Jonathan Potter has had a fascinating career as a seller of antique maps, charts, plans,…
Charlie Wild and Jessica Last are the couple behind the popular Instagram account @the.travel.project. They started off sharing their travels around the world and have moved towards promoting adventures closer to home. We catch up with Charlie to find out why the pair are so enthused about UK adventures and why you should be too.
What led you to set up your Instagram account?
We set it up in 2016 to document our travels. We quit our jobs to travel, with the idea to contact people on Instagram and get them to guide us around the world. It was the world’s first Instagram-powered journey! It led to an extraordinary year of meeting some incredibly inspiring people.
Has your Instagram account changed its focus over the years?
Yes, as our following grew so did our sense of responsibility. Our feeling of unease grew when our message was just to jump on a plane and go to the other side of the world. It felt unattainable, environmentally and financially. Eventually, we made the decision to never take another flight. It’s been a huge change for us but in some ways tightening our horizons has broadened them. It’s allowed us to dive deeper into the UK, which has been life changing.
Why would you encourage others to explore the UK more?
We’d like to change people’s perceptions of the UK. Growing up, having adventures in the UK felt like an inferior option to exploring abroad and there’s a revising of that mindset that still needs to be done. When we started, we thought we’d get bored exploring the UK quickly. But if anything, the list of places we want to visit here has got longer, not shorter. You don’t really know what’s on your doorstep unless you go out and have a look.
What does adventure mean to you?
We’re trying to reframe the idea of adventure. The traditional perception is that it’s a fairly exclusive pursuit, something you can afford to do once a year, in a faraway land. It can be a big blow out once a year, doing something life changing. But at the other end of the scale, it can be something close to home that makes you step outside your comfort zone. It’s a space where your body and mind come alive, and you learn new things about yourself. We’ve also realised that adventure is a personal concept, it can be different for me and you. That’s something to be celebrated.
What compels you to lead an adventurous life?
When we become adults the hamster wheel of life means the days blur into one. We struggle to recount experiences. I realised I wanted to push myself and do things I could remember. Now I can say last week we went camping in Dartmoor and then we visited a Cornish rainforest. Sometimes, I’ll get up for sunrise and spend it at the top of a mountain. That will be the purest feeling. Adventure makes me feel alive.
You’re both advocates for outdoor adventures in winter. What makes these adventures so special?
Hardly anyone else is out in these extraordinary landscapes because it’s winter. It completely flips the experience, in terms of what we think these places are like. You can go to Holcombe Beach in Norfolk, visit the vast beaches of the east or north coast of Scotland, see Cornwall, and the chances are it’ll only be you and a few others. You’re not going to have to look for a parking spot either! It can be affordable as well. It’s out of season, so if you book accommodation, you’ll be paying significantly less than if you were going in the peak of summer.
What practical advice would you give for outdoor adventures in the UK this winter?
Outdoor activities in winter need to be planned. We get a big map out at home to plan, then we use apps such as the OS Maps app when we’re out on an adventure. There’s the weather to plan for too. We use the Met Office app and there are other apps available for mountain weather. It may be cold and wet, there’s no getting away from that! Make sure you stay warm and dry by wearing the right clothing. Second hand shops, charity shops and Depop are great places to find outdoor clothing if you’re on a tight budget. I’d also bring a towel and extra socks and shoes. When we go away in winter, we take 50% more socks than the number of days we’re away for.
I’d also take a thermos with a hot drink, which serves two purposes. Firstly, it’ll warm you up. Secondly, it provides that moment on an adventure, when you get to the top of a mountain, reach that beach or find shelter and want a cup of tea. It’s a ritualistic moment.
Cold weather adventures to try this winter
Here are Charlie’s top adventures to have in the UK this winter:
Drive the SnowRoads
It’s one of the most beautiful drives we’ve been lucky enough to do in the UK. The highest snowfall in the UK is on Scotland’s Cairngorms, so you’re fairly likely to get snow. You can also hike the Cairngorm Plateau, which is like an Arctic wilderness. Going here feels like you’re hiking on the ceiling of Britain.
Sail Norfolk’s salt marshes
Sailing Norfolk’s salt marshes is an extraordinary adventure on a winter’s day. You set off from Wells-next-the-Sea and get into the marshes pretty quickly. We enjoyed the fact that you are basically completely alone out there. It’s a nature reserve, so only boats are allowed down the narrow backwaters, and only skilled sailors who know the waters can navigate them.
See the sunset or sunrise at Balnakeil Beach
Balnakeil Beach is near Durness, at the northernmost tip of Scotland. It’s so far north it gets light around 10am and dark around 3pm in the depths of winter. We visited to really push the idea of winter and see what that was like. It was an extraordinary experience, walking on the beach and seeing the sunrise and sunset. I’d recommend hunkering down from 3pm with a fire and food!
Read all about it
You can read more about Charlie and Jessica’s adventures in their book Achievable Adventures: A Practical Guide: 52 of the UK’s Most Unforgettable Experiences.
Image credits
All images courtesy of @the.travel.project.
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