, a journalist penned the article following a telephone chat. Gratefully, the publication has since led to multiple speaking engagements.
Completing a guest blog for 10 Mile Hike while sat in an airport hotel lobby, made me feel positively journalistic. My husband and I then jet-setted off to New York. The 100 Scary Days challenge was still a big part of my daily outlook. So although I was on holiday, I still sought to push myself beyond my comfort zone as many times as possible. Even driving in the US counted, as I’d never driven overseas before. For a while, the busy freeways of New Jersey and the wintery mountain roads of upstate New York were uncomfortable. But I did it and felt the mental rewards of achievement as a result.
Every time I do something that scares me, regardless of a ‘successful outcome’ I always feel the positive energy. It’s a similar feeling to that post-run happy head, that runners experience. I’ve pushed myself to put my head underwater. I’ve ridden pillion on the back of a motorbike. I’ve climbed a ladder to summit the scaffold platform, in true Everest style and even managed a few seconds of The Crow yoga pose. These are all home-style adventures.
Urban Beauty vs the Artistry of Nature
Back in the US then, exploring as much as the city of New York could offer us in five days was our key aim. There were many highlights. There was a magnificent night, experiencing the season’s final performance of La Bohème. Standing within the opulent backdrop of a red carpet and ostentatious chandeliers at the Metropolitan Opera House was a treat. We walked the ‘High Line’, an elevated former railway, now an art and nature trail, winding above Manhattan’s West Side. Momentously for me, I climbed the newly-opened, 150ft structure known as The Vessel, brimming with a strange web of steps. I had to seriously coach myself through my fear of heights at every level.
Time spent with family members spoiling us in New Jersey turned the page seamlessly into New York Mini-Adventure, Part Two. It took us upstate, to whet our walking appetite with sections of the Appalachian Trail. An attempt of a winter trek up Mount Tremper resulted in a non-summit of the full 840 metres. On this occasion, ice won the day. On a positive, the most incredible weather, views, and experiences blessed us. Best of all, I witnessed my first frozen waterfall – nature’s own chandelier.
Coronavirus Was Nothing More Than a Whisper
Staying in the vicinity of the Catskill Mountains has gifted me with lasting memories. Quaint, brightly painted timber-framed homes. The beauty of the outdoors splendidly draped in its winter wardrobe. The sheer vastness of this world we live in. It was all breathtaking.
eaking out of our UK bubble to spread our wings again felt liberating and exciting. Not regular travellers, it was likely to be a long time before we headed off on another overseas jolly. This said, I had no idea just how soon we would see future travel restrictions enforced. At this point in January, the novel coronavirus was still just a whisper on the news. On our return to the UK, the world was seven days into a declared pandemic, though it had not yet reached our shores.
Day 100 of dizzying heights falls flat
Three days after returning to the UK, I should have completed my 100th Scary Day challenge by taking part in a 15,000 ft skydive. Tandem skydiving was set to test my comfort zone limits to the extreme. Despite my fear of heights, I knew I would still find it thrilling and wanted to push myself further. February 9th was ScarySkyDive Day and as it happened, also the day Storm Ciara decided to make landfall in the UK. Understandably, it was postponed. Thankful that I was not destined to be blown across the North Sea, I rebooked the event. I considered it appropriate for ScarySkyDive take two, to take place on International Women’s Day on 8th March.
As a part of ScarySkyDive, I was fundraising for Jo Bradshaw, supporting her Seven Summits Challenge. As part of this, Jo's Mighty 90 is also raising money for children's mental health charity, Place2Be. Coincidentally, March 8th was also Jo's birthday. The thought that this was a good omen crossed my mind, briefly. Yet, once again, at 5 am on the day of the jump, it was postponed due to unsuitable weather conditions. We all know what happened a couple of weeks later regarding the UK lockdown… As a result, my 100th Scary Day will most likely take place in 2021. Having to wait will simply make the anticipation of the challenge last even longer!
Adventure Mind
Towards the end of February, I dug deep into my bravery bank. Having hesitated about my 'qualifications', I attended the two-day Explorers Connect Adventure Mind Conference. This brought together well-being experts, adventure psychologists, and outdoor leaders, to discuss the positive impact of the outdoors. I stepped into the building, having given myself a huge dose of positive self-talk into feeling ‘worthy’ of being there.
Once inside and underway, the feeling of imposter syndrome soon left me. I knew I had made the right decision to attend the conference. So many of the speakers and the delegates I had the opportunity of connecting with, empowered me. The experience compelled me to write and record as much as possible. You can read my full blog about the conference here. The connection with the writing workshop and my Adventure Mind blog is a reminder of the workshop's practical impact, as it continues to reflect in this round-up of lifestyle adventures.
Lockdown
The UK lockdown announced on 23rd March 2020 impacted the nation in many ways. It would be remiss of me to neglect to acknowledge all those who never made it through their battle with Covid-19, those NHS workers who tirelessly care for patients at great personal sacrifice to themselves and their families, and the key workers and volunteers who keep our country supplied with essentials. For their dedication, I am truly thankful, while my heart is with those who lost. After making these acknowledgments, the consequences experienced by me seem wholly insignificant – but they are simply the results of my encounter with the backlash of lockdown
Moving Home or Glamping?
Since that writing workshop in Bristol, I never seem to be short of lifestyle adventures. Five days after the lockdown was imposed, my husband and I should have been moving from our house to a 40ft narrowboat on the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, near Abergavenny. Five weeks prior, we had hired a van and removed the majority of belongings to be kept, to storage. Any items of furniture and white goods not sold, were shared with family. All that was left was a sofa, two dining chairs, and a fold-up table. We had no washing machine, fridge or freezer, no telly, and no bed. Even our mattress had gone. We were stuck in an empty house and it was not looking likely that we could move up to the boat any time soon.
Always looking for an upbeat spin on an otherwise crummy situation, I decided to tell everyone we were ‘glamping’ in our house. We didn’t need head-torches or Kelly kettles but we did employ the blow-up mattress and enjoyed our open fire when nights cooled off. At least it gave me more room for my yoga mat! Getting ourselves ready for more backpacking adventures, we had recently purchased a four-season Hilleberg Nallo. So its first use was on the small patch of raised front garden during that first week of lockdown. Much to the amusement of our neighbours!
No backpacking, Stay at Home, Save Lives
Another disappointing Coronavirus consequence for me was the postponement of a planned walk of The Southern Upland Way with two friends. We were due to start the 215 miles trail exactly one week after I had moved to the boat. The week before lockdown, the excitement of new kit arriving was palpable as I unpacked a pair of Kahtoola microspikes (remember my I cy non-summit of Mt. Tremper a few weeks earlier!) and a new Thermarest NeoAir XTherm. It was frustrating not to use them on the adventure as planned but I did at least make use of the inflatable camping mat when we slept in the front garden.
Never one to give up on a challenge, I thought hard about how I could adapt the two weeks made available for this Scottish trail. I needed something that would keep me active and focused on a goal, while still supporting the ‘Stay at Home, Save Lives’ motto. I needed a new adventure at home.
The Virtual Southern Upland Way
With this in mind, I devised my own Virtual Southern Upland Way Challenge, calculating how many times I would need to ascend my back garden steps to achieve the equivalent trail ascent in metres. Calculations involved measuring the height of our steps using highly technical equipment such as a tape measure, a spirit level, a ladder, and a length of string. The rudimentary methods of calculating provided the result of a healthy two-metre ascent.
Across a fourteen-day period, having consulted my Cicerone guide book, I now knew the expected daily ascents. Starting at Portpatrick on stage one and ending in Cockburnspath on stage fourteen gave a total of 8,450 metres. This is only 398 metres shy of the height required to ascend Mount Everest (obviously minus the exceptional technical skills required for such an expedition!) It was going to be tough but doable
Advertising my crazy plan on social media, I invited others to join me. Before I knew it, my little band of ‘hikers’ all over the UK were finding new and fun ways to achieve their daily challenge, under HeadRightOut’s hashtag #virtualSUW. One hiker, Anita, even used a set of stepladders to complete her daily ascent. That's innovative!
Writing update posts about the challenge every day, with photos of the team's efforts was inspiring. The writing workshop clearly had a part to play in helping me to record this side of my rather extraordinary lifestyle events. It's not every day you find a nation confined to their homes and seeking a new type of adventure.
Home Hiking Is Hard Work
Stage seven was the longest, climbing virtually from Sanquhar to Dalveen Pass at a massive ascent of 1000 metres. This equated to 500 climbs of my back garden steps – and that’s not counting the necessary down steps each time either! Stage six, at 700 metres of ascent was a tricky one as I had travelled home from North Somerset where I go each week to care for my elderly mother. I arrived back in Dorset at around 10 pm and had to eat before beginning my back garden night-hike. By the time I finished at 12.35 am, which in trail terms was from Stroanpatrick to Sanquhar, I had proudly plonked another 350 ascents in the bag.
Stylish Celebrations
To celebrate Stage 14 and the completion of our #virtualSUW I challenged the team to undertake the final day in fancy dress – or at least something that one would not usually be seen hiking or running a trail in. Everyone rose to the challenge. There was combat gear, a posh frock, a wedding hat, and a gangster hat. I felt for Angela in her Minnie Mouse onesie – she must have been so hot!
Boat Life, At Last
Four months after our original move date in March, we were finally able to leave our house in the hands of our new tenant and move up to the boat; it was a great relief. Many would suggest it was a time where we could both now relax a little and slow down. After all, narrowboat life is absolutely a reduction in speed… in most cases. For me, however, life still continues to be busy.
There are so many opportunities presenting themselves around every corner and in the most obscure places. Every conversation that takes place on the towpath or in the town market hall is a potential opportunity. I have already met some lovely people during such conversations. It was an absolute pleasure to welcome Frankie Dewar to the boat on her epic cycle around the UK. She was interviewing women older than herself who enjoy outdoor adventures and is editing each of the interviews into a podcast Extraordinary Ordinary Womxn. I remind myself how important it is to be present and approachable. My eyes and creative mind are always open, ready to say ‘yes’ if the situation arises.
Seemingly out of nowhere, I was contacted by Woman magazine. The request was to publish a feature about my solo adventure on the South West Coast Path. They wanted to adapt the article from Woman&Home. A few weeks after our conversation and a 'read-back', it appeared on the shelves - a week after I had moved to Abergavenny.
Pinch Me!
Having said ‘yes’ to so many suggestions in the past ten months, it’s hard sometimes to take it all in. Right now I have to pinch myself, just to check that I am actually here and life is good. Supply teaching is currently not in great demand in Wales, which is a HUGE financial downside. The advantage is that it’s giving me more time to work on my HeadRightOut hustle. Thankfully it doesn’t cost a lot to live here.
Choosing to say ‘yes’ then really does pack a wonderfully, weighty punch. One that I’ve found has definitely sent me in a great direction and remains exciting! I still never quite know what’s around the corner. Transitioning from the Explorers Connect writing workshop through a round-up of incredible lifestyle adventures in such a short period of time has been fulfilling. I have to admit, even if I am busier than ever, I am totally in love and at ease with my topsy-turvy, minimal-living-gently-rocking-lifestyle adventure. I smile and wave at everyone who ventures past the boat. Naturally, I find myself watching carefully, to ensure all the steaming mounds are retrieved. Especially if they are outside my galley window.
By Zoe Langley-Wathen, Founder of HeadRightOut
