“I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.” – John Muir

This special training opportunity for outdoor leaders to help people get to know a wild place in the spirit of John Muir, is offered by WildWise in partnership with The Institute for Earth Education.

This 3 1/2 day training includes participation in a day-long Muir Trek, how to prepare participants for the trek, and the necessary Muir Trek leadership skills and materials

Day 1: (starts at 2.00) An introduction to earth education, the rationale for the Muir Trek and how to prepare your participants for a Muir Trek

Day 2:  A full day - from sunrise to sunset – experiencing a Muir Trek

Day 3: A full day reviewing the Muir Trek Leader’s Manual, processing the Muir Trek and its inputs, and sharing the nuances of successful trekking.

Day 4: Final morning sessions on ways to promote the Muir Trek, plus other leader responsibilities

The Muir Trek is a sunrise to sunset journey through a natural wild place no one knows, inspired by explorer, Sierra Club founder and ‘father’ of the National Park movement, John Muir.  Muir would head into the wilds of nature seeking only the richness of the day rather than set a destination.  The Muir trek emphasises the Muir-inspired qualities of zest, celebration, joy and adventure in the natural world.  However the focus of the Muir Trek is on the individual in the natural world – not the group.  Group bonding is not emphasised on a Muir trek.  Instead, the day is accented with leader inputs which help the participants explore their own perceptions and experiences in nature, which are shared in an informal way with the group.

The Muir Trek begins shortly before sunrise as the leader and 8 to 11 participants set off to explore the essence of a wild place close to hand.  Carrying all they need with them – water, a bit of food, proper clothing – they take the time to explore a small part of our planet.  Rather than seeking a destination or being challenged by nature, the Muir Trek moves deliberately with the day.  The goal is an internal one, to be conscious and joyful in being outdoors, in direct contact with the earth.  There is time to sit and watch and reflect on the natural world, and to saunter and wander over relatively short distances.

Developed by the Institute for Earth Education (I·E·E) and led by its Associate staff members since first described in Acclimatizing (1974), the Muir Trek has been recently revised and updated, and now we would like to begin training others to lead this inspiring experience.  This is only the second ‘open’ Muir Trek leaders workshop to be held in the UK. 

As with other institute programmes, once participants have attended the workshop, if you decide to offer Muir Treks, they can only be offered through a Memorandum of Agreement with I·E·E, which must be completed prior to the training.  It spells out the relationship with the institute and the per participant trek materials that must be purchased from I·E·E (these are currently the equivalent of £8 per head). There is also a Muir Trek leadership package which you can purchase along with your first order of Muir Trek participant items at the time of the workshop or at a later date.  The leaders package, which currently costs £80 includes props, the book “The Wilderness World of John Muir” and a password for the Muir Trek website for updates and downloadable forms and sample fliers

Location: Near Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor, Devon.

Cost:   £275 organisations/ £195 individuals
The all inclusive workshop fee covers, leadership, participation in a full day Muir trek, the Muir Trek leaders Manual, and a sample set of participant materials. Please note, three nights accommodation and meals will cost an extra £75 per person.

Event Leader - Jon Cree is the Education and Training Officer for Bishops Wood Environmental Centre and International Training Coordinator for the Institute of Earth Education, Jon has worked for almost 20 years now with pupils, teachers, local education authorities and other organisations working in environmental education, and on sustainability issues.