Glad tidings of comfort and joy! My outdoor, adventure and travel-themed Christmas gift guide is here to help you find the perfect present for the luckiest explorers in your life, including the perfect gifts for swimmers, campers and your Secret Santa. Merry Christmas, you filthy animals – and here’s to an adventurous 2022!
Travel and Outdoors Christmas gift guide 2021
1, Cabin Classic pyjamas, £35 from Chelsea Peers
Perfect for: glamping fans
Log cabins, bears and curious moose parade all over these cute-as-a-button pyjamas, also available for little campers for £22. Perfect for weekends away under canvas.
2, Great British Folklore and Superstition Map, £14.99 from Marvellous Maps
Perfect for: history buffs
From vampire vicars to fairy pigs and medieval mermaids, this charming map marks over 1,400 sites of myth and legend to seek out across the British Isles – great for planning walks that come complete with weird and wonderful stories.
3. Danner Merino socks, £15 from Fat Buddha Store
Perfect for: happy hikers
You know you’re getting older when receiving socks as a Christmas gift is a treat rather than a let-down, and Danner’s soft-as-anything socks are top of my wish list – they’re comfy, cushioned, have a rather festive Douglas fir motif and are great for Boxing Day rambles.
4. Heron Glacier Glasses, £95 from Vallon
Perfect for: mountaineers
Protect your peepers from the snow’s glare with these classic alpine sunnies, inspired by the mountaineers of yore but bang-up-to-date for modern adventurers thanks to mirrored lenses and protective leather side shields.
5. Oversized Parka, £139 from Zone3
Perfect for: wild swimmers
Now there’s no excuse to swim in any weather. Zone3’s warm and waterproof fleece-lined robe is brilliant for staying cosy before or after a winter swim, and is roomy enough to get changed under – no more ungainly moves trying to whip your wetsuit off in the car park.
6. Wild flower jewellery, from £7 from Wild Bloom & Co
Perfect for: a nature lovers
Jewellery designer Megan grows and presses wild flowers in her Norfolk garden to create this delightful pieces – a lovely way to give the gift of spring to a nature fan all year round.
7. Glencroft Limestone Jumper, £99.95 from Glencroft Country Wear
Perfect for: buying British
Swap your budget Christmas jumper for proper British wool this winter – home-grown wool has a smaller carbon footprint than many other fabrics, and also degrades once discarded. Glencroft’s sweaters are made with 100% British wool – my favourite is this rather smart block Limestone jumper, inspired by the hills of the Yorkshire Dales.
8. Blundstone x Finisterre Vegan boots, £160 from Finisterre
Perfect for: vegan voyagers
Treat your feet to these lush boots from Blundstone’s new collaboration with Cornish-based Finisterre – these fully vegan boots are rather gorgeous to look at and have good grip, so you can wear them from peak to pub on your New Year adventures.
9. Mini magnetic climbing route, £15 from Microsend
Perfect for: climbing-mad mates
Do you even microsend? Climbers will love sticking this tiny, magnetic route-setting kit on their fridge to gaze at on the days when they can’t make it to the crag. Sales directly support Access Fund to protect climbing in the USA.
10. Sex Wax Candle, £9.99 from Sorted Surf Shop
Perfect for: landlocked ocean lovers
Close your eyes and let this candle convince you you’re on a tropical beach – the same iconic coconutty scent as Sex Wax’s surfboard wax is packed into this small but mightily perfumed candle. The perfect Secret Santa gift for your favourite wahine.
11, A Spotter’s Guide to Countryside Mysteries, by John Wright £15.29 from Mr B’s Emporium
Perfect for: your foraging-mad friend
If you’ve ever wondered what a gall is, pondered why ha-has exist or just felt the desire to identify more penis-shaped mushrooms in the wild, this irreverent little book is for you – it covers a range of weird and wonderful natural phenomena commonly found in the British countryside.
12. Kelty Bestie Blanket, £15.15 from Little Trekkers
Perfect for: your bestie (duh)
Tough enough for camping trips but still soft to snuggle under, outdoors blankets are surprisingly handy – great for popping in your campervan or wrapping up in by a fire. There are lots of styles on the market, but at under £20, Kelty’s brightly patterned Bestie blanket is an affordable option that’s likely to become your new outdoors BFF. Dog (sadly) not included.
13. Jetboil MiniMo, £118.95 from Fresh Air Junkie
Perfect for: keen camping cooks
Cook up a feast wherever you decide to pitch your tent with this backpacker-friendly stove, which is compact enough to take wild camping but still allows for precise heat control, so you can go a bit more gourmet than your usual instant noodles next time you’re serving up supper outdoors.
14. Recycled Christmas Cards, £9.99 for five from Gift Wild
Perfect for: sharing season’s greetings
Send joy to the world – and give a little back the the planet – with these charming cards from Gift Wild. Each wildlife-inspired design is made with recycled materials, and 10% from sales goes to conservation charities.
