Hello, dear reader, and welcome to my blog.
It feels surreal saying that, as the imposter syndrome is real! Here I am, writing my very first blog entry to post on my website, with the hopes that it provides some sort of entertainment, encouragement or, dare I say it, inspiration to others who share the same love of the outdoors as I do.
It’s a bit nerve wracking putting yourself out there; sharing your experiences and inner thoughts with the world. I always hear those hardcore adventurers refer to ‘lockdown hikers’*, and they insinuate that those that found love for this hobby during the COVID-19 pandemic are not worthy of the same respect as those that have been doing it a lifetime. They joke about Mam Tor being a little speedbump, or make jokes about doing it in flip flops or Crocs, and question why you’d ever waste 20 minutes of your life strolling up it along with 90% of the UK population on a sunny Sunday.
*(They need to remember that lockdown was 5 years ago now, which is PLENTY of time to learn the ropes!)
The problem is, I’m not a lockdown hiker... I started exploring the outdoors waaaaaay after that in late 2022, so in their eyes, I must be a complete novice! In some ways, I do feel that way, but in other ways, I feel like I’ve gained enough experience to refer to myself as a ‘hiker’.
This is a picture of Ethel on one of the first walks that I went on to clear my head. It was taken at Marquis Drive, Cannock Chase, in August 2022.
The very early days of adventure - November 2022. I wore my tracksuit bottoms, wellies and a hoodie!
Imposter Syndrome
I suppose I can relate to the lockdown hikers in the way that Covid expedited my passion for the outdoors, and hiking became an escape for me when I went through a difficult time.
One of the only constants in my life at that time was Ethel, my rescue dog. Our walks became a way for me to escape from the house, and to escape the confines of my own mind. I started going for longer and longer walks, deciding to venture to local places that I’d never explored before. I would walk and walk and discover new places, learning more about the natural world and wildlife as I went, and eventually this became something that I really looked forward to.
When I first started, I never referred to my outdoor escapades as ‘hikes’ and instead, they were ‘extended walks’. I felt as though I wasn’t justified in claiming the hiker title just yet, because of these preconceived notions about what it really meant to be a hiker- you have to be fit, always up in the mountains, climbing international peaks, and having all the expensive, branded gear. I now know that all of those ideas are absolute rubbish.
I hike, therefore, I am a hiker.
So, how did I begin pursuing adventure?
It was 2023 and I was cooped up in the house for 10 days straight after finally contracting covid for the first time. I’d worked in my previous frontline job in the pharmacy for 5 and a half years, all throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and never contracted it once. Mere months after starting my new office-based job, it finally got me. I was young and healthy(ish), although my fitness levels undeniably needed work. Nevertheless, I was quite surprised at the effect the virus had on me, and I was bedbound for the majority of those 10 days.
It was only then that I realised just how important the outdoors had become to me. The time I spent outside became an escape and walking along the trails became my own mini pilgrimage to mindfulness. Without the regular immersion in nature, cracks in my mental health began to form and I felt so low, both physically and mentally; it was at this point that I started to reminisce over the walks I’d been on and the places I’d seen, and I started to dream about the places that were out there that I hadn’t yet explored.
I decided to set up an Instagram account for myself to post the pictures I’d taken during my walks so that I could look back on them and they’d all be in one place, rather than being jumbled in with my phone’s normal camera roll that consisted of all sorts, from dog photos and screenshots to memes and food pics. Once the account was created, I became engrossed by all of the accounts out there that shared adventure and travel photos, and soon found myself deep-diving into the hidden gems and tourist-favourites of the UK and beyond, and I knew I needed to get out into the world and explore places that were further afield than just my doorstep!
My only problem? I had nobody to go with...
Stay tuned for my next instalment.
Until then, keep adventuring,
Beck x
It was images like this that I saw on Instagram that gave me ultimate FOMO and I just knew I needed to get out into the world and experience all that Mother Nature had to offer.
Imagine watching the sunrise from the top of the highest peak in Wales! Now that would be incredible!
FYI I use affiliate links on my website that may generate revenue if you buy anything through them :)
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