10 Unusual and Exciting Things to Try in Retirement for an Extraordinary Life

Gone are the days when retirement meant just cups of tea and gardening. Today’s British retirees are ripping up the rulebook and chasing wild dreams. They’re swapping slippers for hiking boots and armchairs for adventure. 

Forget bingo halls and bridge clubs. These pensioners are writing their next chapters with salt air in their lungs and mountain views in their sights. Each new skill mastered, each adventure completed adds another brilliant story to tell the grandkids. 

Ready to see how ethese unusual things to do in retirement could become your biggest adventure yet?

Trek to Everest Base Camp

The route to Everest Base Camp takes you past remote Nepalese villages, rising to an incredible 17,600 feet! From this height, you’ll see the planet’s tallest mountains up close. A sight that will stay in your memory forever.

Most British retirees build their fitness on local hills before attempting Base Camp. Getting used to high altitude takes time, but you’ll have expert guides helping you adjust. Don’t worry about carrying heavy bags. There are friendly porters to take care of that!

Make sure to get your health insurance over 60 with PremierPMI before you set off. Then grab your walking boots and go make some mountain memories.

Creative Fashion Designer

Create beautiful clothes at sewing studios, conveniently located near private hospitals in London. Pop in for classes between medical appointments. What a perfect way to mix health care with a new creative hobby.

Start from scratch and grow your abilities step by step. Learn to select fabrics, make patterns that fit just right, and turn flat material into flowing shapes. 

One day you’ll draw patterns by hand, the next you’ll use computer programs to bring designs to life. 

Woodworking Skills

Want to turn logs into lovely furniture? Local woodworking shops teach all the basics through advanced techniques. It’s a great way to spend retirement.

You’ll start by learning about different woods and basic tools. Begin with simple boxes, then work your way up to creating bird houses, chairs, and complete furniture sets.

Private Pilot Training

Start flying with 45 hours of actual air time. Experience the thrill of lifting off and steering a plane through the sky.

Your lessons include takeoffs, landings, and flight control. Instructors teach you to fly in all kinds of weather, from clear days to breezy conditions. You’ll learn to read flight instruments and create flight plans.

Patagonia Walking

Step into one of nature’s most stunning places. Across glaciers, through mountains, and into wild spaces. Choose the paths that fit you: from easy walks to mountain climbs.

Sleep in mountain houses or pitch a tent under bright stars. Your choice. Small groups keep things relaxed. Set your own pace, stop for photos, or pause to catch your breath.

Yacht Racing

Speed across water with your racing crew in sailing competitions. Feel the rush as boats race past each other!

Pick up different crew jobs such as steering or working sails. Each role counts during close races. 

Why not begin racing near the shore then move on to bigger boats once you’re ready? 

Furniture Revival

Make old furniture beautiful again. Turn scratched, worn pieces into treasures that look fresh.

Begin with basic chairs to learn the main skills. Move on to tables, cabinets, and chests once you’re comfortable. Each project shows you new ways to fix, finish, and restore beauty to aged pieces.

Master repair methods such as matching old fabrics, blending stains, and mending broken sections. Practice traditional techniques like French polish, gold leaf, and veneer work. You’ll soon be able to tell real antiques from imitations.

Mongolian Horse Tours

Race across Mongolia’s wide grasslands. Ride local horses bred by nomads through the centuries. What’s even cooler is that you can rest in traditional round gers every night!Two weeks living nomad-style gives a fresh perspective on life. Start your day with a morning shower, a cuppa, and pack your bags for the next ride. 

Wine Production

Wouldn’t it be nice to turn ripe grapes into your own special wine? Picking a perfect bunch of grapes from leafy vines before letting nature work its magic as sweet juice becomes delicious wine!

Each grape brings its own flavors. Chardonnay tastes of apples, Merlot hints at cherries. You’ll crush grapes, check temperatures, and smell the changing aromas. Watch the bubbles rise as the yeast turns sugar into wine.

Your first sip of homemade wine feels special. It’s like tasting sunshine stored in a bottle. Share it with friends, tell stories of grape picking and barrel tasting. Each season brings new grapes and new chances to make better wine!

Caravan Adventures through the Cotswolds

Ride your caravan through the Cotswolds, where golden stone houses rest on gentle hills. Park in Bourton-on-the-Water and watch the clear streams flow under small bridges past local shops. 

Then head over to Cotswold Farm Park and follow old walkways next to weathered stone walls built centuries ago. Make fresh food in a rolling kitchen before visiting Sudeley Castle. 

Once you’re done, park near Bibury’s Arlington Row and browse markets in Stow-on-the-Wold and Chipping Campden. Both markets are filled with local treats!

Image by Devraj Bajgain from Pixabay