About Me
Hello! I’m Aly Ainsworth and I own and run the company WildNess. I have had a life long passion for the natural world and this has led me on many a unique and wild adventure throughout my brief time on this planet!! Exploring new landscapes and undertaking new and meaningful life challenges and experiences. I am a traditionalist at heart and the idea of getting back to basics and engaging more intimately with your surroundings and the people you’re with is something we forget to do! It’s so simple, yet so important!! This is what WildNess is all about! Providing good quality coaching and activity provision in a safe and friendly environment. However, we believe that experiences in outdoor activities can be greatly enhanced by looking at what we do on a wider scale!! For example, an activity such as hill walking would be greatly enhanced if you could learn something about the landscape, flora, fauna, history, activity skill, culture you’re involved in. This makes for a deeper and more meaningful adventure into wild places. It is my hope that individuals will create a better connection with nature and want to discover more about it and, therefore, care for it in a more respectful and responsible manner. My aim is to provide these experiences in the hope that others will become inspired to get more involved in the outdoors and the environment.
 

My Background
I have always had a great connection with nature from an early age and this has given me great pleasure throughout my life. I fell in love with the Lake District, where I grew up and I spent a lot of time exploring, adventuring and studying the landscape in this area. I developed a career in Water Resource Management as a Hydrologist and I gained a lot of knowledge about natural systems and how we interact with them. My passion for the outdoors started to grow more and more as I started introducing friends to new outdoor sports and getting them hooked too! I knew it was time for me to make the move to change my career direction and I went to study Outdoor and Environmental Education at Edinburgh University. After my studies, I took the plunge and left my career in environmental monitoring to pursue work in outdoor education and environmental education.
I have worked for several different organisations undertaking very different work in the outdoors, including activity provision, environmental activities and leading expeditions overseas. All have provided me with different skills and experience with different group types from adults to young children, including individuals with varying disabilities and behavioural issues. My work overseas, especially in Canada, has given me a different insight to a culture that is deeply connected the natural world around them. Simple things such campfires, or watching stars and cooking on open fires. All of these are important skills and are often lost in our overly frantic lifestyles.
I have developed excellent group management skills throughout my career. I have led 3 World Challenge Expeditions to Namibia, Vietnam and Laos and Borneo. These all had their own challenges and have been extremely rewarding. Mentoring individuals through these life changing trips has been extremely rewarding and I have developed many skills throughout this work.
 

My Qualifications
I have the following academic qualifications, which have given me a great holistic understanding of environmental issues, landscape forms and processes, outdoor and environmental education.

• BSc Geography (hons)
• MSc in Catchment Dynamics and Management
• Post Graduate Diploma in Outdoor Environmental and Sustainability Education.

I have the following qualifications in outdoor and environmental education:

• Summer Mountain Leader
• Archery GNAS
• BCU Level 1 Coach

• Leave No Trace Trainer
• Forest School Level 1