Microadventures are awesome - the 9–5 daily grind, not so much - but helpfully Al Humphreys has suggested a range of ways to get out and do something different on a micro scale and the 5–9 is a common choice.

But what happens on a 5–9 I hear you ask:

At the end of a mid-week day, instead of being squashed on to a train full of sad faced commuters, meet up with a bunch of happy hugging lovely people and head out into the countryside for an evening like no other…

Leave the office at 5pm, hop on a train out of London up to an hour away.

Meet up with long lost friends that you haven’t seen in ages / or some lovely hug-able new friends waiting to happen.

Find a suitable looking hill to walk up in time for sunset.

Pull out a mini stove and cook your dinner by head torch light.

Catch up on what everyone’s up to and enjoy the fresh air and beautiful views. Take the time to digital detox, slow down and enjoy the moment.

Dive into your sleeping bag (and bivvy if damp) — no tent, you want to see those stars!

Come sunrise awake to a glorious view down over the valley below.

Have the obligatory cup of tea (we are in England) and may be some pastries (you’ve earned those calories).

Pack up ready to head back on the train and be back at your desk for 9am.

No one will know where you’ve been, the fun you’ve had and the views you’ve seen.

But for that one special night when you chose to do something different, you’ll know the possibilities that lie out there — out of the daily grind and out of the city, but within easy reach of us all.

And you don’t have to stick strictly to the time frame. I mixed it up a bit by combining a trip to see old friends with a ‘5–9’ style adventure that was actually more like a 4–11 as they live down in Devon. It was a long way to go for one night, but I love the spontaneity and out of the ordinary nature of doing something you’d otherwise dismiss.

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*Photo credit and hospitality: Rowan & Amanda Edwards