Like the great Phileas Fogg himself, we're prepared to go wild by any means possible. Just hit Start Exploring and we'll take you Around the Wild in 80 Days, with every place being your passport to its own unique adventure. You might go wild with exhilaration leaping into a river, wild with joy at learning a new skill or let a book lead you on the wildest adventure without even leaving your hammock. There are so many wild ways to make great days that we've also laid out a little selection below, to help you see how easy it is to get a little wildness into your life. So jump in it, paint in it, cook in it and revel in it.
No.1 Wild swimming
Take a deep breath and let it out in a wild yell as you plunge into rivers and streams and wash that so-called civilization out of your hair. The doubtful can bask in bathtub hot rock pools in Spain or dip their toes into spring streams, while the brave rope-swing into rivers and the foolhardy dare each other on the edge of snowy Scottish lochs.
The vastness of a clear night sky can fill you with wonder and make you feel like your stress is just floating off into space. Stretched out on a blanket in the fragrant summer evenings, wrapped up against the crisp alpine air or lying back in a hot tub, you can stare up in silence and watch the greatest show off earth.
At the end of some hikes, for all the lovely scenery and satisfying, hearty exercise, there’s an inevitable craving for a change of clothes and a cup of tea in the next five minutes. Just think how great it would be if the end of the hike WAS your sofa and instead of reaching for your car keys, you reached for the kettle.
Swirl the glass thoughtfully, inspect the colour and give it a little sniff if you like. Maybe ask a question about hop to malt ratios or grape varietals. You could even explain the difference between fomentation and fermentation if it makes you feel better, because remember, this is all very scientific and informative, and not at all a really good excuse to have some lovely drinks outdoors.
No.5 Wild Life
You'll always smile when you remember the time that you were feeling a bit low and you went out and bought a crazy pair of boots on sale, then never wore them. No, of course you won't. But how about the time you had a bath on a hillside, the time you slept in a tree or the time you faced down an angry goose to get eggs for breakfast? Those are the wild things that come back and make you smile, while the boots just puzzle you from the back of the wardrobe.
Get set for the Wild Olympics. Our challenging, baffling and downright mad set of challenges, facts and made up sports. You don't need years of training, tons of equipment or a special lycra onesie (although if you happen to have one, go for it), you just need some outside space and the will to win. And probably some soap, for afterwards.
You don't just want to get away from some of it, or even from most of it. You want to get away from it ALL. You want to be so far from it that you can lie in the grass and shout out loud because the "neighbours" are all squirrels. There are cabins by lakes, pods in trees and wagons in meadows and they're all waiting for you, out there in the middle of nowhere.
Grab a branch and haul yourself up into the tree of knowledge. Our skilled owners are ready to help you plant the seed of a new hobby. Wince as you proudly rub ointment into new blisters sustained while weaving! Bat people on the head when they insult your beautifully carved wooden spoon! Or be transported back on holiday when you taste the honey you made. You're sure to amaze your friends with your wild skills.
No.9 Wild conservation
Among the owners of our places are some amazingly creative and ingenious people, so when some of them decide to make their places super sustainable, you know it’s going to get wildly green. Wind turbines, hay bales and some serious veg gardens are just the beginning, a whiskey barrel hot tub or a tin can roof are somewhere in the middle and where the end is, we hope we never find out.
Nature is a great place to take out your inner wildness, have a good look at it, then try and recreate it. Whether you paint it, sketch it or grab some mud and sculpt it, it's art if you say it is. Get inspired by nature at our places and tell us all about it.
The only thing better than getting lost in a good book, is getting lost on a real adventure, so we've teamed up with Penguin to find the best places to make some really wild reads come to life.
It’s time to go OUT for dinner. We're talking about grabbing langoustine from the river, standing in a field feeding wood into a pizza oven, upturned shirts full of blackberries, handfuls of earthy wild garlic and avocados falling into your lap. The sort that leaves a good taste in your soul.
Bag your badges
Join us in going wild and mark your achievements by collecting all 12 of our embroidered Scout-style badges! We’re talking top quality, full colour, ‘sew on the camp blanket and brag’ material – proof that you’ve taken on Mother Nature and won.
Share a photo of yourself completing one of our Year of Wild activities and we’ll send you its wild badge. There are only a limited amount for each activity, so get ready to go wild fast. Take only photos, leave only footprints, win only badges!