Shrove Tuesday for plenty of folk, myself included, simply means Pancake Day.

It’s followed by Ash Wednesday, the start of the Lenten fast, which in these modern times implies giving something up, such as, let’s say, chocolate, before arriving at Easter ready to gorge on chocolate eggs, chocolate bunnies and anything else chocolate.

(Example given is obviously for descriptive purposes only.)

(Maybe.)

Perception is projection

(or is it the other way round?)

That’s my perception of this time of year. How far from the tales of its biblical origins it has travelled, I’m not sure, because religion has never really played a part in my involvement or decision making for events such as Lent. For me it has always been more of a commercial culture.

Except it doesn’t feel good anymore. The giving up chocolate for Lent in order to gorge on it at Easter sort of culture, that is.

Now, I’d consider myself très creative, occasionally adventurous, fairly daring, even impulsive. But I’m also pretty dull. Nature has its ways of balancing all.

So, fortunately, when Leah of Wild Days Out gently suggested a pleasant idea on our Adventure Queens Facebook page about doing something for Lent instead of not doing something (i.e. eating junk food), I very much felt inspired, and daunted.

Lent Micro Adventure

The brief was simple: do one micro adventure each day of Lent. Something new, or perhaps something that scares you. Outdoors or inside. For forty-four days.

(Cue scrambled brain and likely scenarios of failing brilliantly, such as achieving anything more than a blog post about attempting such activities on Day 1.)

So, surprising even myself, I’ve been able to put together a list of 44 different micro adventures. Some borrowed from other insightfully adventurous ladies in the group, and some that I’ve yet to do myself but I’ve had in mind for some time. Perhaps you’ll be inspired to do some too!

In no particular order, with no set date to each one, accepting that perhaps a better idea will come up along the way, and perhaps 44 micro adventures is too high a bar to grab hold of, here is my list:

1. Camp out indoors
2. Tree climbing
3. Bird watching
4. Cook breakfast outside
5. Play hopscotch
6. Forage for food
7. Watch the sunrise on a beach
8. Make a den
9. Visit the climbing wall
10. Play frisbee
11. Outdoor art
12. Kayaking
13. Geocaching
14. Litter picking
15. Mountain Biking
16. Create paper boats & float them
17. Outdoor poetry
18. Sea swimming
19. Sand dune running
20. Fly a kite
21. Roll down a hill
22. Sleep out under the stars
23. Make pebble art
24. Whittle wood
25. Crochet a gift
26. Go crabbing
27. Cycle a new route
28. Explore a new castle
29. Identify cloud shapes (made up & real)
30. Eat dinner al fresco
31. Visit a new town
32. Use a sewing machine to make a gift
33. Wild camp somewhere new
34. Explore a new running route
35. Outdoor doodling
36. Stand under a waterfall
37. Paint a canvas indoors/outdoors
38. Climb a new mountain
39. Volunteer at a race
40. Have a rubber duck race
41. Build a sand sculpture
42. Rock climbing
43. Cycle on a BMX track
44. Outdoor writing

Join in with your own (daily) Lent Micro Adventure, be sure to share your stories or photos with #LentMicroAdventure on twitter, Instagram and/or Facebook. Or use the hashtag to search for ideas that others have come up with.

Most of all, have fun! And if you’re going to fail at this, be sure to do it brilliantly.

Namaste x