A New Year microadventure

What is a microadventure? Coined by adventurer Alastair Humphreys, it’s a mini adventure in the outdoors that’s simple, cheap - or cost free - and close to home. Getting closer to nature, getting fresh air, just getting outside; it doesn’t matter what it is or what you do, as long as you find it fun, invigorating, stimulating, interesting, beneficial or enriching.

After, or during, the Christmas break when we’re all mostly indoors in centrally heated homes with, as this winter in particular it seems, flu and colds being prevalent, we enjoyed a lovely microadventure.

We love going out in different weather conditions. Fog, ice, snow, wind and yes, even rain, so when we looked out on 2nd January and saw a smattering of snow in the garden, we headed out early. I’d noticed from photos that we’d done the same walk - entirely by chance - on 2nd January for the last three years, so we decided to keep the tradition going. It was a little further from home in amongst the wide chalkland landscapes of Oxfordshire, criss-crossed by the Icknield Way, the Swans Way and the Ridgeway. We’ve walked in this area many times in all seasons and love the big skies and the palpable feeling of antiquity that there seems to be around these ancient trails.

However, as we drove further from home, the snow became thicker and we decided to change our plans slightly as the roads were becoming a little icy in places. We thought we’d park a mile or two closer, then walk a little further to our intended starting point, so we headed carefully down an icy lane to a layby we knew on the edge of a large wood.

When we got out of the car, we were staggered by the beauty around us.

Situated on fairly high ground, the walk through the mixed woodland was utterly and mesmerisingly beautiful. A low, rising sun cast a pale golden glow through the trees, all of which were dusted white. Pine trees looked stunning and a small woodland of silver birch seemed utterly ethereal, out of the sun and shrouded in a cool, icy blue mist. It was the most magical woodland we’d ever been in. Coming out of the trees, fields as far as the eye could see were painted white, with the sun casting long shadows. We walked through a shady valley, then turned and climbed steeply up onto the plateau above. It was both bracing and beautiful, with some warmth in the now risen sun. We followed tracks and paths, some familiar, some new, found quiet little woodlands, tiny churches and flocks of hungry sheep; their breath hanging in the cold air. We stopped half way to brew coffee on an old fallen oak, revelling in the warmth of a hot drink and the meagre warmth of the sun, whilst huddling against a cold but intermittent breeze.

We spent no money, we only drove six miles from home, we seemingly found the only pocket of substantial snow in the area due entirely to a change of plan and, although we’d walked parts of the route before, the snow and beautiful golden sun made it such a different and magical experience. It was a wonderful little adventure and a truly memorable way to start the new year.