Discovering the WOW factor

The strapline for The Expedition Club is “Discover Wilderness”. There are those who hike to the peaks, seek out the hardest routes, or conquer rivers and mountains, but never notice the wilderness around them. It is my philosophy to try to introduce those who join me on expeditions to discover the wildness that surrounds us, and there is also an inner wildness to be discovered.

It is true that Britain is one of the most nature-depleted countries on the planet, and even that some of our uplands, rivers and lakes are even more desolate (don’t even get me started on that one!). In Britain we don’t have any impressive large carnivores, the scariest thing you are likely to meet on land is a badger. Nevertheless, for those who observe carefully, for those who take time to listen and learn, and for those who learn nature’s rhythms, there is still much wilderness and wildness to be discovered.

I have been fortunate to be able to take some days in the last month to visit some special places for nature. As I learned to look for the details, to listen and take time to wait for nature to reveal itself, I’ve been able to record some great nature in some beautiful and exciting places. In the spirit of leaving only footprints and taking only photos I wanted to share with you a few of my better photos. Keep on discovering your own wildernesses.