Nicola Clare Cowell

Nicola Clare Cowell is the founder and director of Wilderness Adventures C.I.C. She works in outdoor learning and early years education and spends most of her time where the work happens, outdoors, with children, families, and the land itself.

She is a trained teacher with Qualified Teacher Status and a background that includes early years practice, forest school leadership, therapeutic outdoor work, SEN support, and safeguarding. She has worked across schools, outdoor settings, and community spaces, supporting children and families with a wide range of needs and experiences. She understands formal systems and what responsibility looks like when children are involved. Nicola is a doer. She plans the work, prepares the spaces, delivers sessions, manages safeguarding, supports families, and clears everything away at the end. There is no gap between thinking and doing. The work is consistent because responsibility sits with her and stays there.

Her practice is rooted in connection and inclusion. She works closely with children who learn differently, including SEND learners, home educated children, and families navigating anxiety, overwhelm, or periods of change. She does not rush people or push them towards outcomes. She allows time and pays attention.

Her way with children is calm and observant. She watches first and steps in only when needed. Children are trusted to make choices, to take manageable risks, and to work things out for themselves. Confidence grows through experience rather than instruction. She is drawn to quiet spaces and time spent in nature. Woodland and open ground offer her a sense of calm and presence. These are places where she connects with making, art, music, and craft, and where slowing down feels natural.

Much of her life is spent outdoors with her family. Building fires, exploring woods, and finding wild places across Yorkshire are part of everyday life. Long, slow walks with her dog are another constant. She notices small details, collects found objects, and stays attentive to what is around her.

Over time, her work has grown into building and leading community rooted projects. She creates environments that feel safe, calm, and welcoming, where people can slow down, reconnect, and feel accepted as they are. Wilderness Adventures grew from small forest school sessions into a community interest company to keep the work accessible and able to continue without losing its shape.

The work reflects how she lives. It is not something she steps into and out of. It is carried day to day, in the same way she moves through the world. Parents trust her because she is clear and consistent. Children respond because they are taken seriously. People who work alongside her find her steady, practical, and dependable.

She understands systems and expectations but does not let them override judgement or common sense. She works from experience, attention, and care, and lets the work speak for itself.