Not a brilliant one. There was no graduation out of local newspapers on to Fleet Street. I remained a regional hack covering the courts, council meetings and charity fun days for almost 20 years. I suppose I learned to enjoy it. Writing about ‘home’ replaced tramping abroad. But newspapers taught me something about the world that was just as important: every story begins with an idea. They call it an intro, and it has 5 Ws:
Who – Every person
What – has a natural-born right to sleep outdoors without paying…
Where – in the British Isles and Ireland
When – right now
Why – because wild camping is too much fun to be wrong.
Oh yeah, I forgot; there’s a ‘how’. That’s the thing with formulas. Remembering them.
How – Abandon your car, abandon your fear; abandon everything you have learned to believe in since leaving childhood. On a warm, clear night, go and walk under the stars and in an unenclosed space, far from any road or building, lay down and sleep. It will change your life for ever.
