Wilderness Now

Wilderness Now is an outdoor skills and nature education provider based at the Factory 15 complex in Elephant and Castle, south London. The organisation's core belief is that connection to the natural world and competence in basic survival skills are fundamental to children's wellbeing — and that these things shouldn't require a trip to the countryside to access. Sessions cover a range of wilderness skills including fire-lighting, shelter construction, foraging and plant identification, rope techniques, and basic navigation.

The instruction style is hands-on and achievement-focused: children leave sessions having done something real, not just having been told about it. This approach creates a strong feedback loop — children who successfully light a fire or build a shelter that actually stands up feel a genuine sense of mastery that's hard to replicate through other activities. Wilderness Now caters to a broad age range, from younger primary school children through to teenagers, and adapts its sessions accordingly.

Family sessions are available for parents who want to learn alongside their children, which many families find creates an especially memorable shared experience. The Elephant and Castle location, while not the most traditionally scenic part of London, is excellent for accessibility — Northern line and Thameslink connections put it within reach of families across the capital. The provider also runs programmes in outdoor green spaces across south London when weather and session type call for it.

It's a genuinely worthwhile option for families who want outdoor skills education without leaving the city.