INTERVIEW
H
ighly-respected naturalist, Ray Mears lives and breathes the wild. His passionate career in woodsman, bushcraft and the exploration and teaching of nature has seen him become survival expert, Mears is a household name with a bushcraft and survival legend, loved and respected by many his many television series, books and worldwide. He generously spoke to Sara Whatley from his appearances behind him. He founded Woodlore, The School of Wilderness home in Sussex Bushcraft over thirtyfive years ago, but his Your new show We Are Nature interest in nature has I feel blessed that one written and covers the subject people find most is touring the UK in the spring, been a lifelong one, day I can be walking life changing when they including two Sussex dates in from the age of five on the South Downs understand it. The focus Worthing and Horsham. What when he saw his first of the book is on our can audiences expect of the show? rhinoceros at Longleat and the next I can human connection with This is a show about rediscovering Wildlife Safari Park. be exploring the nature and how best to nature and exploring the true depths Aged eight he started marshes of a fresh use our innate senses to of our sensory capacity. It’s all about tracking foxes on the tune into it and explore thinking and feeling the depth of our North Downs, near his water river; I love it it more deeply. “I feel ability and amplifying the volume of home in Kenley, which like I’ve had my blinkers the senses that we normally suppress. was on the edge of the taken off,” is what people tell Mears Effectively ‘tuning in and turning on’ North Downs Way. “It was before it after he has shown them how to use their to nature. had been subsumed into the morass of senses with acuity. With today’s fast-paced life and Croydon.” He said of the experience, The We Are Nature Tour is to follow the rise of technology, everything is “I wanted to stay out at night with next spring and when I spoke with made very easy. When you go to the them, and that really opened the door Mears from his home in Sussex, supermarket for example, you drive to everything I’ve done ever since.” where he lives with his wife, Ruth and there, and you know to look for the Of his latest book, We Are Nature, stepson, I was keen to know more about road signs. When you go inside looking written during lockdown, Mears says it his life, work and the tour. is the most important book he has ever December 2021 | SUSSEX LIVING 11
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