The 3 day solo winter hike that changed my life for the better

This video is why ive been sure when i say that you sir are one of the most unique people on the internet. The humor and good energy while being open and vulnerable and all together creating the pinnacle of comfort content. You inspire alot of people and you do it with an ease. Keep goint Tom! And to everyone who relates to the topics discussed you are not alone and you will not regret listening to this man.

Congrats Tom! I went complete teetotal back in October 2023 after a long introspection on my life and health. I developed panic attacks my drinking got so bad, I was convinced I was killing myself (quicker than the booze normally does). I'm glad you were able to be introspective on this adventure and have a grasp on what you want. Keep up the great work!

Love this. You. Can see in the video how relaxed and in a sense "different" you are. So happy for you. I hate having a smart phone. I use it a lot but not addicted. I missed a few deadlines in college because I didn't have emails to hand and now need to keep it because of charity work I do. I'm glad you got a release from alcohol too. I think the lake district is a life changing place. Life moves differently there. I was there last year and it gave me a feeling ill never forget. Hope you keep thriving ❤️

Sick video dude, but you missed out on a great bivvy spot! On the way in to Rosthwaite you chose a cosy lovely Inn, but up by that big deep section of the river (Black Moss Pot) theres a cold dank bivvy cave up on the ridge behind under Cam Crag Ridge. Cosy Inn and hot dinner vs dank cave up under a grade 2 scramble... sort your priorities out man

Never is such a long time. And a promise of 'never' is one fraught with difficulty and may end up broken. A broken promise leads to self-criticism and low self-esteem. Don't make a promise to never drink. Instead, my advice is to promise yourself that you can have a pint tomorrow. If I'm having a bad/good/indifferent day (all valid reasons to have a pint!), I'll tell myself that if I feel the same way tomorrow, I'll have one then. I haven't once felt the same way the following day.

Tom - you've got to invite Louis Theroux to join for a "weird weekend" revival on your next adventure. Moving away from smartphones, not being afraid of avoiding alcohol when you want to, a normal family, cheeky adventures exploring the outdoors - this would be a great follow-up to the manosphere doc that he just released.

Great little adventure that, mate. Thank you for sharing. I gave up heavy boozing during lockdown. I haven't given up drinking altogether, but I only do it now if there's a reason - like a birthday or Xmas etc. I don't miss it at all. I used to live for my weekend binges. I'd played rugby since I was 13 (I'm now 53) and drinking every, single Friday and Saturday, to get falling down drunk, had been my life for over 30 years But now I only get pissed maybe 2 or 3 times a year. What I've realised is that I really don't need to get twatted to enjoy myself. Plus, since I've stopped drinking heavily I've noticed that I can appreciate just, very occasionally, having one quiet, sociable pint, without it being the start of a session. My life has improved massively since I made this choice, and I don't think I'll ever go back to how I used to be because now that I've discovered life away from binge-drinking, I greatly appreciate the everyday even keel. Good luck with whatever you decide to do, dude. Btw - as a Welshman I have to say that I prefer the Lake District over Snowdonia, too. They're both aching beautiful places, but I find the Lake District to be a more enjoyable place to hike.

well done on the 3 weeks smartphone free. me and my partner are hoping to make the same change in our lives

Great stuff Tom, thank you! I love that Perfect Day cover as well.

Normally I’m just a viewer rather than a commenter, but it’s great to see someone being so open and honest about alcohol and their journey toward having a healthier relationship with it. Drinking is such a big part of the culture. When I was younger, I actually took pride in having a “local” and walking in to find my pint already on the bar because my routine was so predictable. They knew when I’d be there and what I’d be drinking. At the time, I thought that was the coolest thing ever. I never thought I had a problem with drink, but looking back I can see that I definitely relied on it to maintain some sort of social life. I never felt a particular need to drink, but I do wonder now how much of that was because I rarely went more than a few days without one anyway. And when it was time to drink, I was drinking. By that I mean I wasn’t stopping until I was basically nodding off in the pub. Over time I moved from beers to spirits, and eventually that excess led to a particularly nasty night where I got so drunk that I ended up sleeping with my head in the toilet because every time I tried to move I would start vomiting. The next day I was so ill I couldn’t even look at food. That was the moment I realised I had to stop. For whatever reason, probably because with most things in life I tend to go all in, I told myself I wasn’t going to drink for a year. At first it was incredibly easy. The memory of that night was still so fresh that even thinking about alcohol was enough to turn my stomach. But about 6 months in, once that feeling had faded, the “one won’t hurt” mentality started creeping in. I kept holding off though. This was before the whole 0% boom, and I’ve no doubt I would have taken full advantage of that if it had existed back then. After 9ish months I had become so used to being around drunk people while sober that I started to feel glad I wasn’t acting like that anymore. Being around people who had gone past the fun, tipsy stage actually started to feel a bit grating. It was like someone had held up a mirror to my old behaviour. I realised that once you cross that line into being properly drunk, it really isn’t that fun. You just don’t notice it until the next morning. Then come the feelings of regret and shame. Checking my bank balance and realising I’d overspent again. The headaches. Knowing I’d annoyed my partner yet again. In the past I would have brushed all that off and told myself it was just the price of a “good night”. But was it really a good night when everything that followed was actually pretty miserable? I eventually made it to about 18 months before I had another alcoholic drink. It felt strange, and to be honest I didn’t even like the taste anymore. All the drinks I used to enjoy just tasted off. Since 2011 I’ve probably been properly drunk three times, and each time has just reminded me why I stopped. These days I still have the occasional beer, but there can be months between them. More often than not I actually prefer the 0% options, so if I do end up in a pub it’s usually a bit of a toss up which one I’ll get. My partner still drinks, usually a glass of wine with dinner at least once a week, and it doesn’t bother me at all. I don’t feel the urge to join her and I don’t resent her for it either. She knows her limits and that’s absolutely fine by me. I don’t judge anyone who enjoys drinking. These days if someone is down the pub multiple times a week my main thought is how they can afford it, but beyond that it’s their choice. If people want to drink then that’s entirely up to them. It’s just not for me anymore. Life without drink being at the centre of things has been genuinely liberating. The things I’ve been able to do because I’m not lying in bed hungover, or spending my wages on something that ultimately always seems to become a potion for puking and pissing, far outweigh the occasional moments where I’ve felt a bit left out on a night out. Great video highlighting a lot of the benefits. Whatever you decide to do going forward with alcohol, I’m sure it will be more balanced for having taken a step back from it for a while.

Just stop for a good few months (6-7), then the next time you drink your hangover will be so bad you'll be unlikely to do it again for more months. Never had a problem with any of that stuff but not using these things as habitual crutches can only ever be a positive thing. You don't have to not ever drink again, just break it as a habit.

Genuinely feels like peak living watching this video. Hypes us all up for our next adventure as well. Thankyou for doing what you do Tom

I currently have mental health issues and I'm struggling with alcohol addiction. So much so that I'm currently going through therapy, and have just finished a course of group sessions to try and help with my alcohol issues. As good as those sessions were, this video given me more of a mental jolt than those meetings ever did. I'm making positive steps. I've joined a gym. I went on a 16 mile hike the other day. But this video has given even more determination to make changes for the better. Cheers Tom. I raise my glass of 0% Guinness to you. 🍺

Loved the video as always. I completed my own solo hiking experience last year doing the Anglesey Coastal path and it was the most amazing experience I've done so far. Its not a particularly challenging route but definitely a beautiful one filled with nice locals and stunning features. It also helps that my partners family are locals too! Challenging yourself especially solo is a great way to get out of the chaos and unnatural order of things that humans have created in this world.

I’ve never heard anyone do a Tots TV impression before but I realise I don’t need to. The first impression is the final impression. That was all I’ll ever need and it shall not be topped. And the Postman Pat theme 😭 you’re spoiling me this time Tom. I’m the one that commented on your last video about seeking out nostalgia. Also, I’m journaling just now and I’m supposed to write down a favourite quote for the month. I wasn’t sure how/where I was going to find one but I’m now using “Call me Bilbo Baggins ‘cause this is just mystical” - Tom Davies

Great vid Tom. Also, having a break off the booze every now and again is a great idea

Very long time watcher and this video really hit home at the end. I've been mostly AF for the best part of 2 years. Like you said, one day something just switched. Yes I still get massively tempted, or mentally trick myself into shopping for it, and yes I still have the occasional when it is appropriate. But simply having the power over it to decide to say no is a remarkable feeling. Good on you Tom - the energy emanating from you throughout the video is palpable and I think we could all use a little more of that these days.

I feel I say this every video but that truly was the best one yet. Thank you for giving me a blissful hour where my mind can be at peace. You won’t regret the reduction in alcohol I’ve been through the same journey you are beginning and can tell you it’s worth it, as your experience proved! The story about the American guy was hilarious and the fact I’ve never even bumped into you in Birmingham makes it even more unbelievable

Believe me Tom having young kids can be a real catalyst to staying alcohol free. I stopped drinking four years ago and haven't missed it or the hang overs since. Fantastic video as always. Hope your second child has arrived safe and well and you and yours are all healthy.

This has to be up there with the best videos you've ever made honestly. Absolutely fantastic adventure, really inspiring stuff, I'm already looking at train tickets up to Ulverston. Glad to see you've found a new lease on life by kicking alcohol; there's just as much joy to be had in life sober, it's just different. All the best to you and Verity with your second child!

Great video epic adventure ps may the Lord bless you and your wife and both of your precious children in Jesus name

Thanks Tom for bringing us on another beautiful journey, both literal and spiritual in a way. The location was sensational and I really appreciated the discourse on alcohol consumption and how differently you would have been having had those pints and the rewards that restraining from it brought you at the end. Btw that quote in that church about present and future really resonated with me for some reason in a very deep way, Im definitely gonna keep it in mind. Finally huge congratulations to you and Verity on your newborn baby, I hope the little one is healthy and already bringing you lots of joy and happiness! 😊

Love the video Tom, hope the babbie arrives well. You got to deconflict with the F1 though mate :)

Unbelivably beautiful landscapes and quite some bits of wisdom to remember ... Really enjoyed watching the video - thank you very much indeed.

Lumbridge Bridge at 1:00:02 if I've ever seen it! Great video! Cheers

Tom, thanks for your content over the years. This video in particular was phenomenal.

Today has been one of the worst days. I'm losing someone I love more than oxygen to cancer and we're at the end stages. I know your video wasn't intended to be as therapeutic as it was but... from the bottom of my heart, thanks Tom. An hour of escape to a beautiful location, the smiles and insightful words of hope, strength and wisdom . Congratulations to you and Verity on your brand new little miracle. Your videos mean more than you can imagine. ❤️

So glad to hear that, i gotta admit i think some of the tenner in my pocket adventures were less enjoyable to watch because of the involvement of alcohol. Watching your videos is always so inspiring, thank you so much for making them

been waiting for a lake district video for a while now and my god did u deliver beautiful scenery with a story to go with it. great vid tom

Been teetotal my whole life. Proud of you for sticking with it! I'm glad you were able to have these great experiences whether or not it involved a drink :)

Good luck with the baby, was an enjoyable journey to watch!

Congrats on the baby!

Thank you for highlighting this topic. A lot of people have to become problem drinkers or full blown alcoholics before they make a decision to stop drinking and deciding to stop "forever" usually invokes all sorts of feelings of dread and fear that one has now resigned themselves to a life of never being able to have fun or otherwise have to socially restrict themselves. This is the alcohol industry talking. We are taught from a very young age that alcohol is absolutely mandatory in order to actually be able to loosen up, socialise, and enjoy ourselves. After a month off booze in January you'll definitely feel physically better. Sleep, concentration, energy are all improved, even within this small time frame. However, all those positives are rarely enough to keep people away forever. The true superpower is smashing the eternal fallacy that tells you that you *need* alcohol to enjoy yourself and that can take a very long time. When I quit alcohol 8 years ago I didn't have a choice, my life was collapsing around my eyes. I didn't want to. In my eyes my social life was effectively over. Looking back, I wish I had never started drinking in the first place. Even if someone waved a wand and told me I could now drink safely in moderation, I still wouldn't. Life is just so much better without it. I've come to pity those still under the spell of the alcohol industry. It's everywhere you look. Adverts. TV shows. YouTubers (sorry!). Those stupid wooden kitchen decorations you can buy at garden centres. Craft ales. All glorifying and normalising it. When you've come out the other side all of this seems extremely bizarre for what is effectively just another dangerously addictive drug. Did you know that alcohol is one of only two drugs where the withdrawals alone can kill you!? In it's grips, it's one of the hardest drugs to quit. It's one of the largest burdens on the NHS. Drink drivers kill hundreds of people every year. Despite all this alcohol gets a free pass. Why wouldn't it? Our government makes good money from taxing it and the industry is worth billions. When I stopped drinking I mourned all the experiences I thought I was going to miss. Those random conversations at the pub, enjoying weddings, being able to loosen up, dance, take my future son for his first legal beer, etc. Eight years down the line and honestly just laugh. I live my life to the absolute fullest, I stopped taking anti depressants, I still dance and fool around at social events, and my first sober wedding was my own wedding! Sobriety has gifted me my wife and three beautiful children. I had to reach rock bottom before the decision to quit was forced upon me, and I know most people can and do enjoy alcohol in a safe and moderate way, yourself included. But you don't need it. Nobody does. Knowing and living in that simple fact is the true superpower and it doesn't matter how you get there. The only question I keep asking myself these days is why do people still do it? It shouldn't be the case that somebody needs to develop full blown alcoholism like I did in order to decide to release themselves from alcohols spell. I really do hope you carry on with this Tom and wish you well on your own journey of discovery and realisation.

Good on you Tom, I've been Alcohol free for a few years now, and I gotta say I feel better than ever. Always love these adventures, they always come with a good bit of introspection and humor.

Incredible inspiring journey! Really makes we wanna just go right now. I'm intolerant to alcohol myself and was fighting with the urge for a beer versus the horrible hangover for years. I'm 32 now and i drink 1 or 2 times per year. I feel so much better and hanging out with my friends while they have a couple of beers isn't a problem anymore, the urge is completely gone. It took a long time to realise alcohol isn't necessary to enjoy life, quite the opposite when you're intolerant.

Lovely video Tom, absolutely love the Lake District and regularly go up for the weekend despite living 4 hours away, so great to see some spots I recognise! Also love the message about getting out there all year!

Can't wait to get into this one. I'm sure I can relate (If alcohol is the topic). I'm currently on a 7 day streak of hiking and going for walks(close to 50 miles), just to improve my health. I've been an avid hiker/camper/backpacker for a long time but stopped a few years back because I got lazy and wanted to drink. I'll comment again after I watch. Cheers from Pennsylvania, Tyler

Hey Tom, Really enjoyed this one, for a lot of reasons. I did the Cumbria Way last year, I haven’t had a sip of alcohol in just over a year now, and for a long time I’ve also been toying with the idea of swapping my smartphone for a dumb phone. I walked the Cumbria Way with a mate last spring. It’s truly epic, but we also struggled with that stretch after Stake Pass. It’s so much longer than you realise and the terrain underfoot is terrible, just like you mentioned. Fair play for doing all of that section on Day 2 though. We stopped in Langdale, like Ewan, at the end of our Day 2 and ended up doing the whole thing in five days. I think you would have really enjoyed Day 4 from Keswick to Caldbeck. You’ll have to go back and do it one day. From there to Carlisle it gets pretty boring, although it is very flat. As for the drinking, I was never a heavy drinker but I often found myself drinking for the sake of it rather than actually wanting to. I rarely craved a beer. Most of the time I’d get more satisfaction from a Coke, squash or even just water. I’ve struggled with headaches for the last 10 years or so and drinking only ever made them worse, so I just went cold turkey. Will I ever drink again? I’m not sure. I’m getting married this year and part of me feels like I might end up having a drink just to get through the day with the nerves and the awkward chats with family I haven’t seen in years. But like you said, it’s quite sad that, like most Brits, we feel like alcohol is the only way to have fun, or that things are boring if you don’t drink. The drinking culture in the UK can feel pretty toxic and it’s become such a big part of our identity, which is worrying. There are zero health benefits to drinking and nine times out of ten you feel rough the next morning. That shouldn’t be normal. The way you spoke about it makes it sound like it’s really changed you, and maybe this is a bit of a turning point, so good luck with it. And don’t get me started on phones. Here I am watching your video and writing this on one. But I do worry about what these little pocket devices are doing to us. Our concentration is getting worse, we’re constantly distracted, and the kind of content people, especially kids, are consuming is pretty worrying. I’m completely behind the idea of stricter rules around social media. Children really don’t need to be on TikTok or Instagram. Anyway, loved the video mate. I just wish you’d upload more often because this is one of my favourite channels on YouTube.

Always a good day when you upload! Going to have to finish watching after I finish my parkrun. Love your vids, always puts me in an adventurous mood!

great way to start a rainy dutch saturday!

Also just wanted to say, Tom, I found your channel from the very first straight line mission a few years ago and I’ve been hooked ever since. Your videos have genuinely been a big inspiration for me to get outside more. I’m lucky enough to work a 4-on, 3-off shift pattern, so now that the weather and daylight hours are improving I’ve got some great adventures of my own planned, and your channel has definitely played a part in that. I did a few hikes in the North York Moors over winter, and in a few months I’ve got a solo Slovenia trip planned that’s half hiking, half road-tripish, they have a great national park there I’m eager to explore. I often think back to that video last year where you’re walking in Snowdonia and the landscape suddenly opens up to that incredible view, moments like that really stick with you. I’m also planning a trip to the Black Forest partly because of your biking adventure there. You’re genuinely inspiring a lot of people to get out and explore. I’m usually a silent patron and viewer, but I thought I’d finally leave a comment because messages like this might make your day the way your videos make ours.

Seeing this post has just made my day 100x better, excited to watch later after my gruelling 5:30am-3:30pm Saturday shift

Cheers Tom looking forward to watching this tonight with the fam

Perfect, was just saying to my partner last night hopefully there will be a new Geowizard vid to watch tonight. Looking forward to watching this later. Thank you.

I love this cold, wet and rugged mountain adventure shit you dish out for us Tom

"freed me" huh? o.O

This video looks like it’s gonna be a goodin