When you travel over 100 days a year for work, finding time to keep fit, let alone have some adventures of your own, can seem daunting. But not for komoot Pioneer Hanne. We caught up with her to see how komoot has given her the confidence and inspiration to explore more and stay active whilst at home and abroad.
Working as a sports producer, Hanne frequently travels the globe. She spends little time at her home in London — which often leaves her unsure of where to turn to go for a ride. Literally.
“The number of times I have found myself searching the internet for some kind of information to point me in the right direction is too many to count, so the discovery of komoot has been an absolute lifesaver.
And I don’t just mean that in relation to far-flung travels; it’s been such a valuable resource on trips in the UK, holidays and just getting out of my comfort zone.
Places I’ve used komoot in range from fairly standard bike ride as from the lovely Tetbury to Frome and back, to more adventurous rambles where I’ve taken advantage of knowledge shared by komoot’s local Pioneers.
And that’s the best thing about it: Instead of it just being a map, with Highlights you’ve actually got the insight and advice from other people, which when you’re in a foreign country. Something with for me has proven absolutely invaluable.
It’s also been great to add my own advice. I hope now people won’t head to the treetop walk at the MacRitchie reservoir on a Monday like I did, only to find it’s closed. Don’t get me wrong, I still very much enjoyed the 7-mile (11-kilometer) walk to blow off the cobwebs after a hectic week at work, but having that knowledge means you can make sure your plans are right for you, especially if you’re on a tight schedule.
(Macritchie reservoir has some furry residents who are just as interested in visitors to the area.)
It’s allowed me to consider incorporating exercise into sightseeing, which for me is the ideal combination. In Hong Kong, I knew I wanted to see the iconic views across the bay from the peak. If I hadn’t have had komoot in my pocket, I might simply have gone up the tram and onto the viewing platform, taken my picture amongst the hundreds of other tourists and left. But with komoot by my side, I discovered the Peak Trail, which circuits Victoria Peak and gives visitors a 360-degree view of not only Kowloon Bay, but also views out to the other side over Pok Fu Lam. And all this with little more than a couple of local runners to watch out for.
(The view from the Peak Trail over Kowloon Bay in Hong Kong)
At home, it’s been brilliant to plan routes, but more to incorporate great stops on the way. It’s been a move away from going out on my bike, or going for a walk to get it done quickly. Now, it’s not just about pushing myself physically but enjoying the things that my route has to offer as well.
(Our route from Woolacombe to Ilfracombe offered some stunning views, and a great pub stop!)
It’s also been great because instead of worrying about where I’ll find a good coffee after 40 miles in the saddle, right when my legs start to get heavy, I know there’s one coming, at the cafe that’s been labeled a Highlight by our dedicated komoot community.
(Neston Farm Shop keeping my going on a 122km day out in the south of England)
Would I have deviated a couple of hundred meters to the Neston Farm Shop if I hadn’t seen its tag on komoot? More than likely, I’d have simply continued in the hope a cafe would appear. And who knows whether they would have been able to offer me a smoothie and double espresso as good as the one that was so good it was worthy of an Instagram post?
Komoot is a space that works brilliantly for us adventurous planners. We want to see new places and experience new things, but we also want to know where we’re going, what kind of terrain we can expect and most importantly, where the food stops are. It helps me prepare, and also makes me feel at ease if I’m in an area that’s unfamiliar.
(Checking out the very steep scenery on the South Downs Way, route courtesy of Komoot!)
In turn, I’m keen to help people with my own advice. We’ve all been there, on group rides where someone has taken us somewhere we’ve not been before and marveled at their knowledge. I see komoot as another way to share that information, to encourage people to deviate and break away from their standard Saturday morning 30-miles (50-kilometer) loop like I did, discovering beautiful Surrey scenery in the process.
(Hopefully, some people will be inspired by our recent trip up to La Jonction in Chamonix.)
So for work, the komoot community has been an excellent way to stay active, doing as the locals do, and also getting some ‘sightseeing’ done. For leisure — well it’s been a joy to discover some new trails and snap myself out of the safe zone, but know that my plans are backed up by the knowledge of great komoot Pioneers who want people to enjoy their patch and get the most from what the outdoors has to offer.
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