Adventures & Motivations for 2019
As 2018 draws to a close, I’ve had time to reflect on some of the adventures and motivations I’ve achieved in the past year. This last year was a happy one. For the first time in a while, I feel like I truly let go of thinking too much about the future and lived my life as best I could. This meant I travelled a lot; within the UK and beyond and said ‘yes please’ with a massive smile on my face to almost every opportunity given to me.
I developed skills in climbing, alpinism, photography and video; I lost and gained loved ones; I got my first photography submission; I climbed trad, alpine, sport and bouldered; I went solo wild camping; I made my first video; and I wrote about it all, a lot. I feel like my blog has really flourished in the last year and I have come to love this little corner of the internet and sharing adventures to inspire you. I’m excited to see how it develops further in 2019.
At the beginning of 2018, I wrote an Adventures & Motivations for 2018 which you can read here. I loved reading it back recently and realised all the things I achieved that I wanted to. So, continuing that tradition, here are my new adventures and resolutions planned and not planned for 2019.
Climb a 4000m Peak
I had my first taste of alpine climbing this year in the Alps, and though it was challenging and marginally terrifying, this year I really want to become more competent and confident in the mountains. I want to become fitter, stronger and learn rope-skills to ensure I’m safe, as well as to understand the conditions and unpredictability of mountainous environments. Early in 2019 I’m doing a winter climbing course in the Cairngorms, and in summer I’m hoping to develop more rope work skills that will help me in the mountains. It will be a long journey until I can truly feel confident doing mountain sports, but I’m already excited to see where it takes me. This year, I’d like to climb my first 4,000m peak in the Alps.
Learn French
I studied Spanish and Italian at university but sadly don’t get to use my language skills an awful lot these days. However, when I travel to either country I absolutely love being able to communicate with the local people and immerse myself in those cultures. This summer, I went to Chamonix in the French Alps and completely fell in love with the way of life there. I’m hoping that a lot more trips to this part of the world will be in my future, so I want to make a concerted effort to learn French this year. I think it will enrich my experience when in the mountains and be a new skill that might help me in the future.
Go Solo Wild-Camping More
Wild-camping along scares me. It’s something that I don’t feel wholly comfortable doing, but it’s also something I want to do more of. So, this year I simply want to push myself to go wild camping by myself more often. My wild-camp in Wales earlier this month was a lot of fun, so I’m planning a few more missions like that over the coming months.
Develop my Video Skills
I’ve recently started making a few videos of adventures and I have been loving exploring a new creative discipline; teaching myself how to film and edit. Over the next year, I want video to become a more regular thing in my creative work, and I’d love to see the way I can develop my blog and social media with the use of video. It’s an exciting start of a new branch of Wild & Words! Check out a couple of my videos on YouTube.
Do a Big Multi-Pitch Climb with my Boyfriend
This one’s a little vague, but I’d really love to go out and do a big multi-pitch climb with my boyfriend next year. The longest I’ve done so far is 5 pitches, but I’d love to really push myself to a full-day 9+ pitch climb, sharing the leads with Harvey. I want to feel physically and mentally exhausted afterwards, but feel euphoric at the achievement. I’m going to start looking at routes now and make some new year plans!
Climb a 6B+ Outdoor Route
I’ve been so excited at how strong and confident I’ve been feeling climbing since getting back from Spain. I onsited my first 6C indoor and climbed my hardest boulder. I want to do more sport-climbing when the weather gets warmed and hopefully work on climbing a 6B+ outdoor. Who knows when or where that will be, perhaps next December back in Spain! I think with a little more confidence I could definitely achieve this goal.
Get More Writing Work Published
My writing is based on experience and comes from the heart, that makes it even more special when my work gets published. As I’ve been focusing a lot on my blog in the last year, I’ve put less time into writing for magazines. But thus coming year, I want to make that another priority. I’d love to write about some of the trips I’ve been on in the last year and see them in print, and to go on others that I can share. Writing is really important to me and to be an outdoor travel writer is a lifelong dream.
Publish a Ramble Guidebook
Ok, so this one’s a big one, and one I was a little hesitant to write down in words… I’ve been working on Ramble Guides for the last couple of years, a website dedicated to outdoor travel guides to the UK’s wild places. Over the last year, I’ve let things like my blog and other adventures take over, but Ramble is something that I truly believe in and am passionate about, and my ultimate dream would be to print a guidebook series. So why not now? Over the beginning of this year, I’m going to be working hard to get content for a Peak District guide to be printed by summer. At the moment it’s a daunting concept, as I really have no idea how to publish a book! But taking it step-by-step and getting help and advice will hopefully mean that 2019 will be the year that Ramble really comes to life.
Move Out of the City
I’ve been living in Manchester for the last couple of year, and though I like the city and am happy with my life there, I’m a country girl at heart and my body aches to be nearer the hills. I have no idea where or when I’ll go, but I’d really like to move out of the city this year - whether that be to a smaller outskirt, into a van in the middle of nowhere, or abroad… Who knows where this one will take me!
I’d love to hear what adventures you have planned for 2019, so let me know in the comments if you have anything exciting on the horizon. I’d also love to know if you’d like anymore information of any of my adventures in the last year and if there’s anything you’d like to know more about.
Happy New Year you lovely people, here’s to an adventurous New Year!
Athena ↟