This book is for you. It is for those of you who rarely head out into the natural world but want to know more. This book is also for those who get out there as much as they can and are keen to hone their skills, or for people like myself who work and spend much of their lives in the outdoors. There is always more to learn and this book includes tips and ideas for everyone.
But why dedicate your precious time to trying these 50 things to do in the wild? One important benefit of life in the open air is disconnection. We live in an age where almost all of us are glued to screens, addicted to and ruled by technology. Work emails, social media chatter, news platforms … it can all get very noisy. That is why we need to quieten the chaos around us, disconnect from the wires and devices and feel the peace, majesty and space of a clifftop view or a clearing in the forest.
Even more significant than disconnection, spending time in the outdoors is about connection. The skills in these pages have many names – survival, bushcraft, forest school, mindfulness – but at its heart it is simply about connection with nature. Do not forget that we are a part of the natural world; we are animals, made of billion-year-old carbon – we are stardust.
As a population, we have a desperate need to reconnect with the natural world. Now more than ever. Years of deforestation, heavy industry and monoculture farming have degraded our soil, decimated biodiversity and polluted our air and oceans to dangerous levels.
While governments and multinationals have been slow to respond, as individuals and communities we must believe we have the power to effect change. Every day I hear of wise and wonderful schemes to regenerate the natural environment in our urban and rural landscapes. It is time we rewild ourselves, rewild our children and so, rewild our future. I hope the pages of this book will help you rediscover your wild side!
Time spent in the natural world also connects us to those around us. Try some of the activities I suggest in this book with your loved ones – time spent together working as a team in the great outdoors bonds a community like nothing else. You may well create some great memories and stories along the way.
Finally, you may find that these activities give you a chance to connect with yourself. Give yourself some space and time out there. Listen to your thoughts. Get in touch with something very ancient.
Beyond these noble aims, really the whole point of these 50 things to do in the wild is that they are such fun. I hope you have as much fun as I do out there. Let’s get wild!
As well as enjoying your time in the wild, always ensure that you strive to minimize the impact of your activities by disposing of litter, using marked trails and camping on durable surfaces, taking the utmost care when collecting wood and making fires, and conserving habitats and wildlife. We are guests out there!