Visiting Italy by bike: the best routes in Abetone and the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines

Those who know me know that I love to travel and cycle and have a serious soft spot for Italy, so combining all those elements is a dream come true. Last time I was in Italy I did some cycling and hope to explore a lot more on bike in the years to come and with so many areas perfect for cycling you can see why it's such as great place to do this. One of those areas is Abetone in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. Those who love cycling and admiring the beauty of nature can find a large number of spectacular cycling routes in Italy, surrounded by greenery and overlooking dreamy landscapes. Among the most interesting are the routes around the Abetone area, in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. These trails are not always very easy, in fact they can be quite challenging, and generally require a good level of physical preparation, essential for tackling some difficult steep slopes. To make the trails easier and less tiring, you can use an e-bike, also available for hire. E-bike tours in Tuscany ......

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5 ways to stay adventure ready

*This post contains affiliate links Now I would firstly like to say that I personally don't subscribe to any kind of diet or gruelling gym routine, in fact, I've not stood inside a gym in many a year, but I do love getting outdoors, hiking adventures, trying new things and overall enjoy a variety of sports of physical activities that have a positive effect on my mental health, so ensuring that I am fit and health to enjoy these activities is important to me especially as I get older.  There are a few things we can do to make sure we are keeping our bodies ready for those weekend adventures that don't involve having to hit the gym daily and being someone who is living post-injury (2 surgeries on my knee) it's also about finding what works for you and focusing on that. So I thought I would share some of the things I do to stay adventure-ready. 1. Walking Personally, I love a good walk outdoors, exploring new trails and learning more about my local area, plus it's free......

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5 Tips for Self Care You Should Incorporate

*Contains Affiliate links The subject of health and wellness is at the forefront of almost every conversation today. Now more than ever, businesses, educational institutions, governments, and the general public are placing a greater emphasis on the mental and physical health of others. If you feel like there is room for improvement there, you’re not alone. The truth is, there are things we all should be doing more or less of to help us feel better about ourselves and live healthier lives. Self-care is an important part of this journey and involves putting your health and wellbeing above all else. It can be easy to make this a second or third priority, especially if you are working hard or taking care of your family. The first step is to set realistic goals for yourself. How do you want to feel about yourself? How many pounds do you want to lose? Do you want to travel somewhere? Land a new job? Move to a new city? It’s important to set these expectations for yourself and do what you can......

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6 Outdoor date ideas in Cardiff

*AD Written in collaboration with Get Blogged I often feel that Cardiff is overlooked when it comes to places to visit or spend the day in the UK, but the Welsh capital has a lot to offer and is the perfect place for a coffee date with a friend, a romantic stroll with a partner or a refreshing solo date with yourself (I'm all about exploring on my own). No matter what kind of social plans you have, at the moment things are still hard and staying outdoors is the safest option especially when it comes to being able to socially distance and there are without doubt bonuses to that as you get to enjoy the fresh air, reconnect with nature and your friends or partner and discover some of the best places in Cardiff. We are all at different stages in how we are dealing with the pandemic and lifting of restrictions, some of us are still not ready to meet indoors or go to the pub so I hope this offers you a few more ideas for outdoor dates and socialising in the Welsh Capital. Meeting up with......

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Lockdown Life Skills - what new skills many of us learnt during lockdown

We tried our hand at making bath bombs * Contains Affiliate links With much of the past year spent in lockdown, life as we know it has been flipped upside down, even when restrictions are lifted, life at the moment isn't the same. Gone are the days of rushing here and there and travelling for hours to work with many opting to work from home for the long haul, has meant for some extra time saved on the commute and more time to try new things  These are some of the most popular hobbies people have taken up over the past year Running It’s no surprise that a lot of us decided to take up running as our “one form of exercise”. With many calling it a “lockdown lifesaver”, research from Macmillan Cancer Support has found that almost one in 10 Brits have started running or jogging to look after their mental health during the pandemic. Running app Couch to 5K has become hugely popular and the London Marathon in October is set to be the biggest ever. Photography Lockdown has certainly taugh......

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Why adult tricycles are so accessible and the benefits of riding one

*Written in collaboration with Jorvik Tricycles are increasing in popularity all over the world, with cyclists of all ages are realising they are much more safer and accessible option for everyone. They are great for the environmen t and they provide fun for all the family, what more is there to love? This post takes you through all the benefits a tricycle has to offer, so if you are thinking of swapping from a bike to a trike, this post will be sure to convert you. Check out the list of benefits below: Accessibility One of the biggest benefits to adult tricycles are that they are accessible to a wide range of people. As they have three wheels and are known to be much sturdier than bikes, tricycles are great for those that are young or old, those that don’t feel comfortable riding two-wheelers, or for those who have disabilities. They provide a user with much more balance and support, and therefore, for those with autism or dyspraxia, a tricycle is the perfect companion for transport o......

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7 Actions sports you can try at any age

*This post contains affiliate links  Learning new skills, gaining new hobbies and trying something different that takes you out of your comfort zone, can be really fun and fulfilling and it's certainly not just for kids. As adults, we sometimes forget that we too are curious and deserve some fun and you never know you might fall in love with a new sport and past time. I am passionate about making the most of my days and wanted to share a few adventure activities I have been enjoying the past few years and encourage others to also give them a go, of course in the post-lock down world we live in you need to do your research before you do anything to make sure your equipment is safe if you're having lessons that they are socially distanced. 1. Stand Up Paddleboarding I've done a fair bit of Stand Up Paddleboarding over the years and the first time I ever did a taster day the guide said he taught people of all ages from 5yrs to 85yrs and that it was one of most fast-......

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5 real changes we can make for a more sustainable future

*This post contains affiliate links  Despite the stressful and scary situation the virus has put the world in, I also feel there are some positives to all of this, for many self-quarantine and lockdown has given us all a lot of time to reflect on how we want to move forward post Covid-19 and it's also been pretty clear how our lifestyles and general society affects the earth. This strange time has allowed for some breathing space for mother nature, who seems to be really benefitting from fewer cars on the road, factories being shut temporarily, less noise and air pollution which has also meant a reduction in carbon dioxide which contributes towards problems such as global warming. People are noticing more birds in the sky, more wildlife returning to green spaces and places like Venice where the canals have slowly started to become clearer, have seen a return in a variety of sea creatures and birds to the canals. While there is a strong and ever-growing movement towards su......

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Getting back to nature - Family fun during the school holidays

*This post contains affiliate links  As we move through winter and edge towards the warmer months, the little ones and I are already thinking about half term and the Easter holidays which will no doubt be upon us in the blink of an eye. What I love most about half terms are all the possibilities for the kids to really reconnect with nature as part of a family; while they get plenty of outdoor time at school and on weekends - it's not quite the same. For this reason, I try to plan as many fun and exciting things to do that are budget-friendly and gets everyone outside enjoying the fresh air. Here is my mini school-break activity list. 1. Go Geocaching One of our new favourite pastimes is Geocaching; it's perfect for all ages from toddlers to grandparents and best of all, this global treasure hunt app is free to download. For those who don't know what Geocaching is, it's a real-world outdoor treasure hunting game in which you find containers or "caches......

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