The First Steps to Wild Camping - 1 of 3 by Ian Finch

Image by: Thom Neish

When done respectfully, Wild Camping is one of the most beautiful and authentic ways to connect to the landscape and the cycle of the seasons. With nostalgia still intact, a few of us may have camped as children with the encouragement of parents along with brothers and sisters on a great British summer holiday. Where others may have even attended scouts or guides, fostered valuable outdoor skills and earnt colourful and embroidered badges of merit for shelter building and fire lighting. Those moments as children remind us of freedom and of days less complicated and it’s quite possible that those children are camping as adults and grandparents today, inspiring the next generation as they once did to the power of nature and the outdoors, by passing on their knowledge and appreciation.

Today, wild camping in the UK can seem a daunting experience. As technology and confidence grows, we are pushing further into quieter and more remote corners in search of the sunrise or an infinite sunset, yet it doesn’t have to be that way as adventure, to all of us, is relative. Once we have searched, planned and sought the correct permissions or otherwise what really counts and matters, wherever you’re located, is the visceral and rewarding experience of connection that comes with sleeping out in the elements.

Some of the most common questions I come across are when, where, legality, what to pack, how to collect water, what tent do I need and what about adverse weather, wind and rain? Yet one of the most important questions we should first ask is..why?

Image by Jamie Barnes

Why go Wild Camping and what are the benefits?

In our rhythm and rush lifestyles, there has never been a better time to reconnect with nature. During the onslaught of the ongoing pandemic, we have been confined to the borders of our homes and local landscapes and not the geographic or global ones we once knew. These restrictions have inadvertently giving us a fresh perspective and appreciation towards our relationship to nature and our DNA level drives to explore. Now, more than ever we agree that time in nature is not only for challenge and fun, but for healing and reconnection.

As an example, Wild Camping can build self-sufficiency and resilience. Adverse weather, rain or snow will give you a new perspective and respect into the power of nature and the elements. As a result, we’ll actively feel, process and absorb those elemental forces of cold and wind, creating a much more memorable experience. Rationing and collecting water will provide an appreciation for something so readily available and so under-appreciated, especially on hot days. Spending long nights out will not only connect you to your natural circadian rhythm but give you the opportunity to view stars and constellations sometimes not viewable in the night sky due to the afterglow of big cities, towns and streetlights. Fundamentally, as you sleep closer to the earth, wild camping can ground you energetically and physically in ways you never thought possible.

Most importantly, wild camping can helps us connect to the present moment by breaking away from the overstimulating social and technological pressures of modern life. As a result, mental health can improve, anxiety and stress can fade as will the signal to our smartphones the deeper we go into the landscape. If not alone, you’ll work together to find suitable and safe places to sleep, help each other boil water for food, shape and build your tents and look out for each other’s interests and happiness as you go. By doing this you can develop leadership and self-confidence whilst strengthening friendships and bonds weaved together by stories around the bubbling water of on stove or in the morning haze after wind ravaged night.

The “why” of wild camping is about adding, not subtracting. Adding more of nature, quietness, challenge and reconnection – These are the things that not only enrich, heal and strengthen our connection with nature, but to our friends and families alongside us.

The how and where comes next…

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To secure a place on our 2 Day Cotswolds UK Wild Camp click here: Wild Camp

Top 3 Weather Apps for the Outdoors & Adventure - By Ian Finch

Climate, weather and local conditions play a huge role in the outdoor adventure experience. Love it or hate it, smartphone technology has come a long way in 20 years – Our devices are now a detailed one-stop hub of navigation, weather, photography and communication apps that bring vast amounts of information to our fingertips anywhere at any time. Where technology is an increasingly relied upon tool, should we be careful not to rely on it solely as a source navigation or weather predictability? – Possibly. Technology has its down days, batteries die, glitches in the program can delete data or we can lose vital information if it gets damaged or lost. So, without doubt, outdoor technology is positively changing the way we interact with the outdoors, but we shouldn’t forget to learn and apply fundamental outdoor skills where we can combine traditional methods (learning about weather fronts, clouds and local signs) alongside the modern smartphone technology to make a stronger and more present outdoor adventure experience.

One of the main aspects in the preparation phase of any outdoor journey is knowing and understanding weather and the conditions you will encounter. Weather dictates clothing, clothing dictates how comfortable you will or will not be and this can dictate the successful outcome of your journey. Choosing the correct clothing to suit the weather not only comes with time and experience but can mean the difference between life and death. Fundamentally having an understanding of weather and how to access reliable local information prior to and during your journey is a great skill to acquire. Never before have we had access to so much weather data provided by NASA satellites and global communication systems. It’s here at the apex of knowledge and technology that we can bridge the gap and ensure we know what conditions we will be up against.

To aid in that journey, here are my top 3 weather apps for the outdoors and adventure.

Dark Sky

An advanced weather app providing local and global mapping and radar services showing you exactly where weather fronts and storms are and where they are going. Drill down and explore the details of your forecast and get the exact information you need and care about.

Windy (free)

Windy is an extraordinary tool for weather forecast visualisation. It’s fast, intuitive, detailed and accurate weather radars are trusted by professional pilots, paragliders, skydivers, kiters, surfers, boaters, fisherman, storm chasers and weather geeks. It’s also used by the government, army staff and rescue services.

My Lightning Tracker (free)

My Lightning Tracker is the best app for monitoring storms and lightning strikes all around the world in close to real-time. With a super sleek, interactive modern design you can watch thunderstorms as they occur and see detailed locations of actual lightning strikes.

Searching For King Johns Treasure - With The Independent and Coastal Exploration Company - Photography by Ian Finch

Ian Finch podcast with Alex Blackmore - Risking Exposure - Notes on Vulnerability

Ian Finch (Insta: @ianefinch @walkwilduk) is a photographer, expedition guide and poetry-writing former Marine Commando. After a life changing sickness at high altitude he was forced to explore new paths in life and began an adventure into wildness....

Podcast by Alex Blackmore (Insta @notesonvulnerability and @alexshorecoaching)

(Film) The Last Wilderness of Scotland - A canoe expedition into the wild heart of the Highlands

Regions of Discovery - Travel Destinations for a Gap Year Student - Ian Finch (Written for www.blacks.co.uk)

Every journey we take has the potential to inspire, challenge and teach us. These journeys can be as simple as a hike in the fertile lowlands of the Austrian Alps or longer cross-continental trips across countries or to the foothills of the world’s highest mountain ranges. There is no doubt that the magic starts from the spark of an idea and continues through every single stage of the journey - from planning logistics to the physical undertaking of the adventure to sharing your gap year story with the wider world.

I have been blessed to have visited and met people from the world’s far away regions. The lessons that come from the landscapes and from those that call it home are always vast and far-reaching. They have shaped the way I live and taught me, in depth, about a world and our relationship to its fragile environment.

I hope the following destinations will inspire you to see that adventure and travel, in all its forms, is everywhere. I also hope the lure of these countries will encourage you to undertake journeys of all shapes and sizes during your gap year, they truly are one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll have in your life - let’s get exploring.

Austria

To me, the Alps are the younger brother of the Himalayas and are one of the most beautiful and rugged landscapes in Europe. There is easy access to the equally beautiful regions of Italy, Switzerland and Slovenia with a simple border crossing.

Myanmar

Possibly Asia’s best-kept secret. There are still areas of this wonderful and culturally rich country that have rarely seen a western tourist. A new overland route to Thailand is now open.

Mongolia

For a taste of an ancient culture and nomadic lifestyle Mongolia is unsurpassed. Fly from Ulaanbaatar west to Olgii, then further west for an authentic experience of the Steppe, horse, and eagle culture.

New Zealand

Two islands of immense and geographically diverse national parks, rich Maori culture and world-renowned landscapes, New Zealand’s (Land of the Long White Cloud) mild Pacific climate makes it ideal to explore for any length of time by bike or on foot.

Alaska

Northwest from Canada sits the US’s most least populated state at 1.3 people per square mile. Alaska is a wilderness of unrivalled vastness, human history and culture. Take a small plane from Anchorage into the tundra to hike (with qualified guide) or paddle a section of the Yukon River for an authentic taste of this untouched region.

A Wanderlust Book Reading List - Ian Finch

A Wanderlust Reading List - by Ian Finch

(Written for www.blacks.co.uk)

Books are escape portals. They can inspire, guide, educate and fire the imagination; they can let you explore from your armchair or they can keep you company out in the wilds. From the beach to the mountaintop, on the deck of a boat, snug in your tent, or in an airport lounge waiting on a flight to somewhere incredible – books are the perfect adventure accessory.

Blacks Ambassador, Ian Finch, has travelled far and wide in pursuit of his own adventure story. Here, at the start of a new year of travel, we take a moment to ask Ian about the books that inspire(d) him to pick up his pack.

Kings of The Yukon - Adam Weymouth

This book recounts an epic journey down the 200 miles of the mighty Yukon River. For four months Adam Weymouth explored the river's path through untamed wilderness, tracing the relationship between the river and the life it sustains. He paints a sombre picture of the modern world's trespass upon a traditional way of life, most apparent in the dwindling population of king salmon that once thrived in the Yukon. Weymouth paints the beauty and laments the loss of a true wilderness.

Ian says: I met Adam on the Yukon River when he was researching this book. In fact, he was writing about the same subject matter I was there to research on both of our 2000-mile canoe descent. He's produced a marvellous account of the connection between the Yukon's people, the river, and the salmon that provide a way of life.  

The Natural Navigator - Tristan Gooley 

Tristan Gooley introduces you to the art of finding your way. Using a mixture of folklore, history and science, Gooley alerts you to the signposts that are all around you. From finding north by examining a puddle to checking which side of tree points south, The Natural Navigator is an essential guide to GPS-less navigation.

Ian says: - It's a beautiful insight into the timeless art of navigation using features & clues within the natural landscape.

The Hidden Life of Trees - Peter Wohlleben

Forget Instagram, trees as the true social network. This is the case made by Peter Wohlleben, who suggests that there is so much we don't know about trees: their communication, their family dynamics and their ability to share. Along the way Wohlleben paints a compelling picture of the natural wooded landscape that he loves.

Ian says: A book that blew my mind within one chapter. The title says it all. 

Trails, Trappers and Tenderfeet in the New Empire of Western Canada - Stanley Washburn

Stanley Washburn's book comes to you from the early part of the twentieth century when Canada was still a young country. His tales of frontier life in the wilderness of the West make for compelling reading. The maps and illustrations are worth the price alone – bringing the era to life and awakening the adventurer in anyone who traces a finger across the page to follow a river to its source.

Ian says: A majestic book from 1920 about the first fur trappers, the Washburn party into Western Canada. The images are incredible.  

The Outer Hebrides: The Timeless Way - Peter Clarke

Clarke's book describes in detail his 230-mile journey through the Outer Hebrides. The journey progresses island by island and reveals the strata of life, history and ecology that make up this unique part of the British Isles. It's an evocative book, filled with anecdote and imagery, but it also serves as a highly useful guide for those wishing to undertake the journey (or part of it) themselves.

Ian says: I walked the length of the Hebrides in the summer of 2014 while reading this book and following its historical route. A beautiful way to see some of Scotland's most stunning islands. 



(Film) Ian Finch - Kodak - 27 Images

A 4 day journey on foot across the Lake District. 1 Kodak throwaway camera and 27 Images to capture it all.

Partnered with Skyrise Productions

Ian Finch - Developing our Relationship with Nature

“Once you have respect you care, when you care you share, once you share you teach”

As soon as her words enveloped my thoughts I knew I’d heard something special. Freda was Northern Shoshone and lived in a remote region on the banks of the Yukon River, Canada. As we sat outside a small cabin beyond the abandoned church from the Klondike era, I contemplated the week of paddling in the canoe that it had taken me to arrive here, hundreds of miles from the source of the river. I had at least one thousand four hundred miles left until I reached the river’s mouth in western Alaska.

Along the way, from Freda and other native elders, I’d get a lesson in what landscape and connection truly meant, shared with me by people who rely on it as a way of life and a means of living.

All of my journeys, long or short, involve the intertwining ribbon of culture and landscape, which I see as intrinsically linked. Within this is my ongoing search for simplicity, meaning and a way of life. This simple notion is what drew me to the vastness of the Yukon to meet the first nation groups who have permeated this landscape for 10,000 years. For the people of this region, their culture, identity and psyche are firmly rooted in their partnership with the landscape and the wildlife. For centuries and even up until the modern day, their success as a culture is directed by this vital partnership. To lose this connection would be catastrophic for their spiritual health, and ultimately their survival.

The elders explained to me how all humans need a living dynamic relationship with the landscape in order to feel nourished and to feel connected. On returning to the rhythm and rush of urban life, I realised this was as true for the people of Alaska as it is for the people of London. We are one and the same, nourished in life by the land. My outlook towards the greater framework of nature was indelibly shaped by those intimate conversations.

With the recent insights of the Yukon expedition crackling like an ember inside me, I developed the Kodak / 27 Images project in the spring of 2017. At its heart the project was as much about disconnecting as it was reconnecting, experimenting this time in the landscapes I call home. I decided to cross, on foot and alone, two major regions of the Lake District - Coniston to Buttermere. Instead of taking my DSLR I would use a simple Kodak throwaway camera to photograph the entire journey. If I took my DSLR, or even a smartphone, there would be countless opportunities to get the images I wanted. But spending so much time behind the lens meant the camera could become like a middleman, moderating my relationship with the land.

With the Kodak, I wanted its limitations to become its strengths. The limit of 27 exposures meant I would have to slow down so that I could more closely observe my surroundings, in search of the best picture. I also hoped that that slowing down would bring more presence, clarity and a new creative perspective.

Essentially, stripping back technology and choice would give breathing space for more meaningful things like nature, creativity and connection with the land.

An elder once said to me “ When you slow down more, you’ll look more, and when you look more you’ll learn more”. This became not only the ethos for the project but shaped my way of living and became a component of my new business, Walk Wild.

I’d always been drawn to ancient forests and dense woodlands: their enchantment and complexity captured my imagination. Within the mosaic of these wonderfully wild places lies a hierarchy of families and cross species generosity.

After my expedition to the Yukon I became even more intrigued by the complex society of life within a forest ecosystem. Months after the journey, it was now time to share and teach the knowledge that had inspired me. Focusing on the landscape of forests and woodlands, I said “Yes” in the face of fear and failure to starting an immersive outdoor business where walking, slowing down and looking more took precedence over the mileage counter on a watch or smartphone.

I founded Walk Wild to offer people carefully crafted day walks in some of the southern UK’s most ancient woodlands. They are designed to give people more time and space in wild locations, to support the development of their relationship with nature. During these walks I share nuggets of information about the inner workings of forests, wisdom about individual trees and how the rich variety of trees species communicate with each other and the ecosystems they’re part of.

For some, connecting with nature is a sense of a relationship with something far greater than ourselves. The lessons passed to me from elders on the Yukon River, lessons that had been shared from generation to generation for thousands of years, had changed a humble life on another continent. It spurred me to found an organisation with a mission to spread their teachings to one million people.

All across the world, first nation and indigenous communities believe that everything around us - the humble butterfly and the bird, the forests and the river, the mountains and the sky, all possess the spirit of life. I am now convinced of this too. Nature is a healer, the great teacher and a universal force of birth and death. Spending time in nature and taking time to listen, observe, and use all of our senses, is how we can start to understand the wonders of nature, and develop a personal relationship to the land.

I also wholeheartedly believe that if we begin to adopt that same awareness to the interconnection between all life, as the native communities do, we’ll naturally develop a deep sense of connection to and respect for the landscapes we all call home.

Ian Finch & Caroline Cote Documentary - Pull of the North - A 2000 mile canoe descent of the Yukon River

“When I was growing up, the salmon looked much healthier, the water would be clear. Now today the salmon are very small and unhealthy, down to mining impact upriver. I want our fish and for our salmon to be healthy again.” - Frieda Alfred, Northern Tutchone, Yukon River.

For a first major expedition it was bold - To paddle the entire watercourse of the Yukon River, stopping in remote communities whilst sitting and listening to the people that call it home. The impact of mining, commercial fishing and government restrictions on what and when they can fish has left its mark on cultures that have lived on the land for thousands of years. Our 2000 mile journey was to explore that relationship of old and new and further understand our place within it all.

Chuffed that our film, edited by @caro.line.cote, has made it into numerous film festivals worldwide - yet, most importantly the film has been well received by those people who gave their valuable time and shared their culture and traditions with us along the vast course of the river. To me, those are the only reviews that matter. I’m indebted, to those, until then end of time.

Deeply grateful for @martin_trahan_canoeist for his knowledge, logistics and skillset, for @jaykolsch for his creativity and beautiful imagery and @caro.line.cote for her strength, creativity and attitude putting up with me in a canoe for nearly 3 months. To all again, I’m forever indebted

Ian Finch features in Metro article about how explorers use isolation coping strategies from expeditions to cope with lockdown

Bring The Outside, Inside - Exploring The Summits and Peaks of Your Mind during Lockdown - Written for Fjallraven Clothing

Exploring the Summit and Peaks of Your Mind

For those of us whose passion it is to try and cross physical or geographic boundaries, recently our boundaries have become that of brick and mortar of which we are encouraged not to leave. Some will see this as a time to reset and recharge, whilst others will struggle with loneliness and isolation. I’m a great believer that landscape and adventure first originate within the mind, well before they are played out on the rock faces or summits for real. Lets cultivate support and positivity as a local and wider community and never forget that we can all wander, climb and explore the landscapes of the imagination, as no boundaries exist there.

Bring the outside, inside:

Like many, I go into the wild places for nature induced connection and creativity, to test myself and to release the overwhelming pressures on the modern mind. It’s always been a place to get away from the rhythm and rush of contemporary life and the never-ending stream of external stimulation constantly pulling at the strings of our senses. I would go as far as saying nature is a sanctuary. I believe it’s the wilderness herself and time spent outdoors that heals, restores and teaches us well beyond the physical landscape of the body. For me, thats why the boundaries of the four walls have never felt so small.

Yet how can we cultivate that yearning for the wild places from the frontiers of our home and what can we do to stay positive and proactive?

 • Conceptualise – Dream big, unfold maps, journal & write. Research regions & landscapes, routes, ranges or rivers.

 • Read, Listen & Learn – About the machinery of nature, the living world and how it works.

 • Plan – Where would I like to go, with who, how and most importantly, Why.

 • Story – What story would I like to tell? - A human, geographic, environmental or global story?

 Treasure and Drive

Ive found working on those steps will create a spark, like the clash of flint on steel. A spark that will, in time, ignite an ember, that leads to a precious appreciation for time spent outdoors. The reality is that we are for the time being, somewhat confined by the structural borders of our homes, but not the vast fabric of our imaginations. Not for one second does that mean we can’t dream, plan and imagine. In time, things will return to normal, our feet and smiles will find themselves on the back-country trails once again and we’ll have a new appreciation and perspective of the wild places we will come to know and love. For the time being, it’s all a lesson in patience.

Keep exploring people, even just for now, into the summit and peaks of your imagination.