Adventure looks different to everyone, to some it might be looking down from a skyscraper about to abseil down it, or to others it could be looking up at the birds soaring through the sky in awe.
No matter where we are, we strive to recognise adventure for what it is, for what purpose it brings us. To notice how each adventure fills us up and leaves us wanting more, to seek old and new stories, and to share those perspectives with others for a summer bursting of purposeful adventures.
And who better to ask for those stories than our treasured A-TEAMers, our very own legs that our community is built on, they are no strangers to getting their hands dirty and bringing TFT’s mission to life with everything they do.
With thanks to our A-TEAMers Pete Scullion, Lauren M-B, Matt Kennelly and John Bellis
Nature in essence is all the naturally occurring things on this planet. It is breathtakingly beautiful. It is incredulous to be in the presence of everything that is not made by people. So as people, how can we interact with nature? How can we show our appreciation for something that is more than just a word for plants, animals, habitats and all things in between?
“[I’m beyond] grateful for nature. I feel nature gives me so much. Whether it's a space to go to help me feel more calm and grounded, it's where I go to reconnect with myself and recentre myself.
It's a place where I go to become more curious and more present. Noticing the patterns in nature is really cool, slowing down, which is really important, because I get, caught up in doing, [too many] things work wise, and then nature provides a place to just be curious about what's around me, and not worry about emails and lists and other jobs to do.”
“I just think there's so much we can learn from nature, and just being able to appreciate that is an incredible gift, just noticing things. I'm so grateful for nature to allow me space to notice things and be curious.
The act of noticing things around us requires active engagement and a sustained state of presence that can be easily drifted away from if we are focused on other things. Bringing yourself into a mindful moment can help feel more connected to your immediate surroundings and observe how the environment adapts and changes over time within nature.
“Scotland and the UK are blessed with a varied geology that means the landscape you pass through rarely stays the same. We're also a very wet, windy island so how the water scours our land into its shapes is always interesting to me.
The flowers this year have been unreal and I have made a point whilst walking my pals' very wiggly, squeaky dog to add to my knowledge of them. Willowherb, Bird Vetch, Meadow Pea, Butterwort, Spotted Orchids have been a delightful addition to the usual Bluebell, Gorse and Heather blooms.
The trees here are so green and lush too. Purple Saxifrage is my personal favourite though. Small, purple, ground-hugging flowers that grow above 800m elevation, so you know you're in a good place when you see them. The waft of coconut from Gorse, the thickness of the air when it's full of Heather pollen.”
The places that we can reach within nature are only what we dream them to be. The beauty of adventure is that we forge our own route, we create our own destination, out of choice or chance, just whatever nature will allow.
“I often have the urge to plan a trip to the most remote place I can find on a map, but then I think that it being remote is actually the thing that makes that place special and that the ecosystem in that area is built on and thrives on the lack of humans in the landscape and it would probably prefer it if I’m not there!
I suppose it’s some sort of eco-anxiety feeling and that’s why I think nature connection as part of TFT is so important. It gives people this little light bulb reminder to say ‘hey, if I’m going to these places I need to think about how I interact with them and the impact of my visit’. It’s not to say you can’t go, just [be mindful] when you do!”
Having that thought to be mindful when on adventure is important to recognise, to validate, and to give space to. Let it change depending on your surroundings, let it become a natural part of you, let it in and let it out.
Let the thinking of ‘how can I better interact with this space?’ inspire you to delve deeper into ways to be within nature, to leave it better than you found it, so you can continue to adventure even further afield.
“I use nature for my work. [I know] that sounds like a weird language, because I don't want to say ‘I use nature’, but as in, my work involves being in nature. [And for that] I'm so grateful for nature to allow me to do my job that I love and connect other people to that space, whatever nature looks like for them, which encourages me massively to want to preserve and look after it.
When you work within the outdoor space, but also have a shared love for the outdoors in your time outside of work, nature becomes this ever evolving world merging in between everything. Outdoor life welcomes itself indoors and vice versa, it's amazing to see how nature can envelope into daily life and be so all encompassing that you no longer question its presence, it’s just there.
“Nature symbolises a connection to life and the natural world. It reminds me of the interconnectedness of all things and the process of growth, decay and renewal. It also represents a calmness and offers an escape from the chaotic pace of modern life. Nature's complexity and awe inspire me and encourages a deep appreciation.”
A huge thank you to our Strategic Partner komoot for supporting our Summer of Purposeful Adventures, enabling us to empower storytellers and explorers to take on passion projects and share their experience. Find out more about the campaign here.
Images by Pete Scullion
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