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- Written by: Sophie Nicholson
Summer’s here, folks - and with it comes that irresistible itch to escape the everyday and make it one to remember.
But here’s the thing - you don’t have to quit your job, hike the Grand Canyon, head off on a epic long distance cycle adventure, or packraft across Iceland to get a proper feel-good adventure buzz.
All you really need is a microadventure: a short, sharp hit of outdoor fun that slots neatly into real life.
Think overnight wild camps, cold water dips, bike-and-hike missions, stargazing sleepouts, and full-moon wild swims - all doable in a weekend, an evening, or even your lunch break if you're super motivated.
Whether you're craving a blast of nature after too much screen time or just want to shake up your summer with some low-key epicness, we’ve got you covered.
"Think overnight wild camps, cold water dips, bike-and-hike missions, stargazing sleepouts, and full-moon wild swims"
From solo escapades to family-friendly jaunts, here are 40 of the best microadventures to try this summer - no passport required.
Mountain & Wild Terrain Microadventures
High places, open spaces and lung-busting climbs - these microadventures turn the dial up to epic with minimal faff.
Hike up a mountain
Nothing clears away the cobwebs and the craziness of modern life like a lung-busting stomp to the top of something pointy. Choose your peak, grab your map and compass, pack snacks, and remember - the best things in life tend to come with a bit of sweat. Need inspiration? Check out our pick of the world’s best mountain towns to find your next summit-worthy basecamp.
Climb a Munro
Head off on a walking holiday to Scotland, tick off one of the country's famous 3,000-footers to earn bragging rights, a cracking view (weather permitting), and quads that ache with pride. Start with a friendly one like Ben Lomond - then see where the Munro-bagging spiral takes you.
Do a night MTB ride
Hit the trails after dark and watch your normal world turn into something totally weird and utterly thrilling! Trees loom, owls hoot, and every root feels ten times bigger - it may just be your regular mountain biking route but with a solid dose of the spooky and exhilarating it rapidly becomes a memorable microadventure.
Try trail running
Forget lap times, step counts and ditch the road - trail running is all about muddy legs, quiet paths and the thrill of chasing sunlight through the trees. You don’t need to be fast, just mildly up for it and motivated by cake!
Go bikepacking
It’s cycle touring’s cooler cousin: faster than hiking, slower than driving, and infinitely more adventurous than both. Strap some bags to your trusty steed and ride off in search of cake and somewhere quiet to sleep. PS you can stay in a hotel - your secret’s safe with us! For mega pedal-powered inspiration, take a spin through our favourite cycling holidays in Europe.
Try bouldering
No ropes, no heights, just you, your shoes, and the satisfying thud of falling onto a mat. Bouldering is great for exploring movement, building confidence and grip strength, and developing friendships based entirely on yelling “use your feet and send it!” Want to try it somewhere legendary? Shauna Coxsey’s guide to the Peak District is full of beta from Britain's best.
Get lost…(test your nav skills!)
Leave the GPS in your pack and see if you can actually use that map you’ve been carrying around for years. Getting lost (safely!) is half the fun - and you’ll be amazed how satisfying it is to find your way back entirely on your own terms.
Do your first bivvy
What could be better than falling asleep under the stars and waking up to a beautiful sunrise. Bivvying is like camping stripped back to the bare bones and weirdly addictive! Grab your sleeping bag and a mat, toss your bivvy in your pack, and head out for a proper wilderness microadventure. Just remember the snacks (there’s definitely a theme to this list…..)
Stay in a bothy
Remote, rugged and more often than not full of midgies and muddy strangers.. bothy life may not come with an epic thread count but it’s a pretty magic way to have a microadventure. No Wi-Fi, no booking, just a roof, a fire, and stories shared with whoever else shows up for the night. Not sure where to start? Check out our guide to the best bothies in Scotland.
Hike a section of The South West Coast Path
Crashing waves, epic sea views, windswept cliffs and enough tea rooms to power the whole route on cream teas alone. Whether you do a few miles or a full weekend on the real star of the hit film ‘The Salt Path’, Britain’s longest National Trail is perfect for low-faff microadventures. Sound like a plan? Dive in to our guide to walking the South West Path to find out more.
Go wild camping on Dartmoor
It’s official: wild camping on Dartmoor is here to stay - no permits, no paywalls, just you, your tent, and the moody majesty of granite tors and windswept moorland. It’s a rare and wonderful freedom in England, so treat it with respect folks: pitch late, leave no trace, and always check local bylaws and camping maps before you go. Want to go all in? Try combining it with a bikepacking adventure across Dartmoor for extra brownie points (and hills).
Family & Feel-Good Microadventures
Wholesome, wobbly, muddy-in-a-good-way kind of fun - these microadventures are perfect for families, mates, dogs, and grown-ups pretending to be kids!
Sleep in a treehouse
It’s all the fun of childhood, but with better snacks and fewer splinters. Book yourself a night one of the best treehouse stays in the UK, pour yourself a glass of something refreshing, and fall asleep swaying gently in the breeze like a contented little squirrel.
Eat dinner outside
This one’s as easy as it gets - take whatever you were going to eat and have it outside instead. Garden, doorstep, hilltop or beach… food just tastes better when the sky’s your ceiling. Bonus points for making it a screen-free meal and actually talking to each other!
Have a wilderness picnic
Slightly over the weekly indoor get-together for a Sunday roast? Then grab the family and take your spread somewhere a bit wilder this summer - cliffs, riverbanks, fell-tops or forest clearings all qualify for this microadventure. Bonus points for foraged extras and bringing a flask of something stronger than tea.
Learn how to fix a bike puncture
More empowering than a TED Talk and considerably messier. Learn this one skill (or teach it to your kids/mates/parents, etc!) to unlock a whole new world of two-wheeled freedom - plus mega smug-shaped heroic points when you save someone else mid-ride.
Go to an adventure festival
Camping, talks, films, music, and a field full of like-minded mud-splattered humans? Yes please. Adventure festivals are a brilliant way to recharge your stoke levels by sharing good times with great folks in epic places.
Take your dog on a microadventure
There’s no better hype squad than a wagging tail and tongue-lolling grin. Pick a pet-friendly trail, pack extra water (and treats - Ed’s dog), and live your best life watching your four-legged mate absolutely living theirs…
Sleep in a hammock
Gently swinging between two trees is a deeply underrated way to unwind. Whether you’re in for a nap or an all-nighter, you’re pretty much guaranteed better sleep than expected and a solid dollop of arboreal smugness.
Cook something on a fire
Sausages taste 70% better when cooked on sticks over open flame. Fact. Whether it's kebabs, campfire curry or a burnt banana with chocolate inside, fire food is the undisputed king of outdoor dining. Move over Gordon Ramsay…we’ve got marshmallows and we’re not afraid to toast them. Need kit? Here’s our pick of the best camping equipment to fire up your al fresco feast.
Try fossil hunting
Channel your inner time-traveller and hit a fossil-rich beach like a Victorian scientist. Patience and curiosity are your tools - and who knows, you might just uncover something really old and cool, like a Jurassic sea biscuit or Dippy the Diplodocus - and yes, that’s actually a thing!). Not sure of a location? Our guide to the best remote beaches in the UK has plenty of hidden sandy gems...
Volunteer at an event
Want a front-row seat to adventure without signing up for the 100-mile slog? Volunteering at trail races, festivals or clean-up days is a top-tier way to meet like-minded folk and feel properly useful - cowbells are optional, but good vibes are guaranteed.
Grow your own veggies
If lockdown taught us anything, it was all about taking care of what’s right on your doorstep. Planting a few herbs or veg (even on a windowsill) is its own small, satisfying microadventure - and eating something you grew yourself can be a surprisingly massive buzz.
Sleep in your van
Contrary to Instagram, don’t actually need a snazzy conversion for a tasty slice of van life. Just chuck a mattress in the back, find a quiet spot, and wake up somewhere wild (check out our guide to amazing campervan sites in cool corners of the UK for inspo!). Instant adventure, zero faff, and your bed’s already made. Winner.
Try foraging (and eat the proceeds!)
Wild garlic, blackberries, chanterelle mushrooms - nature’s larder is surprisingly generous and flippin’ delicious. Just make sure you know what you’re picking, or at least go with someone who does, so your microadventure doesn’t turn into a micro A&E visit. Promise? For a tasty head start, check out Nick Weston’s guide to foraging for wild ingredients.
Sleep out under the stars
Who needs four walls when you’ve got a billion twinkly ones overhead? Whether it’s a bivvy, hammock or just a mat and a sleeping bag, sleeping under the stars gives you a front-row seat to the best show in town - aka mother nature!
Water & Coastal Microadventures
Cold dips, salty air, and waves that wake you right up - dive in to summer with this wet and wild micro adventures.
Go wild swimming
That first icy gasp? It’s your body saying, “Yes mate, you’re alive!” Wild swimming is equal parts adrenaline, endorphins and immediate life refresh - just pick a safe spot, check the tides, and jump on in. Not sure where to start? Dive into our ultimate guide to wild swimming for top tips and dreamy dips.
Paddleboard to an island (and sleep overnight!)
If you’ve never strapped a sleeping bag to a paddleboard and launched into the blue, this is your sign. Paddling out to your own little island feels gloriously rogue - just don’t forget to check the tides. Oh and bring a headtorch and a load of tasty snacks.
Have a wild sauna
Steam, plunge, repeat. Whether it’s a wood-fired sauna on a remote beach or a mobile barrel in a forest glade, wild sauna-ing is the hottest thing to do right now. Check out our guide to the best beach saunas in the UK - epic wee cabin where you can warm up after a wild swim.
Go stargazing (at the beach or from a wild camp)
No phone, no filter - just the vast, quiet universe showing off above your head. Find a dark-sky spot, lie back and get wonderfully insignificant for an hour or two. And breathe….
Have a BBQ on a beach
Lazy sunset, sandy toes, and something charred but delicious in your hand. Beach BBQs are the stuff summer microadventures are made of - just check local advice, bring a bin bag, and leave the place looking better than you found it. Them’s the rules…
Celebrate the summer solstice (sunrise swim edition)
The longest day of the year deserves more than a quick glance at the calendar. Mark the summer solstice with a sunrise swim, or a evening fireside toast to the sun - this microadventure is all about honouring the light.
Learn to surf
Sure, you’ll swallow half the sea and stack it more than once. But catching your first wave? Nothing beats that salty, sun-drenched feeling of gliding into shore like a wobbly sea god. Our favourite surfing campsites in Cornwall are the perfect places to base yourself while you’re honing your hang ten. Check them out here.
Go sea kayaking
Paddle through glassy coves, explore craggy headlands, and sneak into sea caves like a low-budget pirate. Sea kayaking gives you access to the secret coastline - just don’t forget your tide tables and… you guessed it, snacks. For a truly spectacular paddle, check out our guide to sea kayaking in western Scotland.
Offbeat Microadventures
Craving something a little different, and a little daft? Immerse yourself in these alternative microadventures for a summer to remember.
Convert a campervan
For the DIY-curious and wanderlust-fuelled, turning a van into your own little home-on-wheels is the ultimate slow-burn microadventure. Warning: you may develop a deep emotional attachment to insulation tape and YouTube tutorials! Stay focused on the end goal then head off to one of the best campervan sites in the UK for a well-earned reward!
Have a silent disco at sunrise
Grab your headphones, rally a few pals (or just your best playlist), and hike to a viewpoint to dance the sun up. Silent discos at sunrise are a glorious mix of the weird and wonderful - and you’ll start your day with a grin as wide as the horizon. Bonus points for tutus, tiaras or glittery thermals.
Stay in a Scottish castle
Planning a wee walking holiday in Scotland and don’t fancy staying in a midgie-infested tent? Channel your inner laird or lady and sleep like royalty in a Scottish castle hotel instead….bonus points if you wear a kilt!
Learn a language
Okay, it’s not strictly “outdoorsy” - but prepping for your next trip by learning how to ask for the nearest mountain/hut/bakery in another tongue? That’s adventure-adjacent, and your future self will thank you. You’re welcome.
Take a digital detox
Turn it all off. No scrolling, no pinging, no endless memes of dogs doing the ice bucket challenge. Give your brain a break and let yourself be fully in the moment at one of our favourite off-grid cabins in the UK for the ultimate digital detox.
Book a stay in a quirky hotel
Tired of cookie-cutter hotel rooms and bland B&Bs with their depressingly disappointing breakfast buffets? Why sleep in a bland box when you could snooze somewhere weird and wonderful with a solid dollop of the 'WOW' factor? If the prospect of sleeping in a lighthouse, spending the night in a windmill, or hiding away in a remote off-grid cabin gets your heart rate racing, our guide to the best quirky hotels in the UK will help transform a simple summer overnight into a story you’ll still be telling come autumn.
Ride a horse
Swap boots for hooves and see the world from a new perspective - ideally up high on the back of majestic animal! Whether it’s a beach gallop or a gentle plod through the hills, there’s something properly elemental about a microadventure on horseback.
Ready to roam?
You don’t need a plane ticket, a bank loan or a week off work to squeeze adventure into your summer. Whether it’s sleeping under the stars, jumping in a sauna, or finally learning how to fix that bike puncture - it all counts, folks.
Microadventures are proof that joy lives in the little things. So grab your boots, your kids, your mates, your dog or just a flask of tea - and get out there. After all, summer’s not going to adventure itself.
