Were you one of those people who, like me, having never watched a single episode of ‘The Traitors’, found yourself inexorably drawn towards the recent celebrity version? My cynicism and - it has to be said - slight snobbishness about the whole programme vanished as surely as the early-morning mists around that Scottish castle, as I found myself gripped by the adventures of the 19 participants. What made it such compelling viewing for me and for the 12 million people who watched, many of them for the first time?
Shared Experiences
I think, for me, one of the main factors, the game itself aside, was seeing a group of people (who were, for the most part, unknown personally to each other) participate in problem-solving tasks, face physical and mental challenges and subsequently bond over their shared experiences.
Now, I don't think there have ever been any banishments or, God forbid, murders on a Mountain Action Holiday! But what ‘The Traitors’ and Mountain Action Holidays have in common is the bringing together of a group of disparate people, in a stunning, awe-inspiring setting, to experience a range of adrenaline-inducing activities and then to sit down in the evening to enjoy a delicious dinner and to talk through the day's challenges. And there, OK, my analogy ends - no one on a Mountain Action Holiday is banished and no one is sent out of the room. No one has to open a wax-sealed envelope to find their time is at an end. The only reason for someone to leave the room is to change into their elastic-waisted jogging bottoms, in order to allow their tummy to expand comfortably enough to accommodate second helpings of pudding and the only sealed item being opened is yet another bottle of room temperature, full blooded red.
I think the reason why Mountain Action Holidays are perfect for solo travellers is this sense of camaraderie, of shared experiences, of all being in it together. It's the atmosphere that’s created when a group of like-minded travellers join together to take part in a set of activities and, yes, even challenges carefully curated by an experienced host. Travelling solo can be daunting - have I chosen the right trip, what if there's problems with the travel, what if I feel unsafe, what if the accommodation isn't great? But on a Mountain Action Holiday all these fears can be put to rest. Everything is taken care of – from the moment you arrive you're welcomed into a warm comfortable and friendly environment and very soon everyone is chatting, laughing and before you know it, you're part of the gang
Choose Your Own Agenda
However, where Mountain Action Holidays differs from many group travel companies is that you're entirely free to choose your own agenda. No jumping on a tour bus at 6:00am to pack in yet another sightseeing trip, no forced jollity at a sequined cabaret, no dashing from place to place with a strict deadline and a tetchy courier tapping their clipboard. If you want to sit in your room and catch up on your reading, that's just fine. If you want to sip a coffee and munch a croissant in a café, watching the world go by, no one is going to stop you. You have the option to be as active or as lazy as you want but you can still have the pleasure of other people's company and the sense of a shared adventure. You have the security of knowing someone has your back, while having the freedom to do as much or as little as you want, to challenge your own boundaries or just to kick back and chill.
This quote is from Nick Mohammed, one of the ‘Celebrity Traitors’ finalists, but could equally well apply to your Mountain Action Holiday…
“Every day we went out to do something amazing, out of our normal life and we were completely bonded when we came back - it was a lovely communal experience…”
