Online dating - i hate the great outdoors

[Nothappyatwork]

Every bloody profile I meet online seems to be detailing about how they love to get on the bike and go up a mountain they love to walk up a mountain to kayak down the mountain they are looking forward to jumping in a campervan and setting off to see the world they like to travel these people have like commitments and mortgages and like children they see at the weekend ?
The mind boggles.
In the UK it’s permanently fricking pissing down even during the summer when you get into the sticks where anything is vaguely green.

Obviously I wouldn’t mind a hike if we lived in Peru or somewhere less grey.

Are they all having a different kind of midlife crisis what happened to buying a Porsche and whipping me off to 5 star hotels ?

I suppose some of them could be exaggerating, apparently that happens with online dating.

Though two of my close male friends are 'outdoorsy' 30s/40s, mostly child free and manage to fit in the hiking, cycling, camping with full-time jobs.

They've been the same since teens, with the hobbies, so no mid-life crisis involved.

Op you reminded me of this.

Surely outdoor hobbies are like any other hobby? People find time and money to do the things that they enjoy, because they prioritise those things above other things. I know lots of people who are into outdoor activities, just as I know lots of people who enjoy reading or crafting - we all prioritise the things that give us pleasure.

Outdoor activities are probably seen as 'cool' at the moment due to Instagram etc., and people who are using OLD platforms might be more likely to try to play up their 'cool' hobbies. It's not that long since hiking was viewed as desperately uncool though (the red socks and bobble hat brigade)! It'll go full circle I'm sure, and meanwhile those of us who enjoy being outdoors will carry on doing what we like.

The weirdest things on this thread are seensome's belief that all women want to settle down with children rather than spending time outdoors, and the OP's claim that she doesn't know a single person who actually enjoys outdoor activities. She must have a very narrow social circle if that really is the case.

Also when does a walk become a hike?

Is there an ice cream van half way round? Then it's probably a walk!

I literally never swipe right on anyone who has a photo of them snowboarding or skiing. We would literally have nothing in common.

As my name suggests, I love to be out on the water, it's so relaxing! But only from May-October and I paddle in places where there's a coffee place on the beach and decent car parking 🤣 the rest of the year I'm snuggled up watching Netflix or just trying to keep somewhat active in the swimming pool... between hair and nail appointments 🤣 I'm a fair weather outdoorsy type, spend all summer on the beach but it's when I'm at my happiest so it's a big part of me, but I guess I'd be a disappointment to the hardcore open water folk! X

@PaddleBoardingMomma in Karratha I loved paddle boarding I feel it would be a very different experience in Wrexham though 🤣

Hahaha, yes OP I can totally relate. I'm a shy, homebird, stay in and potter in the garden type person. I'm also scared of dogs. EVERYONE on Hinge and Bumble seems to love dogs / kayaking / motorbikes / rock climbing etc

@Nothappyatwork

I’m not surprised that they find the time to be active if it just blows my mind that they seem to be so active and yet so fat in many of the cases. I guess it’s the ones that apparently love to travel or did I get more than 28 days a year annual leave ? And the ones that want to buy a campervan and piss off into the wilderness again this country isn’t really set up for that is it ? Why do they think women want to sleep in a tent with no washing facilities…. naturally we will be required to have a hair straightened, nails look beautiful with our fannies waxed whilst putting up with this Bear Grills lifestyle

So true!

Nothappyatwork

I’m not surprised that they find the time to be active if it just blows my mind that they seem to be so active and yet so fat in many of the cases.
I guess it’s the ones that apparently love to travel or did I get more than 28 days a year annual leave ? And the ones that want to buy a campervan and piss off into the wilderness again this country isn’t really set up for that is it ? Why do they think women want to sleep in a tent with no washing facilities…. naturally we will be required to have a hair straightened, nails look beautiful with our fannies waxed whilst putting up with this Bear Grills lifestyle

Me, I love travelling, we took our DC round Morroco in a Camper aged 2&4. I love skiing, biking and running. However having a Porsche would be a total turnoff for me and I have no desire to stay in a 5 star hotel. Good job we are all different.

I have genuinely never met an outdoorsy bloke who wants/expects outdoorsy women to be immaculately waxed and styled while camping. And I know a lot of outdoorsy blokes.

Women with immaculate nails tend not to be into climbing, and female climbers tend not to have immaculate nails. And all the male climbers I know don't give a shit.

OP I completely agree! I've started OLD again and it's full of men in their 40s all upgrading campervans who live permanently outdoors and engaging in extreme sport type hobbies. I can only assume they are single because their wives got sick of these hobbies that took them away from family time? You certainly see lots of threads here about that!

Some writing their profiles will be exaggerating, and some reading them will be projecting their own insecurities onto what they read.

Some single people will also have more time and inclination for hobbies.

I wouldn't worry about any of it too much.

"have genuinely never met an outdoorsy bloke who wants/expects outdoorsy women to be immaculately waxed and styled while camping. And I know a lot of outdoorsy blokes."

Same here. We occasionally camp with friends and it's definitely not expected. It's usually been met with amusement if people have complained about lack of facilities while camping - like being unable to access a hairdryer.

I agree that most people on online dating massively exaggerate their hobbies to sound more interesting. But in fairness, DP stated hiking running and cycling as his interests when we met up, and we’ve done the three peaks, he runs ultras and we are bike packing round Scotland this year.

I’m really pleased he didn’t lie as I love all these things too, and he couldn’t give a monkeys if I stuff my unwashed hair under a bike helmet and don’t wear makeup for a week!

@willowbough

"have genuinely never met an outdoorsy bloke who wants/expects outdoorsy women to be immaculately waxed and styled while camping. And I know a lot of outdoorsy blokes."

Same here. We occasionally camp with friends and it's definitely not expected. It's usually been met with amusement if people have complained about lack of facilities while camping - like being unable to access a hairdryer.

@willowboughBut are you single and looking for love ? Your suggestion of “we occasionally” suggests that’s not the case, The criteria is incredibly different at the beginning.

Not all men are attracted to immaculate hair and nails (or waxed pubic hair - though unless yours grows at lightning speed, surely you’d just wax before you left home and that would be it sorted, it shouldn’t grow any more quickly during two nights in a tent than two days in a hotel!) There are loads out there who genuinely wouldn’t care that you weren’t wearing a full face of make up because you’d been hiking and camping. To be honest, I imagine you’d come under more pressure to be groomed and coiffed from a Porsche-driving man who likes the finer things in life than a man who loves to be outdoors.

Look, I can’t imagine anyone here is going to convince you to want to kayak or go camping, nor go date men who enjoy it - and that’s totally fine, there will be lots of men who like the same stuff you do. It was just odd that you were so incredulous in your initial posts that any woman could possibly ever enjoy the outdoors because it would spoil her appearance and that men who like the outdoors must have been divorced due to it!

Traipsing up and down endless hills in the cold and wet isn't my idea of fun, and to be honest, it's even worse if the weather is hot and sunny.

As for sports - nope. Especially not those involving water - either liquid or frozen.

I'm totally out of luck then, I don't have immaculate nails OR a desire to sleep in a random field :D

Yes, I'm relatively recently separated. Not looking to try to date yet, but wouldn't rule it out.