Substacks recommended by Alex Roddie

Recommended by Alex Roddie

Looking Sideways

By Matthew Barr

Examining the creative life through the lens of surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding and other related endeavours.

I highly recommend Looking Sideways for asking questions about the outdoor industry you won't often find elsewhere.

- Alex Roddie

Blood in the Machine

By Brian Merchant

Writing and reporting on AI, tech, labor and power. For everyone Silicon Valley is happening to.

At the Edge of the Map

By Ash Routen

Independent reporting and analysis on global adventure, expeditions, and exploration.

Austin Kleon

Weekly art, writing, and creative inspiration from the author of Steal Like an Artist and other bestsellers.

Quite simply one of the best resources for analogue creativity.

- Alex Roddie

Sophy Roberts

School of the Unconformed

By Ruth Gaskovski

Practical guidance for navigating daily life in the Machine Age.

The Ultra Trail

By Jenny Tough [The Ultra Trail]

The long reads on recovering from eating disorder/exercise dependency, racing ultras, solo expeditions, and a few journeys in between.

Adventurer, athlete, fantastic writer, and some of the best takes you'll find on all of the above.

- Alex Roddie

Sidetrackedmag

By The Sidetracked Team

From the makers of Sidetracked Magazine. Exceptional stories of adventure and exploration – new features, behind-the-scenes insights, and immersive stories from around the world.

The Fruitful Route

By Tim

Germs of fruitful routes as yet untravelled

The Wick

By Sophie Pavelle

A small, steady flame of monthly words from an award-winning author throwing light where the wild things hide.

About Mountains

By Ronald Turnbull

walking across them, climbing up them, writing about them

One of the best-read mountain writers? Ronald Turnbull's Substack is full of fascinating stories about the history and culture of mountaineering, often making literary and artistic connections.

- Alex Roddie

Wandering & Wondering

By Adrian Howell

Observations and reflections from the Alps and beyond.

An infrequent but fascinating newsletter on nature, connection, environment, and creativity.

- Alex Roddie

The Green Room

By Ellie Green

Film editor, documentary maker, writer, book lover and adventure obsessed

Insights on the outdoor industry as well as the creative process from a professional adventure filmmaker.

- Alex Roddie

Revelry Collection

A 20 year old magazine editor trying to make sense of the crazy modern world. This newsletter covers film photography, print media, and the analog renaissance. All centered around sharing REAL HUMAN stories about adventure and the outdoors.

A new adventure magazine devoted 100% to film photography.

- Alex Roddie

Encourage Meant

By 'Encourage Meant'

A regular burst of positivity inspired by The Encouragement Manifesto

FIRN

By Immycycles

Incomplete thoughts & writings on travelling through the outdoors. Like a field of firn found on a mountainside, these are musings not yet solidified under foot.

Thought-provoking perspectives on sport and adventure, especially women's engagement in sports. Highly recommended!

- Alex Roddie

Andrew Terrill

A suburban Londoner who found his true home in the world's natural places.

Andrew is one of the most skilled writers it’s ever been my privilege to work with. His epic account of a long-distance walk across Europe almost 30 years ago should be an example for all writers – this is how you tell a truly worthwhile nature and adventure story.

- Alex Roddie

New Cartographies

By Nicholas Carr

We have entered strange new territories. We need new cartographies.

Essays from the intersection between technology, culture, philosophy, and creativity. One of my top Substack reads.

- Alex Roddie

Sam Hill Creative

Where my photographs and thoughts meet. Each post begins with an image - often because it reveals something about people or the politics of everyday life. Less about photography itself, more about what it makes me think and feel.

Marek’s Substack

By Marek Bidwell

Writing about landscape, nature, people and place through the medium of walks (often long walks); see my book Skye Line: a backpacking adventure across the Isle of Skye.

Run Wild

By Ross Brannigan

Subscribe for thoughts on adventure, writing, creativity, and life from a Scot in Switzerland.

Mark's Substack

The notebook of a globally feral author finding balance through connection with nature, ancestral skills, and different cultures. Words and kindness.

Fantasy fiction, travel, the great outdoors, and the intersection between all these things. Thoughtful and sensitive writing.

- Alex Roddie

Notes from the Belay Ledge

By Kate Harrison

Immersing myself in the outdoors - climbing, travelling, wildlife photography, and then extending the experiences and solidifying the memories by writing about them.

Relatable stories from climbing adventures in the UK and beyond.

- Alex Roddie

The Dark Mountain Project

New stories for an age of endings

A crucial read on creative resistance to the Machine and the uncivilising of culture.

- Alex Roddie

Intrepid Magazine

A weekly dose of female-powered adventure for your inbox. Where are all the women in adventure? They're here.

Hopeful Futures

By Mairi McFadyen

Discovering and sharing ideas that inspire us to imagine and build more hopeful futures.

Footnotes and Tangents

By Simon Haisell

Slow reads of great books. Book guides and a reading community to help you get more from the best stories.

A fabulous resource for reading good books intentionally, actively, and slowly.

- Alex Roddie

Like the Wind’s Substack

By Like the Wind Magazine’s Substack

Like the Wind is an independent title that explores the culture and history of running as well as runners' stories, in a quarterly magazine that is printed with care and shipped directly to subscribers around the world.

Behind the scenes of Like the Wind, a fantastic independent magazine about why we run.

- Alex Roddie

Analog From Here

By Jestine

Talking about analog living (fountain pens, bullet journal, pen & paper, film cameras, vinyl records) in the digital age

Top-drawer analogue inspiration as well as info.

- Alex Roddie

Beyond The Mountain

By Kate Armstrong

Big life experiences (grief, joy, illness, strength) through the metaphor of mountains. Clichés, platitudes and generalities not allowed. Any wisdom that may be found here has been hard-earned.

The Adventure Shed

By Vedangi

Here you can find.....well, a little bit of everything! Welcome to the life of an over-sharer obsessed with finding order in chaos!

Vedangi is a phenomenal long-distance cyclist as well as a superb writer. Her takes on adventure are always well worth a read.

- Alex Roddie

Chris Townsend

Perhaps the UK's most experienced long-distance backpacker.

- Alex Roddie

Wayfarer Notes

By Mark Rickaby

Intentional living and outdoor exploration in the Peak District - essays on finding meaning, navigating uncertainty, and the clarity that comes from the hills.

A Writing Diary by E.P Woodhouse

By Emily Woodhouse

Thoughts on the writing process, story structure, plot and more. Late night voice notes. Middle grade, adventure and fantasy author.

Honest, real-world writing about writing, both fiction and non-fiction.

- Alex Roddie