If you are preparing for a holiday and starting to draw up plans, my advice would be: don’t.

In a world where everything has to be organized to the minutest detail, where every conceivable piece of information is available with just a couple of taps on your phone – from live traffic reports to an hour by hour update of the weather – we need more spontaneity and a seemingly forgotten lust for adventure. We live in a time where all our daily activities are becoming ever more regimented, organized and simply dull.

If you are taking a holiday in the UK, you don’t really need to plan anything. In the spirit of “As I walked out one midsummer morning”, all you have to do is walk out your front door and a whole world of experiences and sights await for the intrepid traveller. Buses can be stopped, trains can be caught and taxis can be hailed. Or simply put one foot in front of another and start walking. For the more daring, you can also try sticking your thumb out on the side of the road in the time honoured tradition and cast your fate to the wind and the generosity of a fellow traveller.

Travel should be random and meandering. Plans should be casual and be able to change at any moment. If you can’t hitch a ride to Wales then jump in the car that’s going to Scotland. Wales will still be there next time, and if there isn’t a next time, well, Scotland is a beautiful country.

So ignore the guidebooks and countless websites. Leave your itinerary, maps and, if you dare, your phone behind and go out and find a real adventure.