Why We Started WandrLust:
Rediscovering Our Love for the Outdoors: The Inspiration Behind WandrLust
I had the best years growing up! My mum, step-dad and I, lived in Tollerton—a small country village in Nottingham, England—my childhood was straight out of a storybook. My friends and I, much like the kids from “Stranger Things,” spent our days on our bikes, having fun and generally getting up to innocent mischief. We’d cycle to the barley fields and run down the muddy path to our secret hideout, affectionately named ‘Scumbag Island’. It was really just a stream bordered by overgrown branches, but to us, it was years of endless fun and memories. And, when the sun started to set, I knew it was time to head back—because if the streetlights came on and I wasn’t home for tea, my mum would be waiting at the door, ready to give me an earful.
Those endless days, spent playing, exploring, and simply being kids together, crafted bonds that have endured a lifetime. We grew up truly connected—to each other, and to the world around us. We often reminisce over these amazing times, reinforcing the memories that shaped the people we are today.
Fast forward to 2022, and my husband and I saw a stark contrast in our daughters’ lives. While they were, and still are, huge swimmers, much of their spare time was spent glued to screens, playing Roblox or watching YouTube—no mud on their shoes, no long afternoons spent getting lost in nature with friends. And it wasn’t their fault—it was ours. It’s a symptom of how modern technology, while miraculous, often misses the mark. Everything is instant, our schedules are overloaded. We juggle too many communication channels, too many rapid demands. We don’t have time to play outside with them because our own lives are filled with work and stress. And our world has expanded beyond the local gossip to a global stage filled with unsettling social media stories, so we’re now cautious to let them roam free like we used to.
As we watched them one evening, immersed in their virtual worlds, we couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss—for the adventures they might never have, for the true friendships they might not form. Things needed to change.
This realisation was hard to accept. I thought about the unbreakable bonds I formed in my younger years, bonds that were made in the simplicity and freedom of outdoor play. My childhood friends, now leading diverse lives as directors, freelancers, managers, and homemakers, still share a unique connection. I couldn’t help but think of Ed Sheeran’s ‘Castle on a Hill’—a song that echoes the universal experience of growing up in the 80 and 90s. We’ve supported each other through life’s highs and lows, from childhood adventures to adult challenges. The foundation of our friendship was built on real experiences and real interactions, something I fear our children might miss out on in a world dominated by digital interactions and social media pressures.
Driven by these reflections, we decided it was time for a change—a time to pivot towards reconnecting with nature and rebuilding community spirit. That’s why we started WandrLust. Our mission is simple yet profound: we need to shift the focus away from appearance-based worth and back to real experiences—camping trips, hikes, spontaneous picnics, and moments of pure, unfiltered joy with the people we love.
Our generation was the last to experience a tech-free childhood, and if we don’t make a change, the next generation won’t know what it feels like to live without the constant buzz of notifications and updates. They won’t know the importance of real friendships built over shared experiences, not just shared selfies.
Wandrlust is designed to inspire and facilitate these adventures. By blending cutting-edge technology with our natural desire to explore, we provide tools that not only enhance your adventures but also allow you to capture and preserve those precious moments as lasting digital landmarks, forever etched in time.
What I mean by this is that we collect the location, time, and environmental metadata from your photos and videos, and inscribe it all on the blockchain (only with your permission, of course). So imagine that your family revisit your special moments in years to come and they layer their own memories over yours, so over time, this creates a detailed collection of shared memories.
It’s not about disconnecting from technology; it’s about using technology to enhance your experiences. We aim to make nature, destinations and adventure the influencers. From planning your next hike to preserving memories of your journeys, WandrLust is here to ensure that every adventure is as rewarding as those of our childhoods.
Let’s create memories worth talking about for years to come—not just posts about makeup tips and what we had for lunch, to be forgotten in an ocean of online noise. Let’s pass down the legacy of adventure, of fresh air, of community.
The world needs more connection, and nature is the answer.
Join us. Let’s make the outdoors a part of our story again.
As we prepare for the launch of WandrLust, I invite you to be a part of our community. Together, we can bring back the magic of the great outdoors and create a world where nature is the ultimate playground for all of us.
Nic Scarce
WandrLust Co-Founder
