CURRENTLY LOVING | AUGUST 2022

I’m interrupting my series of UK Coast to Coast Adventure Journal posts (start here with day zero if you haven’t already caught up), to bring you one of my semi-regular currently loving features.

These posts, which I prepare every other month or so (the last one was in back in April 2022), provide me with an opportunity to share a list of ten things that I’m currently loving. Okay, that’s obvious I guess, but at least I’ve said it just in case you needed clarification. Here you will find a bunch of my favourite things, things that are bringing me joy, my top ten things of the moment.

 “Things” is something of a loose term. I might include clothing, shoes (I love shoes… definitely need some new ones), books, music, food (mmmmm food), experiences I’ve had, places I’ve been, and anything else that takes my fancy. While some things on my list will be new to me, a lot of the time I also include long standing favourites, tried and tested for months or years.

And even though Splodz Blogz is primarily an outdoors and adventure focused blog, or at least I want it to be that way, this post always includes a few bits that are much less of that – homeware, food, personal care products. It could be anything.

One thing that is always true: my currently loving posts include things that make me smile. And that is why I write it.

As you can see in my flat lay image, this time around I’m talking sleeping bags, pastries, trousers, a kayak in a bag, and a motorbike seat… let me explain.

Currently Loving | August 2022

01 Robens Icefall Pro Sleeping Bag

Originally a PR Gift

Pictured here in its netting storage sack, the first item in my currently loving this time around is my Robens Icefall Pro Sleeping Bag. This was a gift from Robens back in early spring, and I have written my review post already, but it has to open this list because it really is the best sleeping bag I’ve had the pleasure of sleeping in.

Making use of a new MicroThermo Ball insulation that closely mimics down, this snazzy gold-coloured sleeping bag is my favourite bit of camping kit right now. In my experience, synthetic bags are nowhere near as lofty or duvet-like as their down counterparts – but Robens have done something great here. It’s filled with lightweight polyester clusters which provide compression and loft, trapping large volumes of air to enhance both insulation and comfort, while ensuring a small pack size.

It works, honestly. Yes, it is still a bit heavier and bulkier than the down equivalent, but the way that it fluffs up when I shake it is fabulous. As someone who chooses synthetic over down due to allergies, it’s been so nice to curl up and get cosy in this at night. It’s like wrapping myself up in a duvet – nearly, anyway.

I don’t think I’ll ever want a sleeping bag without a centre zip again. It’s bordering on genius. I’d never realised how inconvenient a side zip was until I tried the centre zip – it’s much easier to get in and out of when in a small tent like my Vango Banshee, and makes sitting up half in the bag to sort things out in my tent a lot more comfortable. Not only that, but as a side sleeper, I appreciate that I now never end up laying on the zip. It’s a revelation!

02 Being a World Record Breaker

A few weeks ago I joined hundreds of female motorcyclists at the Triumph factory in Hinckley, for the World’s Largest Female Biker Meet. As a result, I can now say I’m a world record holder – as part of a group, at least.

And as breaking a world record was on my original bucket list, the short one I wrote back in 2005 when I first started to make an effort to find adventure in my every day life, this just had to be on my currently loving list this time.

Rolling up just after 11am, I was biker number 563. By the cut off time, 1,549 female motorcyclists had gathered in Hinckley, and a new world record was set.

What was really very cool about the whole thing, was the demonstration of just how broad and varied the motorcycling world is. And how I, a 41-year-old outdoors loving lady, riding a little 14-year-old GS with an 800cc engine and lowered suspension, is a member of that community.

There really was a bike for everyone, something that suited the riding style, preferences and level of experience of each individual person there. Being just one lady in amongst that spectrum filled me with joy. Sometimes it takes seeing a thousand other people doing the very thing you love to help you realise your place in the world.

Maybe one day I’ll set an individual world record, who knows. Until then, this group meet certainly means that original bucket list item has been well and truly crossed off.

03 Linen Blend Trousers by Craghoppers

A few items of clothing have completely worn out recently. I’ve had to recycle a couple of pairs of trousers that have gone holey and see-through, a couple of tees have become rags, and I’ve chucked what feels like fifty of pairs of socks in the bin.

With that, I’ve been on the lookout for a new items, concentrating on finding replacements that are suitable and comfortable for both the outdoors and work/days out. As I’ve gotten older, I have wanted to curate one wardrobe for my whole life, without worrying about separate selection of clothing for work and play. I also want pieces that are good quality, not terrible for the environment, and that I will happily wear over and over again.

These Orisa Trousers by Craghoppers are one such purchase. I had ordered two pairs of trousers and a tee from Craghoppers online, but they only sent me these, cancelling the other items without letting me know, which was a bit annoying. I got my money back, but it was not up to their normal customer service levels.

Anyway, I chose these linen and cotton twill trousers as they are a little smarter than your bog-standard walking trousers. The material is thick, the dark blue colour is bright but deep, and they have a nice comfortable tapered fit without getting too narrow at the ankle for my wide legs.

They have a fixed waist, decent sized pockets (including a zipped security pocket which is actually big enough to put something in), and belt loops. Length wise, they come right down to my shoes (I’m short), and so I have been folding them up a couple of times for summer days – I have the option to leave them full length when it’s time to wear socks again.

There’s nothing stretchy or flexible about these trousers, so I won’t be wearing them to clamber up too many hills. And they’re not quick drying, so I won’t be kayaking in them. But they are a lovely looking, fitting and performing pair of trousers for slow and sensible days out.

I didn’t choose these trousers because they are bug repellent, but it’s a useful bonus. The material has been treated with NosiBotanical, a plant-based insect repellent which should ward off biting insects. It lasts around 25 washes. I guess I’ll let you know if it does the job!

04 Crunchy Biscoff Spread

Did you know there is a crunchy version of the delicious Lotus Biscoff spread? If you are a fan of the sweet and delicious speculoos spice blend, then you need to get a jar of this stuff in your cupboard.

It is honestly the best thing to dollop on top of vanilla ice cream. Or on a pancake. Or on the top of a cheesecake. Or to sandwich between cookies. Until recently we’ve had a jar of the smooth version of the same spread in the cupboard for just these purposes, but this is way better than that. An upgrade, for sure.

And seeing that Gu have made a very poor decision by discontinuing their amazing chocolate and salted caramel velvety spread, this is definitely our new sweet treat staple. Love it.

05 Fresh Sunscreen

Originally a PR Gift

I’ve been using this pair of sunscreens for a few weeks, including throughout the ridiculous heatwaves last month and this. Made by RINGANA, an Austrian skincare brand with vegan and reef-friendly formulations, FRESH sunscreen is designed to protect the skin from UV light, blue light and infra-red light.

I’ve got the facial sunscreen (SPF15), which has a slight pink tinge. It is quite liquid but not runny (does that even make sense?!), smells neutral, applies easily, and has a slight matt finish. Importantly, it sits well underneath my daily-wear green cream (as featured in my May 2021 currently loving post), and so far, at least, hasn’t made my terrible skin any worse. This in itself is a good reason to include it in my currently loving post – you know how fickle my skin can be, it’s nice to find something that works.

I also have the sunscreen balm (SPF20), which is a waterproof sunscreen which uses zinc oxide to protect from UV rays. Much thicker than the facial version, this is harder to spread around the body, but it still soaks in quickly. It has certainly prevented me from burning when out walking, when sitting out in the sunshine, and when I’ve been out kayaking.

Being fresh, natural products, they have a shorter life once opened than other sun creams you might buy (ten weeks once open), but given the strong sunshine we’ve been experiencing in England since this stuff arrived, there won’t be any worry about it going to waste.

06 Anna McNuff’s Books

The wonderfully amazing Anna McNuff never fails to inspire and motivate me to get out and do the thing. Not only does she take on huge adventures, things I could only dream of, but she also loves creating mischief and simply having a fun time. And is the most fantastic storyteller.

My (Sennheiser PXC550) headphones in my currently loving flat lay this time represent a series of three adventure books written by Anna: The Pants of Perspective, The United States of Adventure (previously 50 Shades of the USA), and Llama Drama. I’ve recently listened to the latter two back-to-back, having read the first one a little while ago, and I can’t recommend them highly enough.

These are stories of big adventures – really big adventures. Anna ran the 3,000-mile Te Araroa Trail across New Zealand, cycled 11,000 miles though all 50 states of the USA (yes, including Alaska and Hawaii), and cycled 5,500 miles and ascended over 100,000 metres through the Andes in South America. It’s not the adventures themselves that appeal to me, although they do sound fun, but rather the stories Anna tells about them.

It’s her style of writing that does it for me. She is so good at taking me from the reality of my lunchtime walk right to where she is exploring. Add to that the fact she narrates her own audiobooks, her bubbly personality seeping through every sentence, and I sped through this series. If I read real books, I’d say these were page turners.

The description of Llama Drama starts: “Why take the shortest, most direct route through life, when you could choose the wiggliest, most mountainous one possible?”, and I wholeheartedly agree. Right, best get adventure planning!

Did you know I once shared a speaking line up with Anna at the the South West Outdoors Festival? I reckon it’s okay to call that one of my proudest moments…!

07 Cool Cover

For my most recent motorcycle road trip, three weeks riding down to the Algarve and back, I added a fancy new seat cover to help me stay comfortable in the hot weather. Admittedly I was meant to be in Morocco, which would have been even hotter still, but it was still very warm in Spain and Portugal!

Cool Covers are designed to allow air to flow between you and your seat, to keep you cool when riding. Air conditioning for your butt, if you like. They also don’t soak up the heat when the bike is parked up (even though they’re black), so you never have to sit on a boiling hot seat.

I’m a little late to the Cool Covers party; my husband has had his for a few years, and my friend has one too. They work an absolute treat, genuinely making a difference.

Apart from cooling in hot weather, I also find it helps to expel water when it rains, meaning water takes a lot longer to soak into my trousers. And because the material can’t be fully compressed, it’s also a nice cover to have on for big mile days. I’m very pleased I got it.

I actually know the owner; John was on our trip to Iceland, he’s a lovely guy and is really passionate about making excellent quality seat covers. As my GS is an old model, and I have the low seat, they didn’t have the pattern on file. I went over to see John and the team in Ledbury back in April, and they made me a bespoke cover while I waited.

If you’re a motorcyclist, especially if you like to ride in warm weather, I highly recommend Cool Covers, well worth it.

08 Isobaa Merino Loungewear

Originally a PR Gift

I continue to be very grateful to Isobaa for being super kind and sending me semi-regular clothing packages. I honestly love nothing more than getting one of their boxes in the mail. So far, I have found all the pieces I’ve tried to be excellent quality, nicely made, well fitting, and easy to care for. And you know I can’t stop talking about their basic tee.

This time around I’m including their super comfortable loungewear in my currently loving feature. I have a pair of their Women’s Merino 260 Lounge Cuffed Joggers (in the petrol colour), and the Women’s Merino 260 Lounge Sweatshirt (in smoke). Both these items are made from Isobaa’s superfine 260gm loop back Merino, and are designed to wear to stretch, recover and relax post adventure.

It really does feel luxurious having a sweat-set in such a fine material. This stuff isn’t cheap, but the quality is fantastic and there is something very nice indeed mooching about the house in something so nice. I really have enjoyed an awful lot of lounging in these in recent weeks (extreme heat days excepting!), relaxing has become my favourite pastime. Oops.

I also intend to use these as my cold-weather camping pyjamas when that season comes around again. I can imagine these will be ideal to take me from post-adventure shower, to the campfire, and to bed, and maybe even on the drive back home again, too.

Merino wool is warm when it’s cold, breathable when it’s warm, quick drying, naturally odour resistant (so you can wear it for days and days), and sustainable – it’s a great material all round, and Isobaa make some really fantastic wardrobe staples from it.

If you are looking to treat yourself or someone you love, this loungewear would be an excellent choice.

09 Pastel de Nata

I was introduced to Pastel de Nata by my friend and colleague Lesley a while back, and I’ve been a bit of a fan ever since. They’re just so sweet and delicious, and, not being big pastries, are perfect for a morning treat with a cup of tea or coffee.

But now, here I am including them in my currently loving post, because I’ve eaten these delicious custardy pastries in their home country of Portugal. They deserve this mention, they are so tasty.

Pastel de Nata is a traditional Portuguese egg custard tart pastry. The case is a light and crispy puff pastry (with a little salt) that only just survives the weight of the custard filling, which is made with milk (not cream), and infused or dusted with cinnamon. Sweet, but not too sweet, with lovely textures, and a very satisfying bite. So good.

Over in Portugal, you can buy these little tarts in every bakery, café, coffee shop, supermarket, and even petrol station. I had one every time I had an opportunity – for breakfast (got to love a hotel buffet), morning coffee, lunch, afternoon coffee, even once as dessert after my evening meal. You might say I Pastel de Nata’d my way around Portugal. There are worse addictions.

My favourite was one I had with a morning coffee in a little café we stumbled across just at the moment we wanted a drink – great timing. My second favourite was a giant version we had in a food court in Covilha, which was possibly too much for one person, but never mind.

You can buy freshly baked Pastel de Nata from Lidl for very little money (three for £1 when I got the ones in this photo). Go first thing in the morning when they have just come out of the oven, and don’t wait long to eat them – they’re best eaten immediately with a hot drink of your choice. I’ve also spotted them in a couple of local bakeries in Cheltenham over the last few weeks. Not that I’ve been looking, of course.

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10 Aquaplanet Kayak

Originally a PR Gift

I don’t think it’s any surprise I’ve included my new(ish) inflatable kayak from Aquaplanet in this currently loving post. After years of thinking maybe I should get such a thing, but not doing so for fear of not getting enough use out of it to warrant the cost, the lovely people at Aquaplanet offered to send me one to help me vary my One Hour Outsides. Naturally, I jumped at the chance.

This is a really great kayak. It’s well made, sturdy, easy to inflate and deflate (I can be ready to paddle in 10 minutes tops), compact and light enough to carry on my own. It’s proper; not flimsy or easy to puncture, it is built to cope with the weight of two people inside, and just seems excellent quality.

But more than the boat itself, it’s what I can do with it that I’m enjoying the most. I’ve had a handful of intentionally leisurely paddles on rivers close to my home. I’m fortunate that the Rivers Avon, Severn and Wye have easy-to-paddle sections, and I’m looking forward to exploring more over time. This really has opened up a whole new world to me – everything looks a little bit different from the water, and I’m loving the newness.

I am looking forward to getting more use out of this as the year goes on. I’d love to find a quiet cove to take it for a dip in the sea. Eventually, maybe next year, I’d like to take it on an overnight camping trip somewhere. What do you call a road trip by river?!

I chatted about a couple of my paddles in weekly blog episodes 109 and 111, if you fancy reading another post after this one. I’m sure there will be more paddle talk here on Splodz Blogz in future.

What are you currently loving this month? What do you think of my choices? Tell me in the comments below.

Want to see all my currently loving posts? This link should help.

In the interests of full disclosure for this currently loving post, and as mentioned within the text above, the Robens sleeping bag, Fresh sun cream, Isobaa loungewear and Aquaplanet Kayak, were originally PR gifts, for which I am very grateful. I have therefore marked this post as gifted, but it is not sponsored – they did not ask to be included in my currently loving feature, I did that because I’m genuinely currently loving the items. There are also affiliate links on this page, the funds from which help me go on the mini adventures that make life interesting.

Buy Me a Cuppa?

If you enjoyed this blog and fancy supporting me and my mini adventures in 2022, you can “buy me a coffee” (well, tea, if that’s okay, please) – or maybe a Pastel de Nata!! If you enjoyed this post and would like to support what I’m doing, please head over to Ko-fi to find out more.