In my last post, I discussed how I fell out of love with London, the city I live in. I felt like I had become trapped in a rut with the same old routine. However, I found that instead of focusing on the downsides of London – no mountains, a surplus of people and limited nature – I needed to realise the endless possibilities and opportunities that this great city has to offer. Give that blog post here.
This blog post gives a quick flavour of the top 10 things I am excited to try out and do more of. It does not intend to give exhaustive amounts of detail. Instead, I will dedicate an individual post to each of the activities recommended. So make sure to follow on Instagram to stay up to date!
London: The Secret Adventure Capital.
So what is there to do in London for the restless adventurer who wants to squeeze as much as possible out their time here?
The good news is there are countless opportunities! You only need to know where to look.
Luckily this blog is here to help you make sure you make the most out of your time in London whether that’s for a weekend, 6 months or several years. Whilst it’s easy to get into a monotonous routine, London is actually a hot spot for new and unique activities. If you’re lucky enough to live here you’ve bagged one of the biggest bucket list destinations by people around the world.
London is the capital of the UK and is steeped in history about explorers and adventurers. Endless numbers of inspiring adventures have started here. Everywhere you go, a deep and rich history will be embedded into the surroundings. Additionally, the sheer number of people in London allows there to be a community on anything and everything.
So if you want to delve into some history, explore unique places or grow your passion and the community you share it with then you’re in no better place!
My Top Things For Adventurer To Do In London
This post intends to give you a flavour of the opportunities in London which I aim to explore further. I will be covering all of them in more detail in future posts so make sure to sign up for the newsletter to find out more!
1. Go to a live talk by an Explorer
London is a great place to meet your heroes. Adventurers and explorers from all over the world give talks in London about their experiences. The cost of these lectures is usually anywhere from free to £15. These are a great way to have an inspiring unique experience in London.
I met Alastair Humphreys in Kings Cross after his talk – a big hero of mine. And in the last month, I attended both Lucy Shepard‘s and Charlie Walker’s talks with the Scientific Exploration Society.
I will be adding all the adventure events in London to a Calendar on this website so you can bookmark it and stay up to date with all the great events in London.
To get you started check out some of the top adventure talks and events in London:
2. Visit an Adventure Museum
London is home to some of the world’s best Adventure specific libraries and museums.
Having just finished The Moth and The Mountain by Ed Caesar, I was thrilled to find out that Maurice Wilson’s original diary lives in a nearby library in London! The Alpine Club has an “unrivalled collection of over 30,000 books, magazines, club journals, expedition reports and rare historic material”. If you’re looking to see first-hand the diaries and artefacts of your favourite explorers then you might want to check out The Alpine Club!
Or why not check out an exhibition at the Royal Geographical Society? Currently, they have an exhibition called “Everest Through The Lens ” which is bound to inspire you! Check out what’s on here!
3. Wild swimming
There are lots of wild swimming spots in and around London. From the nearby waters of Hampstead Heath to the open seas of Brighton. Stay tuned for an upcoming post on some more unknown wild swimming spots in London!
4. Fim Festivals.
A great adventure always has a great story to tell and one of the best ways to do that is through film. London is a top location if you want to experience some amazing adventures through the screen. Check out some upcoming Adventure Film Festivals!
5. Join a Community
There are so many clubs, groups and communities out there for like-minded people. Some recommendations I’ve had from friends include:
- London Mountaineering Club
- London Adventure Group
- Join a YesTribe
- https://www.facebook.com/Microadventures?ref=hl
6. Running
London is such a unique place to run as you can experience so much variation in the landscape. Run along the Thames and soak in the classic Landscapes, or head up into Hampstead Heath for some empty hidden trails. Follow on Strava for some route inspiration.
7. Mudlarking
Mudlarking, otherwise known as beachcombing, is the activity of searching for interesting or unique objects on the shores of rivers and oceans. London is steeped in history and provides a hot spot for gems to be found! Read about it more here, or in the fantastic book – Mudlarking: Lost and Found on the River Thames by Lara Maiklem. Please be aware that there are regulations around mudlarking and you may need a permit.
8. Wild Camping
Whilst I’ve not yet braved a wild camp in any of London’s Great Parks, I always refer back to Alastair Humphreys’ posts which outline a great inspiration for places near London to wild camp:
- https://alastairhumphreys.com/microadventures-out-of-london/
- https://alastairhumphreys.com/microadventures-close-to-london/
You can read more about my own wild camping experiences close to London with the links below.
9. Hiking
Admittedly this one requires a bit of travel outside of London. However, you would be amazed at how quickly the landscape changes after only a small amount of travel!
Within an hour you could get to:
- Epping Forest
- The Chilterns
- High Weald AONB
- North Downs AONB
- Kent Downs AONB
My favourite nearby place to hike close to London is the South Downs. Check out my post about my latest trip to the South Downs.
10. London As a Travel LaunchPad
Again, I concede, this involves travel outside of London. However, if you have a burning wanderlust, then London is a great base to allow easy access to new places both in the UK and abroad!
Whilst London is a central hub for cheap flights, why not try some alternative – lower carbon slower travel – options? You could:
- Take the Caledonian Sleeper up to Scotland to hike in the highlands.
- Cycle to Dover, hop on a ferry to Calais and have a camping-bikepacking trip around northern France and Belgium.
- Take the EuroStar from Kings Cross to Brussels for as cheap as £39 and in less than 2 hours!
- Take the ferry from Harwich to The Hook of Holland and visit the Netherlands.
Stay Up To Date With Everything Happening in London
I’m on a mission to find and experience as much as I can of London’s unique adventure side and share my experiences with the readers of this blog. I hope this article gives you some inspiration and a taste of what’s to come on this blog!
I will be sending out a monthly newsletter which will include a calendar full of adventure conferences, talks and events for people to attend. The best small independent jazz soul and funk clubs in London. The best outdoor spaces and wilderness in London to get away from the pace of city life and much much more.
So follow us on Instagram and make sure you stay up to date with all the latest posts!
One response to “Top 10 Things To Do In London For an Adventourous Person.”
[…] Top 10 Things To Do In London For an Adventourous Person. […]