Disconnect from the digital world and reconnect with Nature!

One of our favourite activities is to be deep in nature, immersed and lost in landscapes that offer us an equal measure of relaxation and adventure.

This year we came across a secret location, far west on the Atlantic in Ireland, where sheep, hills and crashing waves are the only company found for mile and miles.

We know that off the grid is not for everyone.  Most people get nervous with the idea of being cold, lost and not being able to keep in touch with their social media lifeline or their netflix controller. 

Not us. 

So if you are in the mood for an adventure, to disconnect with the digital world and connect to the natural world, we have some tips for you.  Packing the right things is essential, and so below you will find some tips for what we consider to be our essentials:

FOR THE MIND

Activities that will help you relax, unwind and be at ease when you cannot reach the signal on your mobile:

Reading material.  We love the Guardian website to see what is taking shape in the world of books, new and old.

Our top 5 reads at the moment are:

 Any Sherlock Holmes adventure

James Joyce “The Dubliners” for local flavour

Gretel Enrich “The Solace of Open Space”, it will make you discover your surroundings in minute detail

Herges “ The adventures of Tintin” to inspire your next adventure, just pickup any one of the inspiring books.

Judith Schalansky “Pocket Atlas of Remote Islands: Fifty Islands I have not visited and Never will” to remind you that the world is vast

Sketching and Painting, if you feel like exploring your artistic instincts, go with a small pallet of paint and moleskin watercolour books.

Games, easy to carry board games and card games will stimulate and occupy your time like nothing else. 

FOR THE BODY:

Super comfortable walking shoes.  Comfy at the ankle for a stable grip.

Waterproofs for staying dry.

Thick double layered walking/hiking socks.  We have our own favourite, made of strong, breathable and soft alpaca.

For impromptu sketching, picnics or just because the view is beautiful, pack a small walker's blanket, which is waterproof on the reverse side and soft on the top. Roll it open and enjoy the moment.

A hot water bag if you are going away in cold weather, this is essential!

Small food treats, as always things that are rich, delicious and easy to store as your off the grid and unlikely to have a refrigerator.

Another cold weather essential is bed socks, and being experts on keeping warm dry and cosy, we love our alpaca socks.

Atlantic coast in County Donegal, Ireland is where we headed for our off the grid week of nature indulgence.  Our cabin was in good company with local sheep, deep in the folds of the hills and cliffs.  Surrounded by so much open space is quite breathtaking, and being able to see uninterrupted for miles in a unique experience, as normally in our daily life views are constantly cut off by the urban sprawl.

In such landscapes, weather dictates what you can do and can’t do for any given day.  As this was October on the Atlantic, temperatures were around 12 to 18 degrees in the sun and 2 to 3 degrees in the evening. 

If you are attempting to do this type of holiday for the first time, we suggest you do your research on the location, the accommodation and the luxuries and comforts you are able to forgo for a week of walking, sitting and just staring at heavenly landscapes.