Leading in Nature

25/03/2026

FIELD NOTES is back with an interesting article about our relationship with the more "difficult" animal species, and the implications of labelling some animals as "bad" or "evil" 🐍🦈🦅

In an opinion piece for The Guardian, Jo Wimpenny argues that animals aren’t inherently good or bad, but that we make them so through our emotional reactions to them. Some key points that she makes are:
💚 Every species plays a part in the web of life, and each is needed
💚 Our emotional reactions to some species make us devalue them
💚 Rethinking our relationship with “difficult” species is can help us stop further biodiversity loss

Lest this sound a bit preachy, there are certainly some relationships I need to reconsider. One of these is jays. My mother disliked them because they raid the nests of smaller songbirds and eat their eggs and hatchlings. I took a strong dislike when the wood pigeons nesting in my back garden didn't return after a nest raid, as I missed their gentle cooing. But what I didn't know until I bothered to find out is that jays are omnivores, this is natural behaviour, they don't harm biodiversity in the greater scheme of things by raiding nests, and they play an important role in natural reforestation by burying acorns.

Want to read the full article? https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/mar/15/vultures-mosquitoes-wasps-species-human-life
Want to know more about jays?
https://www.ywt.org.uk/blog/jumping-jays

24/03/2026

Hello lovely people! April 14th is your last date for Bringing Nature Connection into Outdoor Leadership before the busy summer season. Like other outdoor leaders, I'll be focusing on ML work this summer, along with offering some lush nature connection & storytelling events for the general public 💚

If you've been thinking of taking this CPD course, now's your chance! Link in comments 👇

When? Tuesday 14th April
Where? Tyn-y-Coed Hotel, Capel Curig
Cost? £55
CPD points: 1 point for members of MTA, AMI and BAIML (BAIML peripheral)
Who's it for? All outdoor leaders 🤩

The next dates after this will be in July or August, and then in October.

21/03/2026

I renewed my "Gold" Eryri Ambassador status for 2026 a little while ago, and today the official certificate arrived in the post - yay!!

With content developed by Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri - Eryri National Park, the Eryri Ambassador scheme helps outdoor leaders to ground themselves in the culture, heritage, history, language, geology, and natural beauty of this special place that we're lucky enough to work in 💖

New modules for 2026 included one on the Plastic-Free Snowdonia initiative, which will hopefully make inroads on the amount of plastic litter that is sadly left on the hill each year. I know how much litter there is from being a volunteer leader with Caru Eryri, the annual litter pick programme that runs each summer. Which reminds me, I need to book my litter pick leading sessions in 😅

Did you know that there's an ambassador scheme for other areas in Wales, like the Bannau Brecheiniog, or various councils? My next step will be to become a Gwynedd Ambassador.

20/03/2026

Please join the wonderful storyteller Fiona Collins and myself for a gentle, accessible story walk along the boardwalk in Betws-y-Coed, sharing folklore from the Conwy Valley.

Come to hear stories of the river, the valley and the stars while enjoying a stroll along the accessible boardwalk on the banks of the Llugwy in Betws-y-Coed. Time for coffee/cake/ice cream and a chat is built in, and you're welcome to bring your own snacks and a thermos.

This free walk is suitable for all ages and abilities - people with wheelchairs and pushchairs are more than welcome, as are Welsh learners 🤗

These events are organised by Y Bartneriaeth Awyr Agored - The Outdoor Partnership. The Eryri Ni series is generously funded by Partneriaeth Natur Leol Eryri Local Nature Partnership and Local Places for Nature, a Llywodraeth Cymru / Welsh Government initiative - diolch o galon& heartfelt thanks 🙏

17/03/2026

Since I started asking for Google reviews about 6 months ago, I've been delighted and surprised by just how many of my CPD for outdoor leaders course participants have left reviews. There are now 23 of them!!

This one, posted earlier today by Julia, really made my day. It's detailed and lovely, and will be really helpful to people who are trying to make up their mind whether what I offer is a quality experience. Thank you Julia, you're a total star 🤩

Curious? Why not join me in April for the next Bringing Nature Connection into Outdoor Leadership CPD day. It'll be in at the Tyn-y-Coed Hotel in Capel Curig, right in the heart of Eryri National Park. See you there 💚

12/03/2026

HOT OFF THE PRESS 🤩 My second article for The Professional Mountaineer hit people's mailboxes today. This one is all about how feeling emotionally connected with nature fosters sustainable behaviours - what the evidence base is for this, the mechanism by which it happens, and how we as outdoor leaders can put those principles into practice. I'll get a PDF of it up on my website soon, so keep an eye out for a post about that 👀👍

Thank you lovely editors at Mountain Training Association for the chance to write this series 🙏💖

10/03/2026

Sunday's Practical Mental Health Skills for Outdoor Leaders was a huge success! We had a lively, engaged and incredibly knowledgeable group, and two lovely people left me 5-star Google reviews. Then today, Matt from LMG Treks & Expeditions got in touch to say that he'd used some of this new knowledge today while delivering training to Lake District National Park Volunteer leaders. I love it when stuff like this happens 🤩💖

I'm running CPD course for one last time before the summer madness starts, so if you're keen now's the time to sign up! It's on Wednesdat 15th April. Look for the Events link in the comments👇

09/03/2026

An absolute treat to meet Matt and Fliss from LMG Treks & Expeditions on yesterday's Practical Mental Health Skills for Outdoor Leaders CPD course, and to hear why they attended and what they thought of it:

"Having both attended Mental Health First Aid courses in the past, we were very keen to take our knowledge that bit further, with a particular desire to equip ourselves with more skills on how to help someone in need whilst out on expedition.

Mia led a brilliant course, and with the help of our course peers, we certainly both learnt a lot."

This makes my sleepy state this morning worth it, after last night's drive back from Penrith to North Wales - diolch 🤗 💖

It's not often you'll find us sat still, but today Fliss and I attended a 'Practical Mental Health Skills for Outdoor Leaders' CPD day with Mia from

Having both attended Mental Health First Aid courses in the past, we were very keen to take our knowledge that bit further, with a particular desire to equip ourselves with more skills on how to help someone in need whilst out on expedition.

Mia led a brilliant course, and with the help of our course peers, we certainly both learnt a lot.

Attending this CPD course is all part of our journey to being the best, and most effective trek managers we can possibly be for you.

07/03/2026

What a beautiful day for Bringing Nature Connection into Outdoor Leadership - sunshine, spring flowers, birdsong, woodpeckers, water, and many lovely mossy walls 🌱

I enjoyed being with this lovely group, and it felt like we really come together to share our love of the natural world 💚

Huge thanks to Stuart Smith, the local BAIML rep, for helping me organise this weekend of CPD training in the Lake District 🙏🤗

06/03/2026

Went out for a little recce for tomorrow's CPD day, Bringing Nature Connection into Outdoor Leadership. This is a new location for me, Askham near Penrith, and the woods and riverside I'd had in mind are inaccessible due to a sudden bridge closure.

What this showed me is that we can find biodiversity when we seek it out, even if it means poking about in unusual locations like a floodplain and a cemetery. I'm chuffed for tomorrow!

It's sold out, but the next one is in April, in North Wales. I'll be bringing it back to the Lakes in October though! Drop me a comment below if you're interested 🤗

05/03/2026

Thanks to Eryri Actif, another lovely group enjoyed Bringing Nature Connection into Outdoor Leadership with me on Tuesday. We had beautiful sunshine for most of the day - such bliss! And we had a robin with us for about a half hour. I love it when that happens 😍

Join me for the next one on Tuesday 14th April 💚

28/02/2026

This morning's Nature Connection & Self-Care: A Sensory Refresh session was an absolute joy 💚

The river and the birds sang to us, the mosses were abundant, and the sun came out. We finished up at Penceunant Isaf cafe, sharing our appreciation for nature's beauty over tea and bara brith.

Thank you , .top and for the funding and support that have made the Eryri Ni project possible. I'm grateful to be part of it 🙏