A Night Under The Stars or An Afternoon By A Lake – The Perfect First Date Microadventure

There’s nothing wrong with a coffee shop, a classic dinner, and a movie as a first date idea. But more adventurous and explorative daters might want to find something more exciting. And with 44% of Tinder users being invited on a first date at McDonald’s, first dates could do with an upgrade.

Microadventures could be a fantastic alternative to the more traditional date ideas. This was developed by modern-day adventurer Alistair Humphreys, who describes it on his website as a “short, simple, local, cheap” escape into the outdoors to experience nature and the natural world. Whether it’s an overnight camp out under the stars or sleeping alongside a major motorway, the purpose is to reframe your view of local locations by hiking and walking to a secluded location and sleeping wild without breaking the bank or dedicating all your time to travelling.

In this article, we’ll go through a few key points that could make a perfect first date with a perfect microadventure. This will include planning the trip in terms of location and what you’ll need to feel safe and comfortable.

Locations, locations, locations – picking the right spot

Many areas of the UK are already valued as incredibly scenic and romantic. From the country towns to the rolling hills ready for walks, places like the Lake District, Scotland, and the Yorkshire Dales are naturally easier to discover locations for microadventures.

If you’re living in a city where green, wild spaces are few and far between, Humphreys details ways of finding more rural areas near you that are within walking distance or close to train stations. This could be done by picking up train or bus stations that you have passed on your way to work or visiting a friend or family and examining online or physical maps to determine any footpaths that could be walked to reach these secluded green areas or lakeside locations. Google Maps makes this process even easier as using the satellite view feature can help you figure out the area secluded enough to enjoy your wild-sleeping escape.

Part of the excitement comes from being in an unknown environment and experiencing sleeping in the elements. This offers much more for a date scenario as you may feel like you can be more yourself in this strange and new situation, compared to how you may have acted on a more traditional date.

Pack light. Extremely light.

One thing that Alistair Humphreys suggests above all else when taking on a microadventure is to choose a bivvy bag for sleeping rather than bringing a tent. His stance is “in a tent, you are basically in a rubbish version of indoors”, and to truly embrace the environment and your natural surroundings, the bivvy bag is king. It’s a small, portable waterproof bag and makes sleeping on damp ground more comfortable.

Microadventure for a first date will mean you’re likely only camping for a single night, allowing you to pack even lighter than you would for other trips. So, you’ll need to consider only toothbrushes and warm clothes. Even during warm summer months, temperatures drop in the evening.

Provisions are also on the list of things to bring, as you still need food and drink. You won’t want to pack too much that weighs you down, so grabbing a takeaway or making things fancier with a bottle of camping gas for a small camping stove to cook things over a flame might be the best option.

Connect through the calm

The beauty of microadventures into rural green or blue spaces is the disconnect from the norms that city life has created. Being able to gaze up at the sky and see stars thanks to the lack of light pollution and not hear any, or as many, sirens and car horns as you would in a more populated town or city.

It also means you can connect with your date without the distractions of others around you. That vulnerable feeling could help to allow the conversation to flow more freely and honestly as you’re separated from environments where you may feel the need to act differently to impress them.

In the end, a microadventure won’t appeal to everyone. However, for those with a lust for adventure and the exploration of something new, this is perfect to experience where they live from a different perspective.