The Art of Exploration – A Day with Levison Wood

I’ve followed Lev’s walking journeys for years, so there was a quiet sense of awe in finally being able to share a walk with him. What I’ve always admired is not just the scale of his expeditions, but the way he captures them through photography – images that carry both beauty and truth, often with a raw honesty that words alone can’t convey. I’d first seen Lev speak at the Royal Geographical Society during the Leaders of Luxury Travel Conference in 2017, and more recently returned there for a insightful panel discussion where he, Bruce Parry, Lucy Shepherd, Lord Zac Goldsmith and Dr Rosa Vasquez Espinoza discussed the profound influence of trees on human history, adventure and the environment. To walk beside the person whose lens and thoughts has shown the world such extraordinary perspectives felt both surreal and deeply grounding.

The theme for the day was The Art of Exploration and included a creative workshop of walking, talking, learning about expedition planning, crafting books and how to bring adventures to life. The walk happened to be on one of the last days of summer, though the season seemed reluctant to let go gracefully!

I waited outside Plymouth Station under a few rays of sunshine in anticipation of who I was going to be spending the day with. It didn’t take long  to realise who was part the group, a few individuals loitering outside the station dressed in walking gear was an easy giveaway!  As soon as Lev turned up we were all piled into taxis and whisked to Wembury beach. Coffees and introductions were made at the Old Mill Café whilst the weather decided to move in on us. Soft grey rolled off the sea and blurred the horizon followed by drizzle but fortunately we had all come prepared with waterproof walking gear.  Then off we went to navigate the South West Coastal Path and strike up conversations with new friends. The first stop of the day was at Café Bovisands where we were grateful to shelter from the rain and sit and learn about the Explorer’s Mindset and how to craft exciting stories that would be both engaging and inspiring.  After more coffee and lots of note taking we headed off again along the coastal path. As the path curved and climbed, with the wind tugging at our jackets and the rain streaking sideways, the conversations deepened and we continued to chat and share our own stories all the way to Mount Batten where we stopped for a late lunch and continued with learning and story crafting.

Lev has a natural, easy stride, the kind of pace that makes you feel you could walk for hours without noticing the time pass and is down to earth in the best sense. He openly shared about this own journey with his story telling, gave some incredibly useful tips on how to create a good story, how to get your story out there and reinforced that life is not always an easy ride and that it takes an element of “hard work” to get to where you want to be. There was no sense of ego – just genuine, warm and easy conversation. Talking and walking with him reinforced to me how much of exploring is not just about the places but more about the connections you make along the way.  I certainly made some wonderful new connections with a small but interesting group of people with their own stories to tell.

By the time we finished, legs pleasantly tired and feeling somewhat damp from a day of rain, I felt as though I’d walked through much more than just part of the South Devon Coast. It was a journey through ideas, experiences, and perspectives – the kind of day that leaves you thoughtful, re-energised, and quietly inspired. It one of those rare experiences that felt both grounding and inspiring and whilst the damp grey weather did not deter me it did remind me that autumn was waiting in the wings.