My fluffy slippers are out, my flip flops are back in the cupboard, but I am still holding out on the sock front and will be wearing my Birkenstocks till my feet get too icy! So far in the shops, I have spied mince pies, the giant Celebrations chocolate tubs, and the Halloween aisle is in full swing.
Summer is over, and Autumn is here, and I’m setting myself a plan for the months ahead. I want to embrace the change in season and not feel sad that summer is over, and it’s back to routine.
I always love a plan and have been working on my Autumn activities during the summer holidays.
Here’s my plan for the next few months to keep my adventure spirits up:
September: Completed my first-ever cycling trip on a four-day tour in Málaga (my new cycling shorts may not be the most flattering, but they did the job!) I also discovered butt butter!! and stuffed ice under my helmet and down my bra to keep me cool in the 35-degree heat! Now to get a few rides in when the sun shines…
October: Save the Waves Film Night at Finisterre in Brighton, viewings across the country – see if they have a showing near you. Also, I am off to Marseille for a hiking weekend with my girlfriends. It’s our annual adventure together!
November: Will see me visiting the Lake District with my swim buddies – they are taking me to a secret waterfall!
December: Not so much an adventure, but it’s my annual Christmas Dinner fundraising event to raise money for my local women’s refuge and homeless charity. We always aim to feed 250 people on Christmas Day.
Here is what’s Hot in Adventure: Pick a few and add them to your diary
1. Festival of Walking
YHA’s Festival of Walking (ends October 12) is an annual celebration of walking from hostels. It takes place each autumn with a packed programme of free guided social walks and a wide choice of mapped self-guided walks for your own adventure. There is a discount on overnight accommodation at participating hostels throughout the festival period.
The festival will help you learn new walking skills, boost your health and wellbeing, and connect with nature and the outdoors. Pick your route and book your hostel.
2. The Transcontinental Race – No 11
This documentary, released on 25 September 2025 and directed by @lizzie_jenkins_film, is all about the amazing women who lined up on the start line to take part in the 4000 km Ultra cycling race across Europe.
Having done my first ever cycling weekend in Spain recently, I’ve had a tiny taster of what these women go through; it’s making my heart race just thinking about the very long journey they face!
👉Trailer for the Transcontinental Race No 11
3. Hike a New Trail
Find a new footpath, climb a hill you’ve never tackled, or download a walking route you’ve had on your list. Tip: Always download the route before you leave. I got caught off guard over the summer and became very lost when my phone signal disappeared.
👉 New Wordsworth Way Hike The Wordsworth Way is a 14-mile long-distance walk in the Lake District, taking in some of the famous poet’s favourite landscapes. The route runs between Glenridding and Ambleside and is also part of the Coast to Coast path and the Ullswater Way. It is a linear walk that you can complete in one day or split into four sections for shorter hikes
👉 Isle of Wight Walking Festival – Oct 4-12th. This friendly festival hosts a variety of walks led by knowledgeable volunteer walk leaders. You’ll easily find a walk that suits you – whether you’re looking for a shorter stroll or a day-long hike across the Island.
👉 Plan walks with the Ordnance Survey OS Maps app
4. Dip a Day for Surfers Against Sewage
Dip a Day in October challenges people to dip in cold water every day throughout October, to raise vital funds to help end sewage pollution in rivers and seas. You might need to get creative with your dipping – if the weather is bad or we have a sewage alert!
5. A Drop in the Ocean Podcast
New Podcast from Stu Davies: 2 episodes are live, and I have got the inside scoop on guests for the next few months. If you love the ocean and want to learn more about the people and organisations that are looking after our blue spaces, then this podcast is for you.
September Guest: Helen Olszowska, a content creator specialising in purpose-driven organisations and the best way to raise your online profile.
October Guests: Meet GB Rowing crew, Team Nautulis, who are rowing around the UK in 2026 and carrying out research as they row.
November Guest: Dean Spears, Head of Sussex Bay, a collaborative, coastal and marine restoration project for a 100-mile coastline in Sussex.
6. Go Apple Picking
Orchards are bursting now, and many farms run “pick your own” days into autumn. It’s wholesome, grounding, and tasty. This weekend, I bought Bramley apples and made Mary Berry’s Tray Bake. My boys gave me a 6/10 – I did burn the top, but the rest was lovely.
👉 Find a PYO farm near you on Pick Your Own Farms UK
👉 Discover Apple Festivals & Apple Day events across the UK
7. Visit the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition
Immerse yourself in Earth’s beauty through the lens of global wildlife photographers. You have 100 photos to view taken across the world. You must book tickets in advance.
👉 Book tickets and plan your visit (Natural History Museum)
8. Sign Up for a Fitness Event
Pick an event to keep you focused through the autumn. I know that if I have a date in my diary, I make myself go to the gym and stay strong for my next adventure. Take a look at the midnight runs and events abroad
👉 Browse UK events on Let’s Do This
A little bird told me The Color Run is coming back to the UK – it’s billed as the Happiest 5K on the Planet. I have done this lots of times with my friends and family, it’s great fun and very messy. Keep your eyes peeled!
9. Not Released Yet! Be the first to read it
When the evenings draw in, curl up with a book that sparks new ideas for adventures:
Stand Up Paddleboarding in Great Britain – Jo Moseley – COMING SOON
10. One to Watch
Zoe and her partner, Mike, are on a mission to walk around Britain – they head out on October 4th. They will be walking 7,300 miles around the coast of mainland Great Britain.It will take approximately two years, and they will carry everything they need. They have chosen to fundraise for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and will also raise awareness of the benefits of adventure for all ages through ongoing research by AdventureMind.
Mike has had two hip replacements (May 2022 and September 2023). He also hopes to set a Guinness World Record as the oldest man to undertake a thru-hike around the perimeter of mainland Great Britain. (A thru-hike means completing a continuous walk instead of walking it in sections here and there.)
Why Autumn Adventures Matter
I didn’t want to feel sad that summer was over — I wanted to be positive and look forward to the change of season. And the only way I know how to do that is by making a plan and getting things booked into my diary. It always amazes me how much is out there for women who love adventure.
So instead of missing the long, light evenings, I’m leaning into what’s ahead. My cycling trip has kept me focused on staying fit and getting me outside.
Adventure Queens, if anyone fancies a trip to London to view the Wildlife Photographer of the Year – count me in.
If you liked this blog, you can also read What’s Hot in Adventure Summer Edition.
✨ Over to you: Which of these will you try first?
Nicky Chisholm is an experienced Project Manager working in the adventure and outdoor industry. She specialises in fundraising strategy, brand ambassador programs, high-impact marketing campaigns for expeditions and charity events, and bold PR activations that capture attention.
Nicky is a freelance blogger specialising in content for women in the outdoor adventure community. She has worked with Adventure Queens, Surfers Against Sewage, The Wild Swimming Company, the National Outdoor Expo, and the Frontier Sapiens Film Festival.
Through her platform PinkNicky.com, Nicky inspires women, empty nesters, and adventurous spirits to embrace life’s next chapter with confidence and energy. She also designs and delivers online courses that help women inject adventure into their lives, whether they are starting out or expanding their existing journeys.
Nicky is a Brand Ambassador for Adventure Mind and Surfers Against Sewage, championing their missions and building engaged communities.
Adventure is at the heart of everything she does. Recently, she completed a cross-country ski expedition in Finland, wing-walked on a 1950s Biplane, searched for parrots in the Amazon, ran in a half-marathon in Greenland, and lived off-grid in Northern Sweden. She always has an adventure in the pipeline!
Every March, Nicky organises The Big Swim, a large-scale sea swimming event celebrating International Women’s Day and supporting Surfers Against Sewage. The 2025 event saw over 1,000 swimmers take to the water, and planning for 2026 is already underway.
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Get in Touch:
Nicky Chisholm aka #PinkNicky
Mob: 07920482380
nickyc@pinknicky.com
The Big Swim 2025 – watch out for 2026 tickets