WELLBEING | 12 Brilliant Books To Inspire Your Outdoor Adventures & Enhance Your Wellbeing This Year

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Even if you don’t go in for all of that ‘new year, new you’ stuff, January is a great time to take stock and make plans for the coming year, so we’ve put together a list of books we recommend that will inspire your adventures and enhance your wellbeing this year.

Outdoors books we recommend

Many of the below recommendations are books I’ve read and loved, or books that are sat on my bookshelf waiting to be read.

So whether you want to learn something new, try something different, have more fun or enhance your general wellbeing, there’s a book on the list that’ll be perfect for you!

1. How To Read Water: Clues & Patterns from Puddles to the Sea

Tristan Gooley is one of my favourite writers, he’s funny, relatable and passionate about the great outdoors and empowering others to understand more about the natural environment. This particular title is a must for anyone who enjoys spending time on, or in the water.

2. Oak and Ash and Thorn: The Ancient Woods and New Forests of Britain

In this book author Peter Fiennes explores our relationship with the woodland and forests of Great Britian, highlighting the importance of woodland conservation without being preachy. This is a beautifully written book that will make you think.

3. Microadventures: Local Discoveries for Great Escapes

Alistair Humpreys is a great writer and the brilliant thing about this book is that it’s incredibly inspiring. He demonstrates how easy it is to live a more fulfilling life by doing more of what you love, and no matter how busy you think you are, this book will show you how to fit more adventure into your life. A must-read.

4. The Girl Outdoors: The Wild Girl’s Guide to Adventure, Travel and Wellbeing

This book is another firm favourite of mine. Sian is engaging, irreverent and thoroughly likeable and her brilliant book is full of inspiring ideas to help you get more active and spend more time outdoors with a huge grin on your face. See our review of this book here.

5. Wild Camping: Exploring and Sleeping in the Wilds of the UK and Ireland

Ever fancied leaving the campsite crowds behind and heading off for a wild camping trip? This book tells you everything you need to know about wild camping, from how to keep within the law to great places to pitch up.

6. How to Connect with Nature (The School of Life)

Another pick here from Tristan Gooley which is just too good to leave out. I found this book incredibly interesting and it helped me to shift my focus and be much more aware and mindful when out walking. If you love nature or feel like you need to welcome more of the natural world into your life, this is a great place to start.

7. Wild Guide Wales and the Marches (Wild Guides)

I bought my first “Wild Guide” book last year and have since bought 2 more in the series, they are quite frankly brilliant! Choose your favourite location and be prepared to discover hidden gems you never knew existed, from waterfalls to ruins, you’ll find heaps of ‘off the beaten tracks’ locations to visit and explore.

8. Tiny Campsites: 80 Small but Perfect Places to Pitch

This is a great book for anyone that isn’t keen on big, busy campsites. You’ll find some real little gems here, but for the most part expect a truly no-frills camping experience from the selection of picks from the engaging author, Dixe Wills. See our review of this book here.

9. Rewild Yourself: 23 Spellbinding Ways to Make Nature More Visible

If you want to invite nature into your life and spend more time connecting with the natural environment, this could be the book for you. Learn how to notice and reconnect with nature.

10. OFF. Your Digital Detox for a Better Life

This book is packed full of compelling reasons to spend less time glued to your smartphone, and provides lots of handy advice and tips aimed at helping you break out of the habit of constantly staring at a screen. Read our tips on enjoying a tech-free family camping break.

11. Conscious Creativity: Look, Connect, Create

Looking to fire up your creativity? This book could be just what you need to help you do just that. Packed full of beautiful photography, this books guides you through the process of nurturing and finding an outlet for your creativity.

12. Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other (Third Edition)

This final book is a little different and one that I’ve been recommending since I first read it several years ago. It talks about the paradox of social media, in that it’s meant to make us feel more connected to our friends and less alone, but actually it often has the opposite effect. It will make you think and it will make you keener to spend less time posting and scrolling on social media if nothing else.

Inspiring books to read this year

For more inspiring reads, check out the Camping with Style store on Amazon.

More Recommended Reading

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Shell Robshaw-Bryan
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