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Travel writing tips – how to take effective notes

No. I don’t usually carry my laptop around.

Taking notes for writing while you’re travelling is an important skill for any travel writer but taking handwritten notes, while you’re on the go can be tricky. Especially if you’re a travel writer AND an outdoor writer (like me).

Rain and paper are seldom good friends.

How to take effective notes while travelling

Outdoor and travel writing trends for 2025

On the train between Hanover and Cologne, Fi Darby

Some people find it easy to hand write their travel notes in a notebook. This works well if you enjoy the action of writing and can build in lots of rest stops or train journeys but handwritten notes can be difficult to record if you’re outside, in a hurry or being jostled by crowds.

In reality, most travel writers these days use their mobile devices to capture information in a variety of ways. Everyone has their own method. I do all of the below in different proportions, depending on whether I’m writing for myself or a client and the type of finished article I’m after.

  1. Take photos of signs and information boards.
  2. Take screenshots from navigation and location apps.
  3. Record voice notes as you move around.
  4. Take photos of things you want to include.
  5. Take photos when your route changes.
  6. Write or record any phrases that come to mind.

Most of my writing notes aren’t written. You might imagine that having information on different apps would be confusing when you come to start writing but I don’t find this to be so. And if it is, digital files all have time stamps.

Remember – my methods might not work for you.

Ways travel writers organise their notes on the go

If you look at enough travel writing examples, you can start to see how the organisation methods travel writers use influence the way they write. There are nuances of course but roughly speaking:

  • Lots of photos = plenty of adjectives and description
  • Lots of detail = plenty of directional hints
  • Minimal notes = an exploratory, general approach

Every writer develops their own note-taking system and it’s important for you to find one you’re comfortable with and that works for you.

You might have different systems for different types of writing.

Here are a few tips that might help you organise your notes.

These can work online or with pen and paper.

  1. Use different colours to code your notes.
  2. Divide your page into sections before you start.
  3. Use symbols or emojis in place of some words.
  4. Develop your own form of shorthand.
  5. Read your notes through before you leave a location.

One more tip:

Because I find it difficult to get my thoughts down in a sensible order, I sometimes use arrows to join bits of writing together or highlight important sections.

The result looks disorganised but I understand it.

The best techniques for capturing details during travel

Views of snowy hills from the inside of a train.
Snow Train Switzerland, Jess Marklew

When you’re writing about travel or the outdoors, details matter. Nobody wants their readers to get lost or make a terrible local faux pas. When I read an outdoor or travel article, the level of detail is one thing that helps me judge whether the writer really visited a place or can be considered an expert.

You can usually tell, especially if the piece has been written by AI.

Which tools help travel writers take better notes?

OS Maps telling the story in London, Fi Darby

There are plenty of digital tools out there to help with note-taking whilst you’re travelling or enjoying an outdoor adventure but let’s consider the more traditional tools first.

  1. Your brain. I don’t know about you, but my brain switches up a notch when I’m exploring a new place and I find myself able to remember all kinds of details for several weeks after my visit. I can often get away with minimal notes, using them and photos to jog my memory about areas I want to include.
  2. Pen and paper. Waterproof notepads are available for those whose travel includes the possibility of rain or water-based fun. AquaScribe have a good range of waterproof paper and pads including larger A4 plain pads that you can write on with a pencil.

Digital tools for travel note taking

Digital note taking tools can be super handy but it’s important not to allow using them to detract from your travel or outdoor experience, and therefore your quality of writing. My advice would be to find two or three apps that work for you and not over complicated things. You might also like to consider packing a battery power bank to keep everything working.

Five types of mobile digital tools for writers.

  1. Note taking apps. Because I don’t take many written notes, I use the basic note taking app on my Android phone but there are more sophisticated note apps available. For Apple users, the free iPhone app iOS Notes allows you to embed photos, audio files and location information into your notes and syncs with your MacBook and iCloud when you need it to. Evernote has similar functionality with the addition of automatic geotagging (great if you can’t remember where you were) and the option to add hand drawn sketches. Evernote does have a free plan but this comes with certain restrictions.
  2. Location and route apps. Google Maps is always available for city exploration but everywhere else I prefer Ordnance Survey’s OS Maps app because unlike other route planning alternatives, it uses proper topographic mapping (Premium Paid). Some writers use OS Maps to trace their routes as they travel but I avoid this because of battery usage, preferring to take screenshots of my location at key points.
  3. Photo apps. Taking your own photos when you’re out exploring is important for your final article as well as your social media promotion but images can also be powerful memory tools. That strange hole in the rock, that beautiful mural, that weird place name, you’re far less likely to forget them if you’ve taken a photo.
  4. Voice notes. I don’t always my phone’s voice recorder when I’m exploring but I find it comes in very handy when I’m feeling particularly creative. For example, it’s far quicker to dictate a poem or creative sentence than to write it down. I also use voice notes if I have something complicated to remember.
  5. Speech to text apps. Writing is more difficult for some people than others. If this sounds like you, please believe me when I say, you can still be a writer. If you need them, there are tools out there to help, including Dragon Anywhere, a mobile speech to text app that allows you to take your notes via dictation. Dragon is a paid app but it might be worth the investment if you’re struggling.

How can you turn travel notes in to compelling stories?

Travel writer, Fi Darby

Although factual writing is important in travel and outdoor writing, audiences are far more likely to become engaged with a piece of writing if it tells a story. Travel stories allow us to journey vicariously and that act of seeing ourselves in a location is a strong persuasive factor in vacation choice.

The difference between your ability to write a factual piece and your ability to tell a story is often found in the thoroughness of your note taking. Your notes, photos and maps allow you to travel back to the location and remember the subtle nuances of your experience.

Don’t be tempted though to include everything in your notes in your final story. Audience attention spans are used to quick-fire information, often in video and short text form. To keep your story moving forward, you may need to leave out some of the tidbits you originally thought were going to be important. Avoid text that is over descriptive or sounds too much like you know everything. Instead focus on hooking the reader in and helping them see the location through their own eyes as well as yours.

Like so many things in my life, I came to travel writing by accident. I’ve been writing about outdoor lifestyles for over ten years now and in 2022 decided I would like to investigate how possible it is to enjoy outdoor adventures by train.

I’ve got over 20 UK train adventures and a few Europe by train experiences under my belt now.

And I’m an experienced sustainable travel writer.

 

Hygge? Mysa? Scandi? Can you get to IKEA by train?

Mysa (I hope) is the Swedish equivalent of the cosy concept of hygge.

In July 2024 I travelled back from Sweden to the UK by train after a wonderful holiday in Stockholm. I love all things Scandinavia and sometimes visit IKEA here in the UK to get my Scandi fix (apologies to any actual Scandinavians here, I know IKEA isn’t Sweden). And not your usual travel writer destination.

But I did recently demonstrate that you can get to IKEA by train.

Continue reading “Hygge? Mysa? Scandi? Can you get to IKEA by train?”

Overcrowding? Environmental damage? Is geotagging all bad?

What do Dartmoor’s Wistman’s Wood, New Zealand’s Cathedral Cove (Te Whanganui-a-Hei) and Arizona’s Horseshoe Bend have in common?

Are they all beautiful natural places that have suffered overcrowding and damage at the hands of social media location sharing?

Or are they places that have brought joy to greater numbers of people because they have become easier to find?

Continue reading “Overcrowding? Environmental damage? Is geotagging all bad?”

What does an outdoor influencer look like?

What is an influencer?

That’s a big question. Here’s one definition.

An influencer is someone who exchanges goods or services promotion on social media or web channels for monetary or other reward.

Ten years ago when I was in charge of the careers curriculum at my local secondary school, the term ‘influencer’ was new, frowned upon, and not an acceptable career goal.

But young people were already aspiring to become influencers.

At the same time, I found myself an accidental influencer through the blog Two Blondes Walking and our associated social media channels. People, it turned out, wanted to hear about the exploits of two women who took their outdoor activities very seriously but knew how to laugh at themselves.

We were outdoor women in a male world and we were rocking it.

I was that (then) rare thing, a female outdoor influencer. At the time I didn’t anticipate how big the outdoor influencer world was going to get. We were slightly bewildered by the attention we were receiving. Things have changed since then. Brands, including outdoor brands, now rely on influencer marketing for sales. Here in the UK, an astounding spend of £1bn on influencer marketing campaigns was expected by the end of 2024.

But despite the funding available, earning money as an influencer is still something for the elite few. Especially in the outdoor world. This is partly because there are far more outdoor influencers now, and it is much harder to gain a large social media following than it used to be. In reality, most of us swap advertising and endorsements for outdoor gear or experiences.

And we usually see influencer work as a side hustle.

Are online influencers always looking for sales?

Influencers can do a lot of good. Get Outside Champion 2016

Mostly. Or at least the brands that support them are. Creating quality online content takes time and effort. Two things that neither influencers nor brands want to expend without seeing some return. The Advertising Standards Agency requires both parties to be open about goods and services received in return for published influencer content, and Instagram’s SEO Adam Mosseri has recently reassured us that Instagram will not downrank branded content.

So it should be easy to spot sales-oriented influencer recommendations.

But not all influencer campaigns are about sales. Charities use influencer marketing to raise awareness of issues. Politicians use it to gain voters and influencers can also have a huge impact on the promotion of values and lifestyles.

But as with everything in life, sometimes the lines get blurred.

So what do outdoor adventure influencers look like in 2025?

Ordnance Survey Champion 2024, Fi Darby

Beautiful? Super fit? All the gear? Young?

Quite possibly outdoor influencers do not look like the crazy-haired middle-aged woman at the top of this post.

Even in 2015, I didn’t look like what I would call the archetypal influencer. I was already in my forties, scared of heights, and desperately trying to find plus-size outdoor gear. I didn’t make any money with my blogging and social media work but was sent enough walking boots and waterproof jackets to stock our outdoor education cupboard.

And I got to share my values. As one of the original Ordnance Survey Get Outside Champions (now Ordnance Survey Champions), I had (and still have) plenty of opportunites to encourage other people to enjoy the benefits of an outdoor lifestyle.

Apart from my age, things haven’t changed much.

Except that these days I feel as though the influencer world might be leaving me behind. I can no longer meet social media follower number requirements, my physical body sometimes lets me down, and I lack the competitive drive that took me so far in my younger days.

I often feel I can’t keep up.

With my recent interest in all things sustainable, I’m not sure this is a bad thing, consumerism has its issues and isn’t necessarily something I want to chase. But I keep going because I don’t want to lose my ‘voice’ on topics about which I feel strongly.

  • Women outdoors
  • Sustainable adventures
  • Access for all

Am I likely to change? Well, of course. I turn 57 at the end of January, and I am changing all the time. But I can’t see a future that includes thousands of Instagram followers and me bounding up cliffs on ropes.

Perhaps I am a different type of influencer.

What are the different types of social media influencers?

My quest for plus-size women’s walking trousers, Fi Darby

The group we would call online influencers is now huge and could be broken down in any number of ways. When it comes to choosing who to work with, numbers such as follower numbers or website visitors are usually a big deciding factor for brands but other things such as personality and engagement also still matter.

If they didn’t, I wouldn’t be doing what I do.

Here are six often-used terms that describe influencers. All of them can be used to describe outdoor influencers and some influencers fit more than one description.

  1. Bloggers (me). Loyal following, lots of engagement, perceived as experts.
  2. Vloggers (not me). Video-centric, larger following, often activity-based.
  3. Social Media influencers (me). Personal connections, ‘fellow consumers’.
  4. Nano influencers (me). Fewer but more loyal followers, lots of engagement.
  5. Micro-influencers (not me). 2K+ followers, seen as experts.
  6. Celebrity influencers (not me). 10K+ followers, admired from a distance.

Why is influencer marketing so effective?

Influencer marketing, Fi Darby

Influencer marketing works best when we see someone who looks like us or is doing things we like to do. We often follow the lead of influencers whom we find aspirational. If we think, ‘I’d like to be like her’ or ‘he looks a bit like me’, we’re more likely to take note of what they say.

  • ‘These walking boots keep my feet dry.’
  • ‘Running is good for you.’
  • ‘The menopause doesn’t have to stop you.’
  • ‘A lightweight tent will help me.’

All of which means that different audiences are drawn to different influencers. Indeed on any list of ‘top’ outdoor influencers, you’ll see a much more inclusive range of people than you once would have.

But they will all have one thing in common.

They will all have really large social media follower numbers.

I don’t.

Which is probably the main reason I sometimes feel a bit left behind.

But that’s a topic for another conversation.

 

 

 

 

Outdoor and travel writing trends for 2025

I started off my writing career as an outdoor writer but over the last couple of years, I’ve realised something important.

Outdoor and travel writing are inextricably linked.

As we approach 2025, I believe these two are set to become even more intertwined as adventure travel and car-free holidays gain popularity with a wider range of people.

Continue reading “Outdoor and travel writing trends for 2025”

How to claim a refund on UK train tickets

What to do if your UK train is delayed and you need a refund

If your train has just been cancelled, it might help your annoyance levels to remember that delays and cancellations are an inevitable part of any travel network.

Plan your own adventure by train

It can be difficult to work out what to do when you get that train cancellation email or even when you arrive at the station to find no train, but there is some good news.

In the UK you can get train ticket refunds.

Continue reading “How to claim a refund on UK train tickets”

REVIEW – Montane Women’s Spirit Waterproof Jacket

I’ll start this blog post with a huge ‘thank you’ to Ordnance Survey and Montane who recently sent me Montane’s Women’s Spirit waterproof jacket as part of my role as Ordnance Survey Champion.

It’s a tough job but someone has to do it!

If like me, you love getting outdoors in all weathers but prefer not to carry too much weight, the Spirit could be the waterproof for you. I’ve already discovered its versatility. This jacket is great for walking, hiking, catching the bus, even going to the loo (camping only, we have an indoor loo at home).

There’s plenty to like. And all of it fits easily into a small rucksack.

And all of it will keep you dry.

Continue reading “REVIEW – Montane Women’s Spirit Waterproof Jacket”

How about a campervan Christmas… In Cornwall?

Where to camp at Christmas

A UK campervan Christmas isn’t for everybody but if you fancy swapping the family noise for a bit of peace and quiet, there are campervan sites open all year and finding campsites at Christmas isn’t as tricky as you might think.

Two years ago we decided to turn our backs on the traditional family gathering and try a campervan Christmas instead. Despite living in Devon, we didn’t opt for Christmas by the beach but set off instead to one of the UK’s best campsites at Christmas.

Continue reading “How about a campervan Christmas… In Cornwall?”

Five map symbols to help you explore Scotland

We all know there are map symbols for rivers, maps symbols for forests and map symbols for the coast but did you know there are also some map symbols that are especially useful if you are travelling to Scotland?

Continue reading “Five map symbols to help you explore Scotland”

What to wear to wee in the woods

Which bedding do you choose when you’re going on a campervan trip?

Because you don’t have to carry your gear in a rucksack, the list of potential campervan bed linen is almost endless. It doesn’t need to be light, it doesn’t need to fit into a rucksack and you (usually) don’t need to worry about keeping it dry.

All very cosy but getting up for a wee often isn’t.

Continue reading “What to wear to wee in the woods”