Wild Camping - A Microcosm For The Spirit Of The Yes Tribe

Laura Maisey - Yes Tribe campout leader and Running Home From Rome.

This summer, I became the Yes Tribe campout leader and it has been the loveliest way to contribute to and participate in this amazing community. It has been fantastic for me personally as it has meant I got out once a week and wild-camped. Given that I am on the verge of a three month, 1249 mile run from Rome to London, my need to become comfortable with wildcamping was quite urgent and leading the campouts this summer has done that. I now feel totally ready for this element of my trip, which I definitely did not before leading campouts. I love every part of the process - visiting the site beforehand to do a reccy for good camping spots, organising what train to get, baking bread/cakes/biscuits to take.

These campouts embody everything I have come to regard as integral to the Tribe. We all bring snacks to share when we reach our camping spot (I have a routine I call the tearing-sharing bread circle, in which we tear pieces off a loaf while introducing ourselves). We share stories over a campfire. We make connections that lead to amazing things (Kate and Andy of SUP The Danube fame met at a campout). We lend each other kit (there is very rarely a campout in which someone isn't using borrowed kit, usually from a fellow Yes Triber!). We embrace the night and the fresh air and relish sleeping under the trees and stars. Then we wake with the sun, usually sit around chatting for a while then slowly potter back to the station and to our indoor lives knowing that, for one night, we shared an awesome special moment together under the stars.

Twitter: RHFR99

Facebook: RunningHomeFromRome

YesTribe campout at Hadleigh Castle with Elise Downing

This past Tuesday (23rd August) saw the largest Yes Tribe campout to date, under a night sky filled with shooting stars framed by the stunning backdrop of Haleigh Castle. Over 40 friends and strangers, had travelled together in small groups some by bike, others by train to the small seaside town of Leigh-on-Sea. After embracing the old age tradition of fish and chips, we walked the short distance up the hill to where we would be camping that evening. Along the way conversations about our lives, our passions and our shared love of being outdoors took place; a complete norm for a Yes Tribe campout.* There was one part of this campout, however, that was not normal.

In November 2015 Elise Downing set off from London to run around the coast of the UK, and now over 5000 miles later is nearing the end of her journey. Elise (who has been coming to Yes Tribe campouts right from their beginning last summer) has had her fair share of adventures these past few months, sharing them all with humility and much laughter. She quietly inspires, and her astonishing accomplishment is a wonderful slice (she adores cake) of the Yes Tribe. This campout was planned so that in return we could show how much she means to us.

Before settling down in our bivi bags for the night, we all sat together on the hill sharing positive moments, planned trips and in Elise’s honour, cake. As with every Yes Tribe campout new friendships were formed, and new joint adventures planned. The next morning the beautiful sunrise set the perfect scene to head back down the hill to our different homes. The air rang with laughter and ongoing conversations, each person gently encouraging the other to persuade dreams. Elise pulled on her trainers and ran down the hill with others joining her for the day, the very essence of the Yes Tribe – making her life memorable.      

*This campout was just one in the Yes Tribe summer series that has seen dozens of people explore Greater London together, sharing their stories and dreams, and adding to our growing community, you can find out about and sign up to upcoming Yes Tribe campouts and events on Facebook.

Elise finishes her 5000 miles tomorrow (27th September), come and join her for her Run the Coast Finish Line Picnic. 

Catch up on Elise's Run the Coast journey on Facebook. 

Author: Kate Davis

YesTribe Stories - Round-Up

The YesTribe is a community turning ideas into action. Many of the you are either on adventures or planning the next one, so we at YesTribe are going to put these all together and share, with many more to come!

Show your support for our YesTribers out on adventures now…

Lindsey Cole: Walking the Rabbit Proof Fence

Lindsey Cole is currently walking 1,000 miles along the Rabbit Proof Fence in the Australian wilderness, solo… go Lindsey!

Inspired by the true story recounted in the novel and film Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence, Lindsey is retracing Molly, Daisy and Grace’s steps and walking 1,000 miles from Moore River Native Settlement to Jigalong, following the Rabbit Proof Fence.

Lindsey says “I’ve got a sat phone, Epirb, walking trailer carrying my food, water lalalalala. And they just did it in their nighties. Totally incredible!!!!”

Lindsey has been walking solo since 11th July!! Send your support and connect with Lindsey (and Trevor her trusty 2 wheeled steed) on Facebook here. 

Shara Dillon: Under African Skies

Shara Dillon is taking part in her first water bound expedition and is currently paddling the length of the largest freshwater lake in the world, Lake Tanganyika! Check our her recent trek to see chimps in the wild at the Mahale National Park — incredible. Fingers crossed for Burundi visa!

Connect with Shara and follow her adventure through Facebook, Twitter and her website.

Adam Sultan: RideTheWorld

A list of Yes Tribe adventurers would be amiss without mention of Adam Sultan, serial adventurer. Adam left the London 2012 Olympic Velodrome on 18th June 2016 and is going to cycle the world. Adam is currently exploring Chamonix while following the 2014 Tour de France route.

Adam says “I plan to fully immerse myself in the cultures of the world and live unique experiences. My desire to take on an adventure of such magnitude is to gain a better understanding of the world and its inhabitants; exposing myself to nature at its rawest and people at their most delightful.”

Looks like you’re having a blast Adam, we’re looking forward to seeing where your adventure takes you.

You can find out more at Adam’s website and follow his journey on Facebook.

Elise Downing: Run the Coast

Since November 2015 Elise Downing has been running around the UK coast, eating lots of cake and getting wonderful support along the way.

Elise is on the home straight now and strides back into London on 27th August! You can come and wave her in at the Greenwich Park Boating pond at 2pm. 

Send some support to Elise through her Facebook and if you fancy popping a few bob in her charity’s piggy bank you can sponser her here.

Tommy Scargill: The Hopeful Vagabond

Tommy Scargill is taking part in an epic cycle ride from UK to China, he’s 11 countries down, back en route following a quick visa pit stop. You can follow Tommy’s journey as he heads to his next stop Estonia and find out about all of his other adventures through Facebook, Instagram and his website.

Tommy’s raising money for the Royal Marsden Hospital which he stays saved his life from cancer twice, you can sponsor Tommy here.

BECKY COPUS - PEG IT TO THE COAST

The second stage of an ongoing fundraising mission in aid of Diabetes UK, Becky is currently cycling from Winnipeg to the coast in Canada.

YesTribe adventurers in training…

GangesSUP

In Autumn 2016 Spike Reid, Shilpka Guatam and Pascal Dubois will set off down the River Ganges in the first-ever attempt to stand-up paddleboard from source to sea.

The team are undertaking this precarious journey to raise awareness on plastic pollution and water quality and help clean up the ‘River of Life’.

They recently completed a 300km training route on the River Shannon against strong winds and are now back in the UK excitedly preparing for their Ganges SUP challenge.

Follow their story and preparations on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and on their website. 

And now for YesTribe recent returners: 

Kate Davis & Andy Bartlett: SUP the Danube

A warm welcome back to solid ground to Kate Davis and Andy Bartlett who recently returned from their epic journey along the Danube. They began paddling on 3rd March and returned nearly 5 months later!!

It’s been fantastic to follow your videos, pictures and posts along the way. An incredibly inspirational journey full of determination, endurance and positivity even when faced with unexpected hurdles along the way. We look forward to hearing more about what you’ve taken away from your experience and thank you for sharing.

For those who want to find out more and catch up on their immense adventure, check out Facebook, their website, Kate’s Twitter, Andy’s Twitter and Andy’s Instagram.

Stace Martin: 1,000 mile cycle

Massive congratulations to Stace Martin who completed his first non-motorised adventure by cycling from John O’Groats to Lands End! Oh and also raised a fantastic £1,000 for the Wildlife Friends Foundation in Thailand.

Nice one Stace. For those of you who missed it you can follow Stace here on Facebook.

Greg Harradine - Glasgow to London by ElliptiGO

Read more about Greg's swift 450 mile romp on an elliptical trainer with wheels in this blog.

Have you been inspired by any of these stories? Do you have your own to share? We’d love to hear about it. The YesTribe is a community that is free to anyone who is looking to make life less restricted, more enjoyable, more interesting and more memorable. Your story doesn’t need to be an endurance adventure, many of the YesTribe are making films, raising money for good causes and developing the community. 

We’d love to hear from you, share your stories here at Say Yes More or join the Yes Tribe Facebook group to connect with fellow YesTribers. 

Make life memorable, Say Yes More!

Author: Emma Masding