Learn To Own Your Adventure

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Having grown up in East Germany before the fall of the Berlin wall, Anna has felt a desire to get away from busy city life from a very young age. Now, living in Edinburgh, she has started WanderWomen; helping women to get back to nature.

“I was nine years old when the Wall fell. I grew up thinking that the police suppressing the country was normal. Even though spies would come into our house regularly, and we did not have a television or a telephone, I was living in my own happy bubble much like any child would,” says Anna.

To get away from everything, Anna’s parents would bring her to a cottage in the woods which had no electricity, no running water, and no neighbours. It was there that she developed an early love of escapism, where nature took centre-stage.

“Nature is my happy place. Today, to-do lists and social media are taking over our lives, nature offers a real-life connection that is always available to us.”

After having started a family in Scotland with her husband, Anna decided to flexi-school their two boys when they were growing up.  

“In the UK, children start school at four years of age. I always thought that this was so sad since children are robbed of so much of their freedom and their childhood. Children are not supposed to sit at a school bench when they are that young, they are supposed to be free, climb trees, and play outside. I wanted to offer more freedom to my children and I decided to flexi-school them where they only went to school part-time. On Mondays, they would spend time with me in nature. We would help the park rangers and connect to life in playful ways to teach them about the planet and the environment.”

As Anna’s children grew up and started secondary school, she missed her time with them that they had spent in nature. She decided that she wanted to keep sharing her Mondays with someone and established WanderWomen, a tour company facilitating outdoor escapes for women.

“The outdoors is very male-dominated. It is usually the guys who put up the tent or make the fire. I wanted to encourage women to stop taking the back seat in nature, since it is very empowering to put a fire on.”

On an outdoor escape with Anna, you get to experience everything that nature has to offer. From cold-water swimming, to forest bathing, to conversations around the campfire, WanderWomen provides an experience which combines adventure with mindfulness.

“Adventure is a mindset. We do not need to do something special in order to facilitate adventure. You simply have to go outside and create adventure for yourself. For example, trying out cold-water swimming is always an unforgettable experience. This is mainly because women are finding out just how cheap of a therapy (and drug) cold-water immersion is. I dare say it is better than coffee and better than sex.”

Even though meditation and yoga are activities included on a WanderWomen escape, Anna emphasises the importance of face-to-face conversations after the past year. 

“The outdoors brings out the best in women. It is very humbling to be out in nature; you have to put your ego aside and deal with the weather. Jobs, salaries, and social rank do not matter to nature. It is an empowering realisation to find that we all just want to be hugged, and smiled at, and listened to.”

WanderWomen has been in business for almost three years now, and Anna intends to keep empowering women to own their own adventure for as long as she can.

“It is always so sad to see how regulated and controlled women are. On every escape, women ask me if they are allowed to walk barefoot, or if we are allowed to camp in the forest. I want to help women realise that they are strong, brave, and able to do anything they want. Women have been taught that they are not strong enough. By helping women to find themselves with the use of nature escapes, their newfound confidence will radiate into other areas of their lives as well.” 

Netwalking

Looking for a relaxed way to network? Anna offers ‘Netwalking’ opportunities, where business owners and freelancers can connect, brainstorm, and promote their health and well-being at the same time. 

“When you walk outside, creativity flows better, conversations run smoother, and ideas are formed easier as you move. I wanted to create a space where women can easily network and get input on their businesses, as well as facilitate well-being and a connection to nature.”