Meet Elspeth at Joyful Outdoors: connecting you to nature

The outdoors is where I truly come alive. Whether I’m foraging for wild edibles in the hedgerows, singing around a campfire, relaxing in a hammock in the woods, or up to my neck in an icy river, the natural world is my sanctuary. For too long, this part of me was buried in the 'busyness' of corporate and family life—but now, it’s set free!

There was a time when I deferred to others for their practical outdoor skills, but I realised I wanted to embrace those abilities myself. In recent years, I've embarked on a personal journey of learning, inspired by incredible people I've met along the way. Each step has awakened my senses, deepened my connection to nature, and widened my horizons.

Now, I’m on a mission to share what I’ve discovered about the health and wellbeing benefits of connecting with nature. Through Joyful Outdoors, I offer unique experiences that help you step away from the digital world, find joy, and reconnect with the lost knowledge of the land.

Whether you’re learning to forage for edible plants, practicing bushcraft, or honing your map-reading skills, my sessions are designed to slow you down, help you be present, and engage meaningfully with the outdoors.

I’ve also embraced laughter yoga, an unexpected but life-changing path that’s reminded me of the value of staying open to new experiences. Combining the therapeutic benefits of nature and the joy of shared laughter, my work is all about reconnecting with yourself and the world around you.

I hold the following qualifications/ memberships & maintain £5m public liability insurance:

• Member of the Association of Foragers, an international community of professional foragers with a communal code of conduct
• Member of Surrey Hills Enterprises & awarded Trade Mark Surrey Hills, an accreditation and a mark of local provenance, quality and sustainability.

Relevant qualifications:

• Practical Ethnobotany & Plant Identification – Woodcraft School (2023, L4 NCFE - passed with 100% Distinction)
• Foundation Course in Herbal Medicine - Heartwood Foundation (2024 - passed with Merit)
• Certified Laughter Yoga Leader (2023)
• Lowland Leader walking guide - Mountain Training (2022)
• Advanced Bushcraft - Woodcraft School (2021, L3 NCFE)
• Plant Identification and Use - Woodcraft School (2021, L3 NCFE)
• Outdoor First Aid - ELST (2024 & 2021)

Other courses attended:

• Nature Guide training - Dose of Nature (2024)
• University of Derby - Nature Connectedness (2024)
• Focus on Fibres (3 day immersion into weaving with plant fibres) - Mollie McMillen (2024)
• Wildcrafted Fermentation - Pascal Bauder (2024)
• Valuing and Managing Veteran Trees - VETree (2023)
• Ancient Woodland Indicators - Surrey Wildlife Trust (2023)
• The Old Way Immersion (2022)
• Botanical Folklore - Field Studies Council (2022)
• London Green Wood 4 day green wood carving course (2021)

Voluntary work:

• Love Her Wild - Community volunteer & Adventure Leader. LHW is a women's outdoor adventure community, connecting women to nature and conservation through outdoor adventures - Dec 2021 to present
• Dose of Nature - Nature guide delivering 8-week nature programmes, an evidence-based alternative to medication or psychological therapy, to those referred by their GP for a variety of mental health issues. Oct 24 - present