Journey to the Wild: How Jenn and Mike Found Freedom in Nature

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‘In this insightful interview, Jenn and Mike share their contrasting backgrounds—one from the bustling streets of London, the other from the serene landscapes of Kent—and how they both discovered a passion for the outdoors later in life. Connecting through online dating, their shared love for nature blossomed into a lifestyle filled with backpacking, wild camping, and leading community hikes. Jenn discusses her mission to empower women, particularly those navigating menopause, through outdoor experiences that foster connection and wellness.’

Background

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Our backgrounds were very different growing up. Mike grew up in busy London with very little access to nature. Raised in a single income household without a car, trips to the countryside were not an option at that time.

I grew up in Kent (often called The Garden of England) and my childhood was spent camping and walking with my parents.

Can you shed a light on how Jenn and Mike both met?

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We actually met the modern way! Online! For all of the bad stories attached to online dating there are some good ones too!

Would you say you have both always been ‘outdoorsy’ people?

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It is something we have both grown into to be honest. Whilst my childhood was outdoorsy, it took until my mid 20s to rediscover the outdoors. It was walking my dog and looking for new places to explore that pushed me back outside as an adult.

Mike also discovered the outdoors later in life. Living and working in the capital doesn’t give you many options to see nature. He joined a hiking group to make friends and see new places in his mid 30s.

Proof you don’t have to be born in a certain place or young to start getting outside!

Can you share your journey into backpacking and wild camping? What inspired you to start this hobby?

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It was a natural progression for us both. As our hobby grew, we wanted to push ourselves and discover more about the great outdoors and ourselves too.

We started doing longer distance hikes and staying in hotels between. We took on ultra challenge events and got hooked!

Then we swapped to backpacking so we could go further and be more disconnected from the world.

We spend a lot of time in the Highlands of Scotland and it can be really remote. To truly get the best of the landscape you need to fully immerse yourself in it. Wild camping is legal in Scotland too, so it was a quick jump from campsites and then start into wild camping.

The freedom that comes with waking up and not knowing where you are sleeping we found really liberating. Existing with the bare minimum of possessions too was so freeing.

Can you share some of your favourite wild camping locations and what makes this place so great?

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We have camped at various points along and nearby the famous Loch Ness in Scotland which has to be our favourite.

You wake up to hearing the woodlands come alive and then zip open the tent to see the awe-inspiring mountains and dense woodlands. Golden eagles overhead, deer’s running through the trees. It feels like a fairy tale…with a tent!

At some point, you turned your hobby into your career. How did you make the transition from hiking for fun to working in this field? Additionally, could you share what your current role involves?

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I have been lucky enough to turn what I love into a job. The saying “Find a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life” is so true.

We had been running a local small hiking group for around a year when I realised, I could combine my two passions. My other passion, aside from the outdoors, is women's hormonal health. It is something that has impacted every aspect of my life and I was able to connect with women who were looking for a community (through my day job) and walking together.

I went through a menopause in my 20s and realised just how isolating the physical and mental symptoms are. Further training in this meant I was able to learn just how deep of a systemic problem menopause healthcare is in this country. Women are misdiagnosed and told misinformation at any alarming rate for a time in their life that on average lasts 10-12 years. This just was unacceptable to me, so I decided I needed to do something.

I took a leap, sold my business and got my Lowland Leader qualification which is the official qualification for walk leading in the UK. With this I could officially run MJ Outdoor Adventures and also freelance as a guide.

Now I split my time between our group walks, women’s walks and corporate and charity walking events.

We are able to provide foraging walks, night hikes, challenge hikes, trips away and more.

What are some of the key qualities you believe are essential for a successful walk leader?

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I honestly believe each walk is very different and I am constantly learning from everyone I meet. The key skills I bring to each walk are always the same. I have a genuine love for the outdoors and connecting people to nature. I also feel such happiness from seeing people turn up as a solo walker and end up making friends by the end. Seeing people achieve a harder hike or push themselves further is a beautiful thing to be part of.

Can you describe a particularly challenging experience you faced while leading a hike? How did you handle it?

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I have been fortunate to not have too many issues as I ensure that the group is working as a team. However individuals in the group from time to time can find some of the more challenging routes a big jump out of their comfort zone. This for me is where we shine as we come together to encourage and support and watch them get to the finish line with a smile on their face!

What strategies do you use to manage a group of varying skill levels during hikes?

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We have the motto of “as fast as the slowest walker”. That being said, we understand everyone has different abilities and paces.

We start as a group and finish as a group always and will take breaks to ensure we all stay together.

At a recent challenge walk it was beautiful to see the encouragement everyone gave those who were finding it tough.

Can you discuss the unique challenges women face in outdoor spaces, especially those going through menopause?

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Oh there are so many points I could put here! The first issue for most women is safety and skill set. Walking the dog in areas they feel comfortable with is easy, venturing out where there are endless paths, no phone signal and often no one for miles is a different story.

We naturally as women have to be more aware of our surroundings for safety and this can be a huge barrier to the outdoors which is where groups hold such an important role. We are also not often taught how to map read or know the correct kit we should have with us.

Hiking during the menopause can bring a wide range of issues. Firstly, mental health is often affected. Rates of anxiety and depression and feelings of confusion, brain fog and just not feeling like our normal selves rise and this alone can be a reason just to stay indoors. As our oestrogen drops so does our bone density, joint pain can impact a hilly walk too.

Changes in body shape, and not feeling comfortable or finding outdoor clothing/ underwear that is suitable can cause issues. Alongside a lot of women not feeling comfortable to use nature's natural toilets…the trees and bushes!

What types of programs or activities do you offer in your women's wellness group?

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I currently offer two Women's Wellness events per month which range from flat to hilly walks. We are also climbing the highest peak in Wales soon, Snowden. An incredible challenge for some women who would not have thought they could push themselves that far.

We are putting on “Find empowerment in your cycles” events, breaks away, sound baths and forest bathing too.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of your work in outdoor leadership and wellness?

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By far it is creating a community of amazing people who would never have met through “normal life”. Watching friendships grow, seeing people talk openly about their struggles, watching people learn about the outdoors - it is so truly rewarding for me..

What are your goals for the future in terms of your hiking and wellness initiatives?

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From a group standpoint we plan to grow both our mixed group and women's group and be able to offer them more. We are taking on The Greensand Way in 2025, a beautiful long-distance trail that people will be able to do a section of monthly.

Personally, we want to continue exploring Scotland and other parts of the UK and backpack as often as possible.

How do you see the outdoor industry evolving in terms of diversity and inclusion?

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This is such an important point. Diversity is so important to us, and we can see small changes happening in the industry, but it is far too slow and oftentimes disingenuous. It feels like a box ticking exercise for companies.

Diversity comes in so many forms, often this is seen as skin colour. But it is gender, sexuality, religion, age, size and more.

We really want to shout loudly from the treetops that the outdoors is for everyone. All too often we see groups of people hiking that all look the same. We have worked hard to create a space that we hope feels safe for everyone and we hope to see this reflected in the industry in coming years.

Words of Wisdom

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Regardless of where you live, there is a way to connect with nature and be outdoors. We are here to show that your race or gender should not impact your outdoor experience. Nature improves your physical and mental health and you never know you might just meet some amazing people along the way too.