The ‘Way of the Wildervore’: A walk on the Wildside.

Our ‘The way of the wildervore’ walk is a day long walk exploring the intertwined connection between humans and the land.

Our lands are degrading at an astonishing rate; for every tonne of food we produce our farming and land management methods are producing 10 tonnes of degrading soils.

In some parts of the world our lands are turning to desert and in the wetter regions of the world our land is now so low in soil carbon that we are seeing dramatic drought and flood events. Our food contains a fraction of the nutrients it did 50 years ago but instead contains a wide range of toxins and anti-nutrients that are making us sick. Our farm animals are often reared inhumanely, and our wildlife is disappearing before our eyes.

Our soils’ ability to sustain food production is likely to fail on a global scale within 60 years and all the while our population is growing rapidly. If we don’t start making significant changes in the way we manage land our children have a bleak future.

People who have no direct connection to land often feel they have no way of helping to influence land management. In fact, everyone has an important part to play in saving our world. Lifestyle and eating choices are the main driver that can influence a dramatic change, but to save it you must first understand it.

This is where it gets confusing. We are often told that eating a vegan diet is the best way to help nature, but this simplistic conversation is misleading and isn’t informed by an understanding of how ecosystems function or how food production works. The ethos behind this rhetoric can lead us to become more not less disconnected from the land.

Caroline will guide you on a wonder through the stunning lake district landscape and talk about how healthy land is tied to human health and wellbeing – everything from the nutrient content of our foods to the positive physical effects of touching and smelling soil improves hormone function, our immune response and ability to deal with external stressors.

For the largest part of humans 2-million-year existence we have been fully immersed in wild nature. In only the last couple of generations people have become disconnected from land and our lives have suffered as a result; high rates of disease, depression and dysfunction are symptoms of feeling we no longer belong to ‘our environment.’

We simply cannot know how to best protect ‘our’ environment or properly nourish our wellbeing if we have lost the ability to understand the language of the land.

Join me and other likeminded ‘Wildervores’ in this immersion in ecological and human restoration. We’ll delve – in an informal way – into the techniques we use in regenerative land management to rebuild our farm land and how this can help us rebuild our mental and physical health.

Through a combination of practical demonstrations along our walk, I’ll show you how to take lessons from the land.

You will leave feeling more able to nourish yourself in ways that will positively influence farming. You may even feel empowered to get involved in ecological restoration projects; be it tending a pot of salad and making compost in your backyard or starting a new career in land management.

We will be walking most of the day so a good level of fitness will be required. The route will moderate in difficulty and there will be lot’s of stopping to talk so we can accommodate slower walkers. We will be calling at the Old Dungeon Ghyll at lunch time where you can buy a bar meal if you wish. Alternatively feel free to bring a packed lunch. 

We need at least 5 people to go ahead with this walk and can confirm one week in advance. Please book your place below and we will take payment in cash on the day.

£25 per person. Free for Keystone and Wildervore members. 10% discount for Wilderculture basic members.