Big adventure on a micro-budget

Chatting to a friend recently about escaping everyday life by taking small adventures (of which he is king) made me think that these so called #micro-adventures provide an accessible and easy way to grab some fun and maybe claim a bit of 'you' time. If you can negotiate a little time, a modest budget and a cheap (yet effective) bit of equipment to propel yourself along with; I reckon you can have the most wonderful time.

Keen to try it out, I?plan to have my own micro-adventure kayaking across England. Using the existing inland waterways, I aim to join up the West coast with the East over one long and possibly painful weekend this June. The genesis of this paddle actually began with my wanting to kayak across the channel in time for the 80th anniversary of D-Day this year, but with a safety boat pushing the budget into the thousands, and hampered by lack of predictable weather and therefore solid dates to book; I decided to have my marine adventure inland. And, I reason, the waterways I plan to navigate were not only crucial to moving war supplies before D-Day, but also provided a defensible line, should we have faced our own invasion.

I’m incredibly excited about this adventure as it’s fresh ground for me, and, to the best of my knowledge, I don’t think England has ever been crossed by anyone self-powering like I plan to, on a kayak.

I managed to source an old marathon kayak from a local club for not a lot of cash, around ￡130, and have spent the last few months getting to know it. It's narrow (less resistance/more speed) and light (useful given I'll have to carry it over 100 locks) but it's also tippy and not hugely comfortable. I've taped a teflon covered cushion to the hard plastic seat in the hopes that I can still walk after my 200 kilometre weekend. I've found it pays to practice a lot for the challenges you set yourself; getting to know the equipment, understand the routes, and learning the hard lessons closer to home.

My adventure begins on the West coast of England along the River Avon at Bristol - paddling past the SS Great Britain, a ship that circumnavigated the world no less than thirty two times - and ends at the Western fringes of London on the tidal river Thames.

The river Avon was canalised in Bristol to allow navigation for barges (loaded with produce from ocean-going ships) to transport goods far inland. These canals serviced the slower 'horse-drawn barges', a quieter time I'm sure, long before the steam railways took on the job. The Avon canal will transport me from Bristol through to the Palladian architecture of Bath and over two very picturesque aqueducts (Dundas and Avoncliff). I hope to overnight at the small market town of Devizes but I'll need to carry my kayak for the final kilometre - the 70th one of the day and possibly the hardest - due to the many locks that rise on the approach to Devizes.

If I’ve made good time, I aim to reward myself with a fish and chips before grabbing some shut-eye in a local hotel.?There's a Travel Lodge here which advertises for ￡40 per night, that feels good for my micro-budget minded adventure.

My plan the next day is to head out early, first light is around 5am, and paddle hard until night fall. The terrain should become more rugged, with lots of locks to portage, as this extensive waterway hugs the Southern slopes of the North Wessex downs; home to the ancient 'White Horse'.

From experience I know this will be a tough day. My back, shoulders and bum will be super sore from the previous days paddling and there will be niggling and painful friction burns in areas I hadn't thought would need protecting. But, I also know from experience, it’s all about keeping going; put the paddle in, put your back into it, glide, repeat. I think Churchill phrased this aptly: ‘when you’re going through hell, keep going’.?Eventually the Avon canal will lead me into the Kennet canal near Newbury and I'll keep pushing on, aiming to reach Reading - and 150 kilometres - by nightfall.

Reading is a step change. I leave those old industrialised and canalised rivers of Avon and Kennet to begin my final leg on the much loved - and much older - River Thames. I care a lot for this river. Moving to London several years ago - after a lifetime spent in conflict zones - I found the endless river banks a joy to run along. The tall grasses and wildlife were a perfect tonic to a life spent in dusty wars and a vivid reminder that life is wonderful.?

I’m into known territory on the Thames having kayaked its length a few years ago. This vedette river - sparkling, deep and sentinel - haughtily swoons through Henley, then Marlow, before losing some of its pretences as it approaches the Western reaches of London. The river displays a lazy temperance in summer, but looks can be deceiving. This is a tough bit of the river to kayak along: for the next 70-odd kilometres there will be pleasure boats zooming past with little regard for self-powered (and slightly tippy) kayaks as well as some pretty lethal weirs to avoid.

The rivers widens on its final approach to London, and becomes grandiose as it gently flows past the historic palaces of Old Windsor and Hampton Court before finding a final turn past Kingston - beautiful along her riverside - and my end point, the tidal reach of the Thames near Teddington.

So, on day three, after more than 200 kilometres and over 100 portaged locks my micro-adventure will be complete. I suspect this venture will offer way more than a micro-adventure; I'm fitting a lot of challenge into a short space of time, and on a limited budget, surely this is where adventure sits in these busy and fiscally challenging times? I'll let you know when I've done it!

I'd like to point you in the direction of my favourite charity for military veterans; Bravehound. It been a long time since many of our soldiers fought in wars but they still need you, just like we needed them. Bravehound provide companion dogs for UK veterans to overcome physical & emotional trauma. Anyone who has cared for dogs understands that their love knows no bounds, and they only ask that you love them back. A positive approach - alongside the routine of feeding and walking these animals- for veterans with mental health conditions. But as a charity, they rely on us to keep going so Please donate a few quids here!