Exploring Local Trails with Columbia EU

“When you see someone putting on their Big Boots, you can be pretty sure that an adventure is going to happen.” - Winnie the Pooh - A.A. Milne. 

With the global situation shifting many of our 2020 plans, we recently packed up our home in the city and headed down to a new home in the south of England. 

This beautiful heathland (home of Winnie the Pooh!), is now just 10 minutes from my front door. I was keen to experience the Hundred Acre Wood for myself so when @columbia_eu asked me to change my perspective by discovering my local trails with their new FACET range, I knew we’d be going hunting for woozles and heffalumps in the forest. 

Looking out over the Sussex countryside at sunset on a quiet evening in late summer, it’s difficult to imagine that London bustles just 40 miles to the north and even more difficult to imagine needing to be anywhere else to have an adventure. With my mind so often turned to distant and exciting destinations, it’s easy to forget what lies right here on my doorstep. Winding over sandy trails beneath towering ash and pine with the hint of salt coming in on the breeze from the coast, it’s clear to me that there are so many adventures to be had close to home. With its boundless trails to hike and woodlands to explore, my adventure exists here for the next few months, on these trails deep in the hundred acre wood. 

A big thank you to Columbia for asking me to get involved with their #changeyourperspective campaign, and for gifting me their Facet 45 OUTDRY technical hiking shoes and Beacon Trail Shell jacket. I feel like I should be stomping around on the moon or through some gnarly muddy trails to make the most of the impressive grip and waterproofing (it’s not often I hope for rain) so I can’t wait to get more use out of these as the seasons change and the weather becomes wetter!