Stephen Neale
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Nicole Bukaty
OWPG new members
New(& rejoining) Members
Stephen Neale
Stephen is an outdoor writer who worked as a newspaper reporter for 25 years. He was previously a member of the OWPG, a committee member and former Outdoor Focus editor. He trained with the BBC as a local government correspondent, and went on to write for the Telegraph, Guardian and Independent.
Since retiring as a lecturer in journalism for University of Essex, he splits his time between wild camping and freelancing. His main focus is providing training in storytelling and living outdoors in the British countryside without access to maps, screens and power.
He was previously a volunteer surveyor on the England Coast Path. He was also a Essex Wildlife Trust warden at the group’ s largest reserve, managing work parties of up to 30 people and tidal conservation.
His book Wild Camping, published by Bloomsbury, has been a best seller for more than a decade.
He has received numerous letters of thanks from PM Boris Jonson, Local Government leaders and others for sharing stories and recommendations on outdoor and communication strategies.
Whether guiding a small team through a remote weekend camp or delivering comms advice, he remains rooted in the principles that drew him outside – love for the land, clarity of purpose, and a desire to help others discover the confidence, independence, and quiet joy of unplugged, outdoor play in nature.
Know someone?
Do you know someone who could benefit from and enjoy membership of the Guild? Why not reach out to them with the‘ new member discount’ offer found on the website under‘ downloads and discounts’.
Nicole Bukaty
Nicole is an expert hiking guidebook writer and photographer, predominantly specialising in Europe’ s pilgrimages. She has totalled 9000km on long-distance hikes thus far. She is the author of La Vía de la Plata and Camino Sanabrés and 15 Short Walks in Perthshire North- Pitlochry, Aberfeldy and Dunkeld, and coauthor of Walking the Via Francigena Pilgrim Route- Part 4, all published by Cicerone Press. She also speaks at conferences, writes articles, and contributes to podcasts and YouTube videos. She hosts regular walking-related talks, mainly in her local area of Perthshire, Scotland.
Nicole’ s first long-distance trail was Menorca’ s Camí de Cavalls. Pilgrimage itineraries promptly followed and she has walked the Camino Portugués, the Camino del Norte, the Camino Inglés, the Via Podiensis( GR65), the Camino Francés, the Vía de la Plata and the Camino Sanabrés.
Her love of mountain and coastal walking has taken her through Spain, Portugal, Italy, Poland, Norway, Croatia, Montenegro and France. She has hiked the Tour du Mont Blanc, the West Highland Way( twice), the Great Glen Way and parts of the South West Coastal Path. She happily jollies along all types of terrain including 450km all on asphalt to the Polish monastery of Jasna Góra in Częstochowa.
Most recently in summer 2025 she hiked 900km on the Norwegian Gudbrandsdalsleden St Olav Way that links Oslo to Trondheim for her upcoming guidebook. Her highlights: solitary blueberrysprinkled woodland trails and meeting a moose!
As a French and Spanish school teacher, she also writes about Education.
Submission deadline for the Spring issue is 31st January.
Winter 2025 OUTDOOR FOCUS 3