More than just a family
We’ve dedicated our whole lives to seeking adventure, blazing a trail through life by not following the crowds. We've learned a lot over the years and are here to help you on your journey, wherever it may take you...
Subscribe (It's free!)Our Story
We have had a lot thrown at us throughout our lives. My wife (Sarah) went through cancer. Our daughter (Eve) had a tumour on her spine with a less-than-optimistic prognosis. Both Eve and I have autism. I also have dyslexia and dyspraxia. Then there was the pandemic, whilst trying to rebuild our lives.
Over the years, we have learned a lot as individuals and as a family, trying to build a new life together and living through significant challenges. It hasn't always been easy!
The most important thing we have learned is that time is not guaranteed. We have to be intentional with our time, energy, and attention.
To me, life is all about intention. It's not about being a better husband or father or trying to squeeze more into our lives. It's about knowing who and what's important and ensuring I spend my precious time, energy, and attention on that. It's about taking care of myself so I don't burn out, ensuring we’re ready for the next big thing!
TV, Radio, Podcasts & Print
We have been lucky enough to be featured on the BBC, in Country Walking Magazine, in newspapers, on podcasts and loads of other publications. I am also an outdoor and adventure writer. We have been sponsored by brands such as SealSkinz, Helinox and Rode and supported by people such as Sir Richard Branson!
Frequently Asked Questions
Our autism
Both Eve and I (Ian) are autistic, having a formal diagnosis by psychologists and psychiatrists through the NHS.
For me (Ian), being diagnosed with autism as an adult came as a shock. I was not expecting it, but I have come to terms with it. Despite my career choices, the most significant life challenges I have always faced have been social interaction and communication.
Eve got her diagnosis before me, and this was part of the reason I went for mine! Eve struggles in various aspects of life, and her diagnosis didn't come as a shock to either Sarah or me!
Charity & fundraising
We are all heavily involved in charity work and fundraising. We have raised over £ 30,000 as a family for charity so far, including BBC Children in Need, Glasgow Spirit of Christmas, The Princess Trust, Scottish Autism, RSPCA, National Autistic Society, to name just a few. We now try to combine our adventure lifestyle with charity, fundraising, and helping others in whatever way we can!
Eve & Sarah's cancer
Eve was diagnosed with a tumour on her spine and was given a life expectancy of just 48 hours. Just a few days after this, Sarah got diagnosed with cancer as well. I can’t begin to tell you how hard this was on all of us. It was one of the most harrowing times of our lives. But against the odds, Sarah and Eve survived. This had a dramatic effect on us all and greatly influenced how we live our lives.
Home educating Eve
Eve is home educated, having never been to school. We decided to home educate Eve from a very young age to give her the most tailored education to meet her needs and learning styles! Sarah is a qualified high school teacher, which helps, but she will also be the first person to tell you that you don't need to be a teacher to educate your children successfully at home!
Why Subscribe?
Subscribing is free and gives you loads of benefits. Everything we publish is delivered to your inbox, so you never miss a thing. You can also comment on every post, start discussions, and ask questions! We always reply, and you also get member access only to posts where we go into more detail and give you more advice, hints, tips, and tips! Best of all... It's FREE!
SubscribeThis is all for you, dear reader!
We started this website as much for you as we did for ourselves.
This is why...
Our Spectrum Adventures is where we offer help, advice, and guidance to people like you by answering questions, offering hints, tips, and ideas, and trying to inspire you with real-life stories of our adventures and how we do it.
What adventure means?
To us, adventure doesn't have to mean a huge bank balance to travel around the world. Adventure can be found right outside your front door, in the everyday and sometimes in the mundane! Adventure is right on your doorstep, literally!
The Great British Outdoors
The UK is such a diverse country, with hills, mountains, moors, and coasts that rival anywhere in the world. We have some of the best beaches, spectacular landscapes and thousands of miles of coast all waiting to be explored by you.
Did you know that you are never more than 70 miles from the coast anywhere in the UK!
I believe adventure is not a physical activity; it’s a way of thinking, a state of mind. It's about embracing life and getting out there, whenever you can and wherever you are! I believe there is no better place for an adventure than right here, in Britain, and I will prove it to you!
I promise you that, after you get to know us just a little better, you will soon come to realise;
‘If they can do it, then so can I'
So that's what I'm offering you: the chance to learn, be inspired, and join us on the adventure. After all, what have you got to lose?
Ian Alderman
The first time I was on TV, I was on Crimewatch… Weird, I know! I'm the primary writer on the website, but I also have Dyslexia, which makes writing (anything) hard! But I love writing and have zero intention of stopping!
Subscribe (it's free)I worked for the British Red Cross before joining the British Army as a combat medic, which saw me deployed to the Middle East. I’ve also worked as a Firefighter with the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service before starting and subsequently selling my training business, specialising in pre-hospital emergency care and legal compliance training for high-risk work environments.
Due to Eve's and Sarah's illnesses, I sold the business, and life completely changed.
I worked in our local village, helping various charities and people while focusing more and more on getting outdoors, travelling, and home-educating my daughter. I learned the hard way that life is short and fragile and that my time and energy should be dedicated to the most important aspects of life—family and adventure!
I hope that by talking about our adventures and what we do, we can tackle some of the stigmas, raise awareness of autism in males and females of all ages, and give people the confidence and inspiration to go out and do anything they want to do/be whoever they want to be.
I can assure you, you are more capable than you realise
Sarah Alderman
At 8 months pregnant, Sarah was flying around in a helicopter as a member of the Scottish Mountain Rescue. Sarah has also survived cancer! I married one tough lady.
Subscribe (it's free)Sarah (my wife and Eve’s mum) is our rock and the backbone of everything we do, our adventures, and Eve’s home education. She has been part of Scottish Mountain Rescue, a high school geography and outdoor education teacher, and the head of the department. Sarah has also worked as a professional expedition leader, a raft guide, a canoe and kayak instructor, and has specialist training as a teacher for statemented children.
Eve Alderman
Two-time world record holder in UK long-distance hiking, gold Blue Peter badge holder, awarded the Guiding Star Award, Chief Commissioners Thistle Award and survived a tumour as well as being Autistic. Eve is also home-educated.
Subscribe (it's free)Eve is awesome (though I may be biased!) and, at the tender age of 8, already has big ambitions. As if deciding a trip from one end of the country to the other was not enough, she wanted to continue to hike all of Scotland's Great Trails, all 2000 miles, in one continuous journey! (The walk was Eve’s idea), Eve already has plans to climb Mount Everest when she’s older. There’s a poster of Mount Everest above her bed, which is the first and last thing she sees every day.
Eve also has a formal diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, which impacts her life every single day. Being outdoors in nature, whatever the weather, whether hiking in the mountains or wild swimming, makes her feel joyful and free-spirited. Like me, Eve is truly at home’ in the outdoors, so we spend as much time as we can outdoors! She is home educated and we do a lot of it ‘on the trail’ as we hike! It’s amazing the education a child can get in the outdoors!