The Path Less Travelled led a walk along the 14 mile Glamorgan Heritage Coast Path today.
Just the usual stuff .... epic views, sea air, amazing geology, fossils, sea cliff waterfalls, buoy art and sunsets.
Go. Do. Be.
January 28, 2012
Brands, brains, business and bread
On Friday i drove to Cardigan Bay, to the "Chicken Shed" that is the home of all things Do.
I had a place on a "How to build a great brand - with very little money", course ran by David Hieatt (founder of Howies, the Do lectures, the25mile restaurant, and Hiut Denim). David was assisted by Mark Shayler from Tickety Boo Environmental Consultants.
I had hoped, on the drive up, that the day would give me some inspiration on how to develop The Path Less Travelled.
I realised, on the drive back down, that, my hopes had been surpassed many times over, and, like a lemonade bottle, lid slightly loose, that has been vigorously shaken, my brain fizzed popped and exploded like there was a firework display going off inside it.
The Do Day was simply brilliant.
The lunch was held in the25mile in Cardigan. Go. See and taste for yourself. Wow.
Huge thanks to David, Claire and Anna at team Do, to Mark Shayler, and to all the other attendees.
"People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it"
George Bernard Shaw
January 26, 2012
just because you can't see it ..
c/o Patagoniacs
January 23, 2012
Country File
If you saw Country File last night, you will have seen Matt Baker being guided around the beautiful Wye Valley by Graham Hassall, a mountaineering instructor, good friend of mine, and owner of
Www.summitmountaineering.com
The link to the programme on iPlayer is here
The photo is Graham following me up a classic rock climb at Symonds Yat, the end of which affords spectacular views across the Wye Valley, repeatedly voted the most beautiful river in England.
Go. Do. Be.
January 22, 2012
January 20, 2012
Playing Outside
Once upon a time about a year ago some people called The Geography Collective
created this amazingly new millenia old idea called Love Play Outside
to try and reinvigorate the stuff that kids either choose not to do, do not have the opportunities to do, or do not have the parents or carers able or willing to allow them to do
that "stuff" is opening the door, closing it behind them, finding a park, field, wood, village green, school field, open space ..... anything really that hasn't got a roof and walls, and is called outdoors. then messing about, playing Pooh sticks, chasing balls, throwing sticks, laughing, splashing, doing tree rubbing or a treasure hunt or shouting in to the wind or trying to swallow the most rain drops. all this stuff is sometimes called "play"
together it is called Playing Outside
or as The Geography Collective would say ..
Play is deeply linked to geography. From being immersed in deep play and imagining alternative worlds to evading capture in foreign territories while playing hide and seek, play is one of the most enjoyable engagements we ever have with our world(s). It’s also an immensely powerful way to learn about people, social interactions, communication, risk-taking, management, fear, love, worms, trees, strangeness, experimenting, science, being creative and so much more. Despite all of the known advantages of outdoor play many children do not have the opportunity experience it as much as they should do.. and would want to
As of today Love Outdoor Play is now here, is ran by Play England and the Free Time Consortium, has millions of pounds worth of funding and is just simply trying to get as many grown ups to help as many kids as possible to err ... just play outside.
There is some "take action" stuff here, like posting a "like", getting a sticker or adding your support to the group
The Geography Collective haven't put their feet up, they've created Mission Explore a great play resource for kids.
However, by the time you have been through all of those links to find out how to play outside you may well have wasted all the available day light left to play outside.
Make an effort this weekend to take a human being aged between 1 day and 110 years outside. Chase shadows, watch clouds, throw frisbees, see tiny eyes focus on flowers, rivers and sheep, or listen to what Grandparents did outside when they were kids.
Just do something outside.
I understand that some social circumstances need support and facilities to play outside, and all of the websites above are grand initiatives, but just go and play.
Do anything, but do it outside.
As previously blogged, The Woodland Trust has easily the greatest free activities resource on the net in the UK for outdoor learning and play.
The less we do something as a society(play outside), the less common it becomes (fades from memory), the more caution surrounds doing it again (activity memory loss), the more rules and regulations evolve to allow us to do it again (restrictions).
Who would have thought that there are now classes in how to light a fire outside, or go camping for the night.
PS The Path Less Travelled is now a member of the Institute of Outdoor Learning.
I think that means i am now qualified to play outside.
Go. Do. Be.
January 18, 2012
23 years flies by ....
Since December i have reimmersed myself in to climbing, with a regularity and passion, for me, missing since the late 80s.
My left forearm now wishes to raise the point that it is no longer the late 80s.
The Doctor diagnoses over-use, and ten days rest.
The Physio appointment is in 3 hours.
When i "were a lad" growing up in the North East, the local sports centre took the bold decision in '89 to convert a squash court in to a climbing wal.
Some lad, a few years older than me, rocked up to open the wall, wandered nonchalantly horizontally and vertically around all the routes on the wall, then left.
That "lad", Johnny Dawes, is giving a lecture at the Warehouse Wall in Gloucester tonight.
My company, The Path Less Travelled, is sponsoring it.
All profits are going to Hope and Homes for Children.
23 years flies by.
