20/08/2026
This isn’t an Instagram post designed to excel with the algorithm, get millions of views, or to follow a trend. I just want to express the immense happiness I get from such a simple way of living. One that isn’t glamorised, aesthetic or trendy. One where there’s cold showers, the same dinner every night, eaten on the floor of an unconverted van, and waking up with no Alarms, just going with the flow.
The last week climbing in Pembrokeshire was so much more than just climbing on some rocks, taking photos and watching a pretty sunset.
When my boyfriend said he wanted to stay on a campsite in the van for the week I was lowkey mortified as I am a firm lay-by lover and I don’t like spending money on places to stay when I have the van. But he insisted that it’s the people that make Pembrokeshire such a wonderful place to be. So, I caved (it was his birthday so I could hardly say no 🤣) and we stayed on a field with hundreds of other people and screaming children for the week.
And oh my goodness was it worth it. There were so many groups of people who were all there for the same reason of their love for climbing. We chatted, we laughed, made new friends, and met some really cool, inspiring people who until now had just been names and faces behind a screen in climbing films and podcasts.
We joined friendly faces around pub tables, played card games in circles under torchlight and learned from those who were climbing routes which seemed impossible to me.
When these people went home we could actually feel the difference in the energy of the place….thats how much of an impact people have.
I am not a good climber. I struggle with pain in my hands from previous nerve damage so I know I’ll never be pushing grades and projects. But that’s completely okay. I’ve had my years of competitive sport in Slalom kayaking and now I just want to have fun outside. I feel so happy when I’m out on the rock with my boyfriend, trying new routes, learning about the culture and history of the climbs…and that feeling of sitting at the bottom of a sea cliff on an abseil knowing no one else can interrupt the peace.
(Caption continued in the comments)