I grew up in Wilderness Wood – 60 acres of mixed woodland in the Sussex Weald. While other kids were getting to grips with the first generation of computer games and watching TV soaps, my friends and I were devising outdoor action adventures and getting deliciously muddy.

I didn’t always appreciate living the ‘Good Life’ 24/7 – I secretly coveted my friends’ TVs and junk food, and would have enjoyed a lot more shopping! But I could build a fine shelter in minutes, knocked up perfectly edible campfire feasts, and thrashed my peers in cross-country races on legs strong from endless rambles.

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