john muir page
wild adventures to inspire life
WE'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE
We're passionate about working with young people, providing a supportive space for healthy exploration of self, other and the natural world. We do this through providing mindful adventures in wild places, focusing on the journey. We know that human and whole-planet health and wellbeing benefit from being outside. And that this is more important now than ever. Our team of dedicated, experienced and passionate leaders, with decades of combined global experience working in the wild with young people, would love the opportunity to provide a wild adventure to inspire your students.
"Doing this has changed my outlook on how I want to live my life."
Finn (Student, "Live Wild", Knoydart 2022)
proud providers of THE JOHN MUIR EXPLORE AWARD
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We're proud providers of The John Muir Award, enabling us to deliver this inspiring award in wild places with schools and students.
We've designed two unique adventures to enable students to fulfil the award criteria - one in the Knoydart Peninsula - the home of the John Muir Foundation!
The John Muir Award encourages people of all backgrounds to connect with, enjoy and care for wild places. The Trust's John Muir Award is an environmental award scheme focused on wild places. It is inclusive, accessible and non-competitive, though should challenge each participant.
The award encourages awareness and responsibility for the natural environment through a structured yet adaptable scheme, in a spirit of fun, adventure and exploration.
DISCOVER, EXPLORE, CONSERVE, SHARE
The award enables students to discover, explore, conserve and then share their experience of wild places. Each adventure is curated by us in line with these four stages - empowering young people to continue their journey with being a guardian of wild places after they return home.
It is for this reason that the award is recognised by schools, colleges, universities and employers as a progressive environmentalist action for the future.
"Society is enriched when nature has the freedom to repair itself, people have the freedom to enjoy the benefits and communities have the freedom to thrive."
CONNECTION THROUGH mindful ADVENTUREs in the wild
We're committed to sharing the benefits of connecting with the natural world through adventure, and we do this by engaging in a mix of activities (depending on the group, the environment and the outcomes).
A MIX OF ACTIVITIES
-Play
- Coaching
- Reflection and journaling
- Meditation
- Breath-work
- Yoga
- Wild swimming
- Storytelling round the fire
- Sleeping under the stars
AREAS OF PASSION AND EXPERTISE
- Mental Health and wellbeing
- Leadership and teamwork
- Trekking
- Re-wilding
- The John Muir Award
- Conservation
- Sustainability
- Responsible travel
- Foraging and wild food
PROVEN BENEFITS
- Decreases stress
- Improves short term memory
- Relieves attention fatigue
- Increases creativity
- Increases resilience
- Increases confidence
- Increases self-esteem
the more high tech we become - the more nature we need
“The future will belong to the nature-smart — those individuals, families, businesses and political leaders who develop a deeper understanding of the transformative power of the natural world, and who balance the virtual with the real. The more high- tech we become, the more nature we need.” (Richard Louv)
ringwood waldorf school - knoydart, summer 2022
Sarah, teacher - RINGWOOD WALDORF School
"Last night, around a fire we reviewed our time in Scotland and each student gave me a one word summary. I thought you’d be interested in their choices..
Growth - Adventure - Explore - Inspiration - Comfortable
Unison - mountain passes forced us to step in each step and sway with each sway
Overcoming - Life-changing - New - Discovery - Kind
Strengthen - bonds, muscles, minds
Camaraderie - Beginning
Unforgettable"
SOME EXAMPLES OF our SCHOOL ADVENTURES so far...
safety and leadership
Comprehensive insurance with Activities Industry Mutual, robust risk assessment and management, and AALA licensing, together with our experienced leaders enables us to provide a unique space for students for magic to unfold.
Our co-founders have more than 25 years experience working with young people through adventurous activity. This means that safety is a hygiene factor which runs through everything we do as standard. Through our experience in the outdoor industry we also understand the power of the human journey through adventure. As such, our approach to adventure centres around mindfulness, coaching, teamwork, self-development and communication.
So while our leaders are all technically qualified when it comes to safety, they are also experienced, trained, resourced and committed to delivering meaningful adventures for students.
As well as our core team of leaders, we also partner with experts in fields such as foraging, re-wilding, conservation and sustainability, so that we can provide genuine breadth and depth to our adventures.
It's this combination of safety, experience and leadership which enables us to provide safe, current and credible programmes centred around exploration, curiosity, personal development, and wellbeing.
Jen, STAFF at Royal Grammar School High Wycombe
"Incredible. Josh, Cormac and Ember took us on a wonderful journey. We felt equally challenged and looked after. This was a great opportunity to reset after an incredibly challenging year for all, and we couldn't have asked for anyone better than Josh and Cormac to take us on the journey."
THE MAGIC (WHAT WE DO)
On all our wild adventures, whether they're one day or a week long we focus on the journey itself - taking the time to move mindfully through the environment we're in.
A WILDFUL DAY
Run at your school - or at a local wild spot to you, these days are a mix of mindful connection with nature, personal reflection, adventure and wild time without having to travel far.
wild weekends
Mixing bunkhouse bases and wild camping these allow for safe exploration in wild places like Dartmoor, Snowdonia and The Peak District.
wild adventures
Co-created with you and what your students need, and with the resources you have. This is an opportunity for a longer adventure exploring wild places. Think 5-10 days in the wilds of Scotland, Dartmoor, Sweden or further afield!
WHERE WE GO IN THE UK
and FURTHER AFIELD
Sri Lanka - coming soon
STUDENT, LATYMER UPPER SCHOOL
"I just wanted to say thank you for everything you did this past week, it was genuinely such a beautiful experience. The philosophy with which y'all approach things is one many could learn from, and one which I hope to move towards in the future."
Leading with love talk
As well as providing curated adventures for students, our co founder - Josh is passionate about delivering inspiring and engaging talks to students, teachers and schools.
Josh has more than a decade of experience leading teams in exciting environments around the world, as well as studying leadership extensively and recruiting, training and supporting hundreds of expedition leaders around the planet.
In his 40 minute interactive talk ideal for students in key stages 3 & 4, he engages participants in the human experience of leadership. This talk goes beyond tools and techniques and asks listeners to consider the simple, fundamental core of great leadership, love.
Drawing on his extensive experience, on-going journey as Managing Director of The Living Project and the wisdom of others, he challenges the audience to consider their thoughts and feelings about leadership and revel in the powerful value of loving those we lead (including ourselves).
If this is something you and your school are interested in, get in touch. Because after all, the world could benefit from a bit more love in leadership.