OS Champion

Samantha Brown

Meet Samantha, 1/3 of the Reluctant Explorers….

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you like to get outside?

We are the Brown family. Mum (Sam), Edie and Ezra (aka The Reluctant Explorers). You will find us up in the Yorkshire Dales exploring the moors, swimming in the waterfalls and seeking out the caves!

Why is there the ‘Reluctant’ part? Well as a Mum, I know that not all kids are as enthusiastic about getting outdoors as we are, so I also write bespoke Yorkshire Dales based family friendly walks, all designed specifically with kids in mind, to help get them outdoors and to be a little bit more excited about it!

What’s your favourite route or place to go and why?

The Reluctant Explorers’ Favourite Hiking Route – Pen-y-Ghent and Hull Pot

We are lucky enough to live on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and so you’ll find us there in almost all our spare time. There are so many incredible places to visit, but one of our favourites is Pen-y-Ghent.

It’s a classic Yorkshire Dales walk! Pen-y-Ghent is the smallest of the peaks in the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge, but we think it’s the best. It offers incredible views, a fab little rocky scramble and if you’re lucky (and this is probably one of the only benefits to there being epic amounts of rain) you might get to see Hull Pot Beck pouring over the side of the immense collapsed cavern of Hull Pot, creating a spectacular waterfall! (If the rain is truly intense, it has been known on occasion to fill up all the way to the top, like some enormous bath tub!

Pen y Ghent and Hull Pot

Want to find out more about how to start hiking?

Read our complete guide to Hiking for Beginners, everything you need to get started from essential equipment to fitness and safety advice – Hiking For Beginners

What’s your fave bit of kit available on the OS Shop?

As a trainee Hill & Moorland leader, it’s got to be the Silva Expedition 4 Compass! This is the compass I have and whilst the traditional navigation methods are often overlooked, I am passionate in promoting the use of the good old fashioned methods and for teaching these to our kids from a young age!