WILD IN
THE LAKES
ENNERDALE - THE LAKE DISTRICT
AN INSPIRING ADVENTURE IN A WILDER PART OF
THE LAKE DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK
A JOURNEY CURATED SPECIFICALLY FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS
TO SHARE WITH THEIR TEENAGE PEOPLE!
27th - 30th May 2026
Welcome to our first adventure designed specifically for parents/guardians who want to carve quality experiences with another family member. We’re talking about a reason to step away from screens, engage some crucial human skills, and connect with each other through adventure, in the most meaningful of ways. We’re definitely interested in parents/guardians wanting to spend time with older children too, those possibly having flown the nest, or wanting to rekindle some magic of past adventures.
Set in a wilder corner of The Lake District National Park, Ennerdale is at the beating heart of re-wilding initiatives in England and our adventure base sits at the core of this ancient valley. This is a walk-in, walk-out adventure from start to finish: there’s no public road to our home in the mountains. We’ll navigate the forest and streams in the valley and take time to step away from our daily routine, learning about the valley through the eyes of regenerative farmers and re-wilding experts, getting hands on in our exploration and stewardship of this remarkable land.
This adventure includes a Wild24, building on newly learned skills and the confidence to use them, we’ll embark on a 24 hour journey into the wilds of Ennerdale, enjoying some wild swimming along the way, before camping wild. This is a truly unique step into one of the most remote environments in the heart of the National Park.
Designed and led by Andy, our Head of School Relationships, alongside another of our remarkable leaders, this adventure offers a powerful and unique experience. Andy blends his crafts as an educator, mindfulness teacher and mountain man to bring to life the places which inspire and excite him. He also has Cumbrian blood in his veins, and has built a lifetime of memories in this special place. Wild in the Lakes draws on his own love of the more remote corners of the national park, and his ability to see immense possibility in every human.
We'd love to share the journey with you.
"It was an unforgettable adventure — truly special to experience together with my mother. Being away from everyday life, without phones, time pressure or other distractions, was genuinely healing. We laughed a lot, saw beautiful nature, pushed ourselves a little and felt a real sense of accomplishment — but most of all, we created memories we’ll be talking about for years to come.”
Nicole, Guest, 2025
INDICATIVE ITINERARY
DAY 1: WELCOME TO THE WILD
We'll meet you around lunch time, in Ennerdale car park on the north shore of the beautiful lake. Here we'll introduce ourselves and begin the process of connection before we do a quick check of essential kit, ensuring we all have what’s required to keep us warm and dry. When you sign up for the adventure we'll be sending you a simple kit list, and rest assured we take care of a lot of the basic kit we'll need, like tents, cooking equipment and first aid etc..
Ready and prepared, we’ll head east along the shores of Ennerdale and into the valley of the same name. With each step we’ll shed our daily life, taking in the walk beside the River Liza, surrounded by awesome high fells. Low Gillerthwaite is our destination, an hour walk into the Lake District National Park. As we land you'll sense how special this place is, and how different it feels to be away from the bustle of other valleys. On arrival we’ll take our time to familiarise ourselves with our adventure home. Energy dependent, we’ll head out to explore the valley’s lower reaches, this could be following the curves of the River Liza, perhaps taking time for a dip, or it might be further up towards Black Sail Bothy and the amphitheatre of high peaks surrounding it. Either way, we’ll begin to change our pace, and feel grounded in this magical place.
In the evening we'll prepare dinner together. An example meal is courgette, onion, halloumi and aromatic rice. Our approach to food focuses on eating well nutritionally with fresh food in the wild, and celebrating the connective magic of cooking together outside. After dinner, we reflect on the day with an opportunity for stargazing, a choice of teas, and gratitudes before bed.
Tonight we'll sleep inside, dorm style, in comfortable basic accommodation.
DAY 2: LIVE WILD
We rise early with the sun and greet the day with some gentle stretching and breath work. Fresh Coffee, from our favourite roasters, Girls Who Grind Coffee, will be served along with breakfast.
This morning we'll hear from local sustainability experts, who will guide us through an engaging morning with purpose, helping us to contribute to the essential re-wilding of this land. Ennerdale has (like much of England’s landscapes) been impacted by human activity for thousands of years, and this is an opportunity to explore our valuable role as part of a holistic wild system, actively supporting the healthy regeneration of this special environment.
After a morning of re-wilding ourselves and the land, we’ll enjoy a well earned lunch.
With energy on-board, we'll ensure our bags are adequately packed, and our Wild24 begins.
The Wild24 journey is subject to change based on weather and group needs, and we have a range of options available to us. Routes are typically between 5-8ks each day, and each of us will be carrying the kit we need for 24hrs in the wild (we reckon this'll weigh around 9-12 kilos). This adventure will involve different challenges for everyone, and we'll support each of you in yours, every step of the way.
An example plan;
This afternoon we'll head deeper into this remote valley, seeking solitude and serenity, and potential landmarks of ancient people before us. After a couple of hours of wild exploration, we'll find somewhere to camp wild for the night.
In the evening, with camp made, we’ll cook together on stoves as the sun sets. As ever we create calm before bed with a choice of teas, and gratitudes. We’ll fall asleep to the sounds of the wild, maybe we'll have a shelter above our heads, maybe simply the night sky.
DAY 3: RETURN FROM THE WILD
We’ll wake with the light as it rises behind distant peaks. We’ll take our time, breathe and move. We'll brew some coffee, and enjoy a light breakfast before packing up our wild home and setting out on foot once again. We’ll practise Leave No Trace principles, doing no harm to the environment in which we were guests. Our route back will depend on the energy of the group, and the weather we find, but will involve a similar amount of walking, via tumbling waterfalls and streams, back towards Ennerdale, and our adventure home at Low Gillerthwaite.
Throughout our Wild24 we’ll take time to pause often, journal, meditate, maybe wild swim in a mountain pool as we continue to deepen our connection to ourselves, each other and this remarkable wild place.
We’ll return early afternoon ready for a rest, boots off! We’ll have a bite to eat, and enjoy some time to relax, maybe read a few pages of a book. This time is for you to process your Wild24 experience in whatever way works for you.
This evening is our final one together. We'll enjoy a celebration dinner cooked by your leaders, taking the time to reflect on the journey, and wonder how we might weave this powerful experience into our personal journeys to come. We'll share a special ceremony that's part of all our adventures, and we'll revel in the magic of an adventure well shared.
After a long and rewarding day, we’ll be glad of a warm bed to hunker down in at the end of it all.
DAY 4: MOVING ON
On our final morning we'll follow our now well established morning routine, cementing the foundations of wellbeing we’ve been fostering. To close the circle of adventure, this morning we’ll have a final interactive session with local regenerative farmers to reflect on our new found connection with this remarkable place, and ensure we leave remembering it's deeply special nature, and it's inspiring people. With time for a final explore, and a visit to the stream, we’ll enjoy the morning at a gentle pace, before departing by foot along the path on which we arrived. It’s a fitting way to depart, heading out of the valley, eyes peeled for deer grazing in the morning light, arriving back at the car park around lunch time. From there, your journey continues...
INCLUSIONS THROUGHOUT
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2 qualified and experienced The Living Project leaders - Andy Zair & one other
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Required group safety kit
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All accommodation - dorm style shared accommodation/ 2 person tent or bivvi when out in the wild (provided by The Living Project)
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All meals and snacks, from and including Lunch on Day 1, to and including Breakfast on Day 4
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Specialist Re-wilding sessions x 2
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Your own personal journal + pencil
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Endless coffee & tea
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Water Purification stuff so we can collect water on the go
exclusions
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Transport to and from the start/end point in Ennerdale
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Personal kit (list provided on booking)
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Alcoholic Drinks (over-18s are welcome to bring your own, but we do not provide any)
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Personal spending money
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Any other snacks you may want to bring
book now
27th - 30th May 2026 - with Andy - £975 per pair - £185 (per pair) deposit payable on booking
some answers to some questions so far...
If you have any others please give us a shout or check our general FAQs
Where is ENNERDALE?
Ennerdale is a lesser explored corner of the Lake District National Park, in the north west of England. While wild and rugged, there is road access, and we'll provide you with clear instructions on how to get to our meeting point by the lake on day one. Excitingly, this is an off-grid location. There is power but it's generated on site and used sparingly, same with water! There's no mobile phone service so it's a great (if at times challenging) opportunity for a digital detox for all.
IS THERE A MINIMUM/MAXIMUM AGE FOR THE YOUNG PERSON?
We reckon this adventure is appropriate for young people aged 12+, accompanied by their adult human. We welcome older young people and their parent/guardian too. We reckon early 20s is probably about the oldest. Parent/Guardians - we welcome you all! If you'd like to chat about age etc. do please get in touch.
How fit / crazy / wild do WE need to be to do it?
We’re all about moving slow, noticing and exploring a landscape through all our senses. This adventure does involve physical and mental effort and in different ways for all of us, challenge. You will need to carry your gear (including equipment we provide such as tents/ stoves and food) in a ruck-sack for our Wild24, so we recommend a healthy level of fitness for your own enjoyment and safety. It will no doubt be a challenge being out in the Wild, but whether you're a first-timer or a seasoned wild camper, it's a magical experience to share with your young human and others. Our main priority is aways supporting guests on their journey, and we adapt our plans to meet the needs of the team, and in-line with the weather doing it's thing too.
What kit will WE need?
We provide all group kit, including food, cooking gear, safety kit and tents. To highlight a few basics - you'll each need a good pair of worn-in walking boots, a decent sleeping bag and mat, a 45l ruck-sack, and some waterproofs. Once you're signed up we'll send you a little kit-list.
What’s the value of this adventure for me (parent/guardian), my child, and our relationship?
We know that carving meaningful time with your young people can be a challenge. We invite you to a wilder corner of the Lake District to help you create an opportunity for connection, fun, and personal growth: for you the adult, your child, and collectively as a pair. You'll have space to be independent and evolve as individuals, and also time to work and play alongside each other, in a purposeful, unforced way. Throughout the adventure we'll carve moments of magic and memories to hold closely long after you’ve returned home. We hope that the adults will connect with something hidden inside of them, in a place often overlooked or ignored when we grip tightly to our parent hat, but that we see emerge and shine in wild places away from daily rush and routine. And we hope the young people leave feeling a step closer to the their adult person, as well as the wild places on our doorstep, empowered to live a life which leans into adventure, and connected to the incredible world which supports them.
ANDY, WhAT'S YOUR PERSONAL MOTIVATION FOR DESIGNING AND LEADING THIS ADVENTURE?
Many of my most formative memories were carved spending time in wild places with my own dad - I was fortunate I got to experience that and it shaped our relationship, giving it some real substance. This kind of adventure also taught me lots of ‘life skills’ like genuine resilience and inner strength. I have always returned to these places in times when I needed to find clarity, calm, strength, or time escape from the noise. But I know that not every young person gets that, and not every parent has the energy or knowledge to safely design and lead mini adventures themselves. So this is a way of enabling parents to step towards the edge of their comfort zone, to be the parent that they want to be in this context, and to deliver an experience that their childs' schools might not be offering. This is about enabling deep growth and connection.
WhAT ARE THE SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS?
On night one and three we'll be spending the night in our adventure base, where we'll share comfortable, basic dormitory/bunk style accommodation. There will be adult male, adult female, young person male, and young person female dorms.
On night two we'll be wild camping, either in tents (shared between two - in your adult/young person pairs), or if the weather is cracking, in bivvi bags under the stars, where once again, we'll set you up in your pairs. Please chat with us further if you have any questions about the above, please don't hesitate to reach out.