OS Champion

The Huntingtons

OS Champions

Meet Nicky, Izzy and Marc Huntington aka ‘a tings life’ – family hikers, paddleboarders and lover of camping and caravanning.

Tell us a bit about yourself:

We are a family of three who all have a real passion for the outdoors, exploring and travelling. We have always had a passion for the outdoors and introducing this world to our daughter is something we are really passionate about.

Why do you love the outdoors?

Firstly it’s just a beautiful place to be! We are lucky to have the Lake District and Snowdonia within a 1.5 hour drive so we can access some of the most stunning parts of the UK relatively easily. Secondly, in this world driven by technology we find it really important to connect with nature and step away from the pace of daily life. Spending time as a family in the outdoors is an amazing way to bond and share amazing experiences and create special memories.

How do you get outside?

Typically for us it’s hiking, paddleboarding, camping and caravanning but we are always looking for new experiences. In The last 12 months we have been spending more time rock climbing and skiing for example but we also love trying new things like white water rafting and getting up in the trees on high ropes courses. Basically, in any way we can!

What’s your favourite route?

This changes all the time as we discover new places but Coniston Old Man is a special place. Its just a beautiful place with so much to see and do. Its also the first mountain Izzy climbed. The route below is our ‘normal’ route but its a great place to explore further with options to take in Dow Crag and Brown Pike or Silver How and Wetherlam

Old Man of Coniston walk in OS Maps

Paper map for Coniston: OS Explorer OL6

Have you got any adventures planned?

There are so many places we haven’t explored yet, even within an hour or two of where we live this could be a huge list. Hiking the national three peaks, wild camping as a family, multi-day SUP adventures are definitely things on the not too distant future list.

What’s the most essential thing on your kit list?

Now that’s tricky and really depends on what we are doing. A fully charged phone with OS Maps is certainly the thing we use the most. From planning routes to navigating, to photos and videos as well as offering a way to call if needed.

Who inspires you to get outside?

So many people! Izzy is a huge inspiration and getting to see the world through her eyes is amazing. We also love Instagram and the outdoor community, we get so many ideas and so much inspiration from there.

What do you prefer: Paper or digital map? (Controversial we know!)

If you had asked this two years ago it would have been paper maps but the OS Maps app has evolved to such a great app that it now wins hands down. From finding new routes to accurate positioning, its been an amazing tool to help explore the outdoors. That said, paper maps are still important and we often carry them and a compass as a back up, and still teach Izzy to read paper maps. We also love the personalised Custom Made Maps OS offer for those extra special places we explore.

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