I always loved the freedom of the outdoors.
That thought kept clashing (as home computer technologies became mainstream) with the feeling that we are a tech-focussed society, constantly looking at screens and retreating into our own digital spaces, rather than looking up and appreciating, and understanding what's around us. I loved looking variations in at the landscape and thinking about its history, different trees forms and their uses, weather-indicating cloud patterns, and the edible and medicinal hedgerow plants alongside us.

The detail of the natural world has been forgotten, by so much of everyday life, yet there is so much potential.
I also had a growing awareness that time spent in outdoor spaces was what I also needed, fundamentally – it made me feel connected, and even more purposeful, and feeding curiosity and adventure.

If I felt like that, then others most likely did too, and I wanted to enable and share that possiblity.

What's over there, can I use it?

As a youngster, I’d pored over maps, studying the details, and enjoyed all opportunities to spend long periods outdoors. We had days of family hikes over moorland, hillsides and though forests, and I was equally happy making dens in my home garden. I became fascinated by the flora and fauna around us – what was edible, what was usable, and what the connection was between each.

My innate interest grew thanks to family connections with “outdoors-y” people… one who planned, planted and tended medicinal gardens (who also had travelled further and spent time with middle-east tribes); one who could recount folklore stories of trees and leaves; an aunt and uncle who camped, hiked and had climbed peaks of the Alps; and parents who greatly enjoyed the UK countryside and would takes us on holidays to see waterfalls, caves, lakes, moors and valleys.
On reflection, this very much set the path ahead.

Since student days, I’d been arranging, leading or joining day and weekend hikes with friends – small groups who wanted to spend time outdoors, to explore, and also to enjoy conversation and company on the way. In combinations of camping, cottages, bothys and bunkhouses, we’d visit national parks or more local areas, and I’d suggest or direct walking routes. We visited hills around Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and the variation of peaks of the Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brecheiniog), and the open wilds of Dartmoor. Whilst doing this I started logging “quality hill time” towards Mountain Training (Hill & Moorland) qualification, and also practicing campfire-lighting principles and basic woodcarving.

Then on one particular trip, one friend casually (and with “idealistic” thoughts), said “wouldn’t it be great if this was a full time job”. This was the next, big nudge.

A small toy dino becomes a logo

This idea matched perfectly with my growing sense of needing to reconnect with our natural resources, and to encourage sharing the outdoors - and echoing my early career thoughts and dreams (forestry, outward-bound leader, explorer?) which I’d shelved for a more “sensible” engineering career path (but which relied on me being at a desk and computer, now more than 15 years later). The Mountain Training had been a background interest, without a definite expectation… but now the gentle ember was being fed and nurtured from multiple directions!

In 2018, the concept for Trex began formalising - establishing a website, brand and goals. We initially offered ad-hoc camping and hiking trips for small groups; these were organised with the mindset of our early tagline "we enable you to enjoy new adventures". These were weekend outings to experience the UK wilds, where we'd arrange the details, add extra knowledge on the way (such as foraging) and provide a break – and chance to escape and reset. I kept practicing the format and building skills, with groups of extended friends, and this set the baseline.

The idea of escaping to the “wilderness”, even in the UK, became real for everyone when Covid-19 restricted our lives. We all realised our need for time and space outdoors. The forced time around home encouraged me to explore more focussed practical bushcraft skills, and to clarify my learning of edible foragable (and non-edible) plants.

Trex officially became a limited company in 2021, with formalised operations, insurance, outdoor first aid, and recorded skill development via the IOL (Institute of Outdoor Learning). We started monthly “explores” around the Welsh Black Mountains, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, including arranged hikes and low-key camping at farms or similar small campsites, along with demonstrations of what are often called "primitive skills" or "forgotten knowledge".
This became the core of our offering, and saw the return of familiar customers and supporters, who helped shape the format of hike + fireside + camp + skills.

And a clearing in the woods

As conversations continued with local campsites and land owners, we were invited to join with May Hill Woodland, and we continue to use a fire circle there amongst a wonderful blend of birch, ash, hazel, lime, chestnut and spruce, for our bushcraft teaching base. We share the space with other outdoor education and nature-based groups, with opportunities for collaboration and mutual knowledge-sharing.

From the start, the aims and purpose of Trex have been:

• to encourage and inspire a better appreciation of our natural resources;
• to teach and reintroduce primitive skills forgotten by modern society;
• to provide opportunity to disconnect from digital technology, for personal wellbeing lifestyle.

We are so excited to have developed and established that, and to have become a structured business, with customers who want spend time in the woods to learn.

Thank you to all who have supported, guided, encouraged and joined us!

The seed has well and truly grown, the ember ignited the tinder, and the path led to more amazing things - there are plenty of natural metaphors, which will continue to grow!

Do book in with us for more outdoor skills courses, guided hikes and camps, and contact us for bespoke activities
and #followthedino on facebook and instagram .

EH