JOURNAL

Meet Rosalind South, Channel swimmer, cancer survivor and campaigner who, initially, could barely swim across a swimming pool and was afraid of the sea. Find out why she chose to take part in a Channel swim, how she trained and overcame her fear, and how the power of cold water swimming has transformed her physical…

Fasten your seatbelts for an action packed read! In 2018 and aged 20, Vedangi Kulkarni became the youngest woman to have circumnavigated the globe by bicycle. She grew up travelling far and wide and, at 17, cycled through the Indian Himalayas. Now based in Dorset and with many more adventures to her name, Vedangi shares…

Polly Clark is a mountain bike guide and yoga teacher in the Cambrian Mountains. As a child she rode ponies and kayaked in the Brecon Beacons. “It was a time of pure freedom and joy and that is still what I get from being out there in nature.” Here’s how Polly now combines this passion…

“I just love how accessible running is. All you really need is a pair of running shoes and you’re good to go.” Owain Williams was born on the beautiful Isle of Tiree and, not surprisingly, grew up with a love for the outdoors. Here he explains how the simple act of running brings so much…

Nicola is a member of the New Forest Off Road Club, which offers women-led group rides that are all about building community on two wheels – and having a great time doing it. The club believes that confident, empowered women improve all spaces they occupy and Nicola shares here what she’s gained by riding with…

Contemporary Wilderness Artist Sam Gare depicts the wilds of the Scottish Highlands, explored overland and by foot, in her work. “Being outside allows me to push the pause button on the craziness of modern life,” she says. Here she explains why she quit her job to become an artist, and the sense of awe and…

For Father’s Day, we asked some of our ambassadors to share the ways in which their dads had nurtured their passion for the great outdoors. The deeply personal and moving responses are full of memories, reflection, big landscapes and love, expressed in prose and poetry. You can read them in this special journal post. Pour…

Ross Brannigan recently set off from his home in Kendal to cycle to each of the sites cared for by the John Muir Trust: a ride of 1,000km to Glenridding, Glenlude, Schiehallion, Ben Nevis, Knoydart, Skye, Quinag and Sandwood Bay. The aim was to raise awareness of the value of wild places and showcase the…

We’ve compiled the ultimate outdoor gift list to make Father’s day gift shopping a breeze – and it’s not all FINDRA! From super merino socks to a Shand Stooshie, from a camping mug to a bottle of Scottish gin to enjoy in it, here’s everything a discerning dad could ever want!   FALCON Enamelware Originally…

Jenny Graham holds the world record for cycling around the world unsupported – that’s 18,000 miles in just 124 days. She lives in the Highlands, and describes herself (on Instagram!) as an endurance lovin’, earth huggin’, fist pumpin’ dirtbag.   This week we are very excited to catch up with world record breaking round-the-world endurance…

Aoife Glass is a popular mountain bike journalist and host of Spindrift, a podcast that shares the stories of active people, their lives and their adventures. She lives in the Forest of Dean and takes full advantage of the wonderful trails there!   It’s the eve of Bike Week – the annual celebration of everything…

Jo Harbisher has won awards for her work on the environment and industry, as well as being active outdoors since university days. She lives in Edinburgh with her three children and is cyclist, mountain biker, scuba diver, surfer and volunteer with The Wave Project.   At FINDRA, wherever possible, we design and create sustainable outdoor…