Why I started Wendy Wanders
There are moments in life when you suddenly realise one chapter has come to an end, even though you never imagined it would.
A few years ago, if someone had told me I'd be travelling around Britain in a motorhome with my two cocker spaniels, writing about my adventures, creating artwork inspired by nature and sharing it all online, I'd probably have smiled politely and said, "I don't think so."
Back then, my life looked very different.
For many years I owned and ran Hemera Holidays, a successful holiday business here in Northumberland. I loved helping people discover beautiful places and create memories that would stay with them long after their holiday had ended.
When I sold the business, I thought I knew exactly what the next chapter of my life would look like.
Life, however, had other ideas.
Over the following years, I experienced some of the hardest times of my life. Like many people, I discovered that life can change in ways we never expect. There were moments when the future felt uncertain and days when simply putting one foot in front of the other felt like enough of an achievement.
Looking back now, I realise those difficult chapters taught me something incredibly important.
We don't always get to choose the chapters life writes for us. But we do get to choose how the next chapter begins.
Slowly, almost without noticing, I started finding joy again.
It was there in quiet walks along the coast.
In watching the sun rise over an empty beach.
In listening to the waves while Gracie and Sasha chased each other across the sand.
In creating artwork inspired by the places I was beginning to fall in love with all over again.
Then came Nancy.
My motorhome didn't just give me a different way to travel; she gave me the freedom to slow down, explore Britain at my own pace and discover that some of the most beautiful places aren't always the ones you'll find in a guidebook.
These days you'll usually find the four of us—Nancy, Gracie, Sasha and me—exploring hidden beaches, peaceful forests, tiny villages and quiet corners of Britain, always with a camera nearby and a flask of tea never too far away.
Somewhere along the way, I realised I didn't just want to share my artwork anymore.
I wanted to share the whole journey.
The places that inspire it.
The people I meet.
The campsites that surprise me.
The little moments that remind us to slow down.
The artwork those places inspire.
The lessons I've learned about beginning again.
And that's how Wendy Wanders was born.
This isn't simply a travel journal.
It isn't just an art studio.
It's a place where travel, creativity, photography, nature and life's next chapter all come together.
My hope is that, through these pages, you'll discover more than beautiful places. I hope you'll find encouragement to take that day trip you've been putting off, revisit an old hobby, spend more time in nature, or simply believe that it's never too late to begin again.
Because if there's one thing I've learned, it's this...
Every one of us will face chapters we'd never have chosen. Those chapters may shape us, but they don't have to define us. Sometimes the most beautiful stories begin the moment we decide to turn the page.
So...
Pull up a chair, put the kettle on, and come wandering with me.
I'd love you to join me for whatever comes next.
❤️ Wendy
