There are moments in life when everything you thought you knew suddenly changes.
For me, that moment came after the end of a 13-year relationship. I found myself becoming a single mum of three children and facing a future that looked very different from the one I had imagined.
There was no clear plan. No neat five-year vision. Just a lot of questions.
What would my life look like now?
What would the future look like for my children?
How would we navigate being a family while learning how to co-parent and make sure the children still had time with both parents?
And, perhaps most importantly, what did I want my life to look like?
For a while, I felt lost.
Finding something for myself
Being a mum is a huge part of who I am, and my children will always be at the heart of my life. But somewhere along the way, I realised that I needed to find a little bit of myself again too.
I wanted something to look forward to.
Something exciting.
Something that reminded me that life wasn't just about getting through the next day.
I'd always been drawn to nature and wild places. There's something about being surrounded by mountains, forests, beaches and open skies that makes everything else feel a little quieter.
I've always loved camping too.
There's something wonderfully simple about packing up your things, leaving home behind and spending a night somewhere completely different. You don't need much. Somewhere to sleep, something to eat, a warm drink and a beautiful place to wake up.
Maybe that's what I was craving without really knowing it.
Freedom.
Why the TentBox?
For years, I'd camped in a regular tent. I loved it, but I started wanting something different.
I wanted to be able to get in the car, pack my camping gear and just go.
I wanted the freedom to find somewhere beautiful, park up and spend the night somewhere new without needing everything to be perfectly planned.
That's where my TentBox came in.
Buying it wasn't just about having a different way to camp. For me, it represented freedom and the possibility of adventure.
The idea that I could wake up somewhere completely different from where I'd gone to sleep the night before felt exciting.
Maybe I didn't have all the answers about my future, but I could choose where I wanted to go next.
And sometimes, that's enough.
So, what is Wildly Wandering?
Wildly Wandering started with that feeling.
It's a blog about getting outside, trying new things and discovering what happens when you stop waiting for the perfect moment and just start going.
I'll be sharing camping adventures, road trips, hikes, mountains, family adventures, campsite reviews, camp cooking, gear and all the things I learn along the way.
Some adventures will probably go brilliantly.
Others probably won't.
There will be cold mornings, rainy campsites, forgotten equipment, meals that don't quite work and moments where I wonder why I thought something was a good idea.
But that's real adventure.
I don't want Wildly Wandering to be a place where everything looks perfect.
I want it to be somewhere you can come when you're thinking, "I'd love to do that, but I don't know where to start."
Adventure doesn't have to look a certain way
I also want Wildly Wandering to show that adventure doesn't have to be complicated, expensive or something that feels out of reach.
You don't need the perfect gear, the biggest budget or years of experience to start exploring.
Adventure can begin with a walk somewhere new, a picnic in a beautiful place, a night under the stars, or simply stepping outside your comfort zone.
For me, a TentBox became the way I wanted to explore more freely, but adventure looks different for everyone.
It can be taking the kids somewhere you've never been.
It can be walking a trail you've never walked before.
It can be watching the sunset from a beach, cooking dinner outside, swimming somewhere wild or simply waking up somewhere beautiful.
Sometimes adventure is big.
Sometimes it's incredibly small.
But I think we all need a little more of it.
More than just a blog
One of the biggest reasons I wanted to create Wildly Wandering is because I don't want it to be just a website where I write about my own adventures.
I want it to become a community.
A place where people can share ideas, recommend campsites, help each other find beautiful places, share their successes and disasters, answer questions and encourage each other to get outside.
There are so many people who want to explore more but don't always have someone to go with.
And sometimes, going alone can feel lonely.
I'd love Wildly Wandering to eventually bring those people together.
Because adventure is even better when you have people to share it with.
This is only the beginning
I don't know exactly where Wildly Wandering will take me.
And honestly, I quite like that.
Maybe not knowing what's around the corner means there's room for something unexpected.
There are mountains I haven't climbed yet.
Places I haven't visited.
Campsites I've never stayed at.
Recipes I haven't tried.
Roads I haven't travelled.
And adventures I haven't even thought of yet.
So this is me starting again.
Not with all the answers.
Just with a love of the outdoors, a desire to explore, three children to share adventures with and a hope that somewhere along the way I'll inspire other people to find their own adventure too.
This is Wildly Wandering.
And this is only the beginning.
Come and wander with me.