“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” Mary Oliver
Hi, I’m Jade, 35 years young and mentally in my twenties FOREVER! I’m a mother to an amazing 11-year-old delight who inspires me daily and who teaches me to live in the moment and not to sweat the small stuff. I read a beautiful quote yesterday that really resonated with me that was “There are two lasting things we give our children. One is roots and the other is wings.” – just beautiful!
What kind of adventures do you go on?
The types of adventures I go on…. ALL OF THEM. If someone mentions one or I read about one or I see a video on one, I’m there! I’m IN (if my bank account allows it ;))
The current pandemic unfortunately impacted plans that were scheduled early this year. However, I took part in some fun things that kept my adventure seeker part of me satisfied such as ‘Breth Nevis’ and a daily 50,000 step in a day challenge (put to me by your lovely self Emma!) and I also got given the amazing opportunity to become the Scottish ambassador for Vinyl Bear.
What are three things on your bucket list?
My bucket list has things added to it .. daily haha!
Everest Base Camp (already booked for October this year – yaaaaayyyyy!)
Do all 282 munros
Machu Pichu done by no later than the end of 2022 incorporating the gorgeous rainbow mountains into the trip!
Are there any women that inspire your adventures or that you look to for inspiration?
My late grandmother. She was sadly taken from us when I was younger however, I remember her energy and her spark and have been told I have the same inside me. She was an ultra runner, a hiker and had this inspiring passion for the great outdoors completing many a marathon in record time and walking the West Highland Way.
Other than my grandmother I’d say I find inspiration in everyone I meet. I’ve found Instagram a great form of inspiration, seeing peoples photographs on their adventures really gets my juices flowing!!
What piece of advice would you give your younger self?
To be kinder to myself and to not sweat the small stuff. Every day is a brand new shiny day, only I can choose how I spend it and I should spend it well!
What advice would you give someone who is just starting their outdoor journey?
Enjoy it. Embrace it. Take it all in and go your own pace. There’s no rush, the world isn’t going anywhere!
What is the hardest adventure/hike you have done and why?
Anything with an incline and false summits I can get a bit like ‘Oh FFS, what the hell am I doing’ but that second wind comes and the sense of accomplishment when I reach the top makes it all worth while! Mind over matter!
What is your favourite thing about the outdoor community?
Everything! Everyone I have met has always been super lovely and friendly. We all have the same passion and excitement for adventure and that’s really special!
Is there anything you would change about the outdoor community?
I can’t really think of anything I would change. It’s all been good so far!
Is there a sport/adventure pursuit you would like to try? If yes what’s stopping you?
A few things to be honest! The one at the top of my list at the moment is paddle boarding. I have terrible balance (my friends call me Bambi – that says it all!) so I’d imagine I’d spend the majority of my time in the water! Looks awesome fun though! Nothing stopping me doing this really, hopefully will be doing this in August when I go down to Wales!
What is the one song you would pick to sum up your time outdoors?
Eek, this is a hard one! I have HUNDREDS ha -ha. I do have a spotify playlist for when I’m out on solo adventures, all songs on it are really uplifting and have a good beat for walking along too. I sometimes even burst out a little dance or shake of the peach when I’m totally in the zone!
Ok, if I had to pick one right now I’d probably say The Black Keys Howlin’ For you – the lyrics aren’t outdoorsy but you can apply them to anything you want (eg Mountains) AND it has a really good beat to keep the momentum going.
What three things do you always carry on your adventures?
My Vinyl Bear Hat
Full winter kit (it is Scotland I live in)
2 large bags of haribo…1 just isn’t enough!
What is your favourite snack while on adventures.?
Haribos!
Soup and a sandwich for the colder days
Nakd bars (all flavours are really yummy!)
Has the outdoors impacted your mental health?
Massively! Whenever I feel under pressure or overwhelmed, I lace up my boots and get straight outside, whatever the weather.
I have found that getting outdoors helps me assess my situation with more clarity. The wind, the rain, the sun, the view – I drink it all in and have always got that feeling of calm from it. Whatever the situation, it’s only temporary.
You can find Jade on Instagram Jadey_Jaders where you can also find her Just Giving Page! Jade is currently hiking the St Cuthberts Way, go check out her Instagram and see how shes getting on!
