Solo motorcycle touring and the geography of wellbeing - Dr Jason Wragg

What can travelling alone through remote landscapes teach us about our health and wellbeing?

In this talk, Dr Jason Wragg explores the experience of long-distance solo motorcycle journeys and what they can reveal about how we think, feel, and cope with the world around us. Drawing on his research, he will show how stepping away from everyday routines and spending time in unfamiliar places can have powerful benefits for both mind and body.

Being on the road in remote environments often encourages a deeper focus and sense of presence. With fewer distractions, people can experience a quieter mind, reduced stress, and moments of calm that feel similar to meditation. These journeys can also create space to reflect, reset, and view life from a different perspective.

The talk will also explore how travel — especially when done alone — can help us rethink who we are. Time spent in new and sometimes challenging environments can support personal growth, build confidence, and offer opportunities for change that are hard to find in everyday life.

Bringing together ideas about travel, landscape, and wellbeing, this engaging talk invites you to consider how movement, solitude, and the places we visit can shape our sense of self—and improve our overall wellbeing.

About the speaker

Jason Wragg, PhD (FRGS, FHEA) is Programme Lead for the BA (Hons) Leadership through Outdoor Adventure degree at the University of Central Lancashire and Managing Editor of the Journal of Motorcycle Studies.

His doctoral research explores solo motorcycle travel through an autoethnographic methodology, incorporating comic book creation as a mode of data analysis and representation.

His academic interests centre on adventure and solo travel, and the ways in which meaning is made through stories of movement and place.

Booking information

• Advance booking for this event is required. Please book via eventbrite.

If you have any questions or require assistance with your booking, please email events@rgs.org

This event has been organised by the North West regional committee and University of Lancashire - Westlakes campus.

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