Everyone Should Know That Adventure Doesn’t Have to Cost a Fortune
When I started Treks, Trails & Travel, it was never about fancy hotels or exotic destinations. It was about proving something simple: you don’t need deep pockets to have big adventures.
Some of our favourite family memories have been made with a packed lunch, a full tank of curiosity, and maybe a few muddy knees thrown in for good measure.
Making Adventure Affordable
We’ve walked cliff paths and coastlines (remember our St Abbs to Eyemouth walk – complete with crab claws and a well-earned Giacopazzis ice cream halfway?). We’ve tackled red trails at Cannock Chase and somehow managed it whinge-free. We’ve spent full days out on Forestry England trails, and not a single one broke the bank.
Our rule is simple: if it’s outdoors, involves movement, and ends with smiles (or snacks), it counts as an adventure!
We rarely pay for attractions – instead, we go hunting for free or cheap outdoor activities. Reservoirs, woodland trails, local hills, and country parks have become our playgrounds. The van (our trusty Ford Transit Custom, a.k.a. Vangelina) helps us stretch our pennies further by letting us explore new places without the cost of accommodation – or, more often, offers a welcome shelter from inclement weather where we can eat our packed lunch in the warm and dry, avoiding the expense of a cafe lunch!
The Secret to Budget Adventures
A bit of planning goes a long way.
- Picnics over cafés – a flask of hot chocolate beats £15 of drinks any day.
- Season passes and parking permits – one upfront payment, months of use.
- Maps over memberships – learning to read an OS map opens up endless free routes.
- Bike trails over big attractions – the thrill is the same, just without the queues or price tag.
We’ve found joy in the simple things: the boys leading their own hike with a map, our first Go Ape adventure at Cannock (using a gift voucher, naturally), or hitting mountain bike trails for the first time as a family.
Why It Matters
Getting outside together doesn’t just save money – it strengthens everything that really counts. The boys have grown in confidence, independence, and resilience. We’ve all learned to laugh when things go wrong (like taking a wrong turn and ending up on a much hillier route than planned) and it’s given us hundreds of hours to just talk to each other and bond – I’d pick that over screen time any day!
And honestly? The less we spend, the more we seem to appreciate what we find.
Adventure is about making memories, not receipts.
Discover more from Treks, Trails & Travel
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Yet again a great and valid post, all that you are doing as a family, for the boys, is money in the bank, and I don’t mean £$£. They will indeed be, as you say, confident, independent, and resilient. Walking tall without a ‘branded’ coffee mug in hand, driven by commercialism.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aw, thank you! That’s such a lovely thing to say – here’s hoping the boys do grow up just like that! 🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re so right, EJ. Adventure doesn’t need a big budget sometimes. We can do mini-adventure that the memory is long lasting as well, like your family do.
LikeLike