UNROUTED Journal
The outdoor boom
is coming.
And Britain is already heading outside.
More people are spending their free time outdoors. Rural escapes are climbing the travel lists. New outdoor experiences are growing.
And something interesting is happening across Britain.
6-8 min read •
The outdoor boom is coming - and Britain is already heading outside
For years, the British outdoors followed a fairly predictable pattern.
Spring arrived. Tents came out of garages. Campsites filled through summer. Then September appeared and half the country packed everything away until next year.
But 2026 feels different.
More people are discovering that getting outside doesn't need to mean a two-week camping holiday in August.
It can be a Saturday morning hike.
A night in the campervan.
18 holes on a cold Sunday morning.
Fishing before sunrise.
A trail run before work.
A weekend in the mountains.
Or simply finding somewhere quiet, making a coffee and switching off for a couple of hours.
The outdoor season isn't ending.
We're beginning to realise it doesn't need to.
The interesting bit isn't just camping.
It's everything around it.
Outdoor life in Britain is becoming much broader.
Camping is still part of it. But so is hiking. Walking. Fishing. Golf. Cycling. Running. Campervans. Skiing. Cold-weather travel. Weekend escapes. And simply spending more time outside.
People aren't necessarily becoming hardcore adventurers. They're just rediscovering how good it feels to get outside.
And that's potentially creating a huge opportunity for the outdoor industry. Products that once existed specifically for camping are increasingly being used everywhere.
- A waterproof jacket works on a mountain and on the school run.
- A power bank keeps your navigation running on a hike but also saves your phone on a train.
- An insulated bottle might spend Saturday in the Lake District and Monday on an office desk.
The line between “outdoor equipment” and everyday products is disappearing.
And we think that's where things get really interesting.
If you've felt the pull yourself, you're not alone: read why hiking is growing in the UK in 2026.
Five ways outside
Different places. Same feeling.
Hiking & Camping
Cold mornings. Big views. Better weekends.
Golf
Early tee times. Winter rounds. Eighteen holes.
Fishing
Early starts. Long sessions. Quiet places.
Travel
Planes. Trains. Road trips. Wherever you're going.
Skiing
Cold mountains. Long days. Incredible experiences.
Outdoor gear UK
What we'd take out this autumn
Not a shopping list. Just the five things that make the biggest difference when the days shorten and the nights get properly cold. For more, see our guide to staying warm camping in the UK.
A quality lightweight tent
Autumn weather turns quickly. A tent that pitches fast, sheds wind and rain and does not weigh you down makes the difference between a soggy night and a great one.
A powerful rechargeable headtorch
The light goes early now. A bright, rechargeable headtorch keeps both hands free for the last mile down, cooking after dark and finding the tent zip at 2am.
A properly insulated sleeping mat
Most of the cold at night comes up from the ground, not down from the sky. A well insulated mat is often a bigger upgrade than a warmer sleeping bag.
A 20,000mAh USB-C power bank
Shorter days and cold temperatures drain batteries faster. A 20,000mAh bank keeps navigation, your phone and your headtorch going all weekend.
A warm insulated layer
The layer you pull on the moment you stop. Light enough to carry, warm enough for summits, tea breaks and the evening around camp.
So… where are we going this weekend?
UK's best outdoor escapes this weekend
Eryri / Snowdonia
Mountain scenery, autumn walking and Betws-y-Coed.
Explore
Peak District
Mam Tor, Castleton, Edale, Hope Valley and huge views without travelling to the far north.
Explore
Yorkshire Dales
Malham, Grassington, Ingleton and Ribblehead. Perfect for autumn walks, waterfalls and quieter weekends.
Explore
Lake District
Keswick, Ambleside, Derwent Water and countless routes ranging from relaxed walks to proper days in the mountains.
Explore
Northumberland
Castles, beaches, forests and some of Britain's darkest skies.
ExploreBe among the first to see it.
Join the First 500.
We're building a small group of people who want to follow the journey before launch.
Join the First 500 and you'll be among the first to receive product reveals, development updates, early-access information and launch news as we move towards Spring 2027.
No endless emails. No daily sales messages. Just the important stuff.
The outdoors isn't a season.
It's somewhere we're starting to spend more of our lives.
And we're building something designed to come with you.
Spring 2027
UNROUTED
Off route. On purpose.