Wild And Free…
Photo by Elisha May
I really love my wild trips, into nature.
There’s something wildly liberating about sleeping under the stars, driving country lanes with no set plan, and letting nature reset your soul. I’ve done wild camping with just a backpack before, once up in the Wye Valley with someone I was dating and absolutely loved it. But to do it properly, I definitely need a better-fitting backpack. Trust me, a decent backpack can make or break your spine and your spirit.
For now, I love taking my Defender and sleeping in the back. As a woman, it feels safer to be in a locked vehicle with the keys at the ready, just in case. Let’s be real: it’s nature, not the people, that feels most trustworthy to me these days. The truth? I’ve experienced far more harm from humans than from any wild woodland. A life unlived is far more dangerous.
This last trip wasn’t far from home, but I took my time, winding slowly through country lanes, windows down, greenery everywhere. I love trundling along in the Landie, a bit of green-laning, and splashing through the odd ford. Honestly, I’m 38 going on 8, puddles still delight me, and rivers are just invitations to play.
The joy in nature is endless if you let yourself tune into it. She’s always inviting us into play, silliness, and release, if we just say yes. As women especially, we’re conditioned to be “respectable,” to hold it all together. But my most freeing moments have come when I’ve let that all go. When I’ve remembered it’s okay to laugh out loud, to get muddy, to just be.
I only stayed one night, it was June, but the temp dropped to 6°C and my sleeping bag lied to me about its thermal capabilities. Thermals and all, I was still cold. But still, it was a deeply nourishing 36 hours. I followed no OS maps, just my intuition. I took a nap - as you do - because driving is deeply stimulating for a High Sensory Empath like me.
There was no plan. Just a left turn that took me down a road with a surprise ford (joy!), followed by a river walk where moss-covered trees made it feel like I’d stepped back in time. Later I discovered I was in the Lorna Doone Valley, a spot I’d always wanted to explore. Another ford, another splash, more inner child magic.
That night I parked up, made some dinner, and tried to sleep. It was freezing, but sunrise made up for it. That blissful pre-dawn moment when the world hasn’t quite woken up yet, pure peace.
I treated myself to a pastry and coffee in Porlock, wandered its streets, then made my way to Bossington. If you haven’t been, go. The cottages feel like stepping into a different century. The sun was out, cool breeze in the air, and I hiked up Bossington Hill for lunch with a view. On the way down I met some locals - the four-legged kind - drinking from the river.
I wanted ice cream, but the café was closed, so instead I soaked my feet in the stream and collapsed onto the grass. That kind of countryside rest, where you just lie in the sun and listen to the birds? Healing.
This trip reminded me: I’m an Explorer. It’s in my bones. These adventures feed something vital in me.
So let me ask you:
What part of you are you denying?
What aspect of your soul needs feeding?
Where could more joy or silliness slip into your day?
Try it. Rest. Laugh. Wander. Let your inner child back in.
Until next time…
Much love,
Elisha ❤️
