By: Blonde Two
Well, at least one Blonde turned 50 during 2018 but that doesn’t appear to have stopped our adventures and enjoyment of the outdoors. During 2018 the Two Blondes did more of lots of things than ever (and let’s not forget, this is all on top of holding down two rather successful careers!)
- We did more outdoor sleeping
- We ran more navigation workshops
- We did more public speaking
- We were filmed for Channel 4 doing even more fun Dartmoor activities (more on that soon)
- We camped in a geographically wider distribution of countries (New Zealand and Morocco)
- We joined a much bigger band of Ordnance Survey Get Outside Champions for our third year running
- We wrote for a wider variety of publications watch out for some 2019 B2 articles in Campervan Magazine
- We taught navigation in London for the first time
The Blonde calendar is already filling up for 2019 with such excitements as our first Winter Wild Camping Course and a Two Blondes Bunkhouse Experience but what exactly did we get up to in 2018? Here are a few of our highlights for the first six months:
January 2018
Blonde Two issues a winter Welsh bothy invitation to B1 and another of her very close outdoor women ‘Friends Who Say Yes’. Blonde One leads a DofE trip up the Chocolate River. B2 celebrates her 50th birthday by starting her ’50 Outdoor Sleeps’ challenge. Both Blondes take the world of TV by storm and show Dartmoor and Bowerman’s Nose off on ITV’s 100 Favourite Walks (they also decide that they like fame!)
February 2018
Blonde Two experiments, falls in love with and manages not to fall out of her birthday camping hammock (thanks Mr B2). Blonde One has some more fantastic winter walking experiences in Scotland and remembers why the journey north is worth the time it takes. Blonde Two finally visits High Willhays, Dartmoor’s highest point.
March 2017
The Two Blondes are chosen to be ambassadors for Dartmoor’s official tourist organisation Visit Dartmoor. Blonde Two sea swims in some very chilly (and often dark) water and bivvies in the snow (in her garden because the roads are closed). Blonde One explains a bit of compass envy and both Blondes enjoy being snowed in with some fabulous outdoor lady friends.
April 2018
The Two Blondes enjoy a wonderful two days exploring the South West Coast Path with John and Helen from Lamorna House Walking Holidays. Blonde One takes delivery of a rather impressive Dartmoor map. Blonde Two continues her 50 Nights Outside Challenge and ponders some rather odd advice about periods.
May 2018
Blonde One’s Ten Tors Challenge team do rather well. Blonde Two does some beach camping in New Zealand. Both Blondes borrow some suncream from a polar explorer!
June 2018
Blonde Two discovers the benefits of taking a mosquito net on a summer bivvy expedition. Blonde One takes another lucky group of youngsters on expedition to Morocco and gives some great advice about what to pack for Morocco trips. Both Blondes visit the wonderfully peaceful Hole Station Campsite in Devon. Blonde Two finds out that big girls can jump!
Have we exhausted you yet? As it turned out summer 2018 was a scorcher and we Blondes did our best to make the most of it. Find out what we got up to in July, August and the months beyond in tomorrow’s blog post.
Bunkhouse experience Dartmoor weekend
Friday 25th (evening) and Saturday 26th January 2019 (ladies)
If you have never tried sharing a bunkhouse with a load of happy outdoor women, you are missing out. We Blondes are experts at the bunkhouse experience and can advise you on bunkhouses and how to enjoy their unique brand of communal living. Join us in our favourite Dartmoor bunkhouse for a fun filled time of laughter, games, shared fun and Dartmoor walking.
Cost: £150
Location: Dartmoor
Time: 19:00 (Friday) – 15:30 (Saturday)
Date: Friday 25th (evening) and Saturday 26th January 2019
Previous Experience: no previous experience required but a sense of fun and a willingness to share a bedroom definitely necessary
Contact: Lucy Atkins (B1)
