The Wild Pathways Programme
This programme has been created to allow space for youth to celebrate who they authentically are and support them in stepping into who they are becoming. Through a small community container, we will explore what it is to move through this liminal phase between childhood and adulthood. We will guide the participants to move through this threshold with intentionality and integrity.
Over the course of 7 meetings we will be deepening our relationship with ourselves, each other, and the land that holds us, creating a foundation for our dusk to dawn fire vigil on our final evening together. During this process of tending, we seek to gain insight into our own inner fire, what burns brightly for us, and who it is we want to become.
These themes will be explored through fun practical exercises and challenges, a sprinkling of ceremony, and plenty of fireside chats.
The course is limited to 12 participants and takes place all outdoors with one overnight stay. We are based in East Wicklow in a beautiful private woodland site.
All facilitators are garda vetted.
If the fires that innately burn inside youths are not intentionally and lovingly added to the hearth of the community, they will burn down the structures of culture, just to feel the warmth
Michael Meade, drawing on an African proverb
What to expect
Across seven immersive gatherings, participants will:
Spend time on the land with fire, deer, river and forest; develop a felt sense of connection, community and reverence for the human and more than human world
Tend the Fire: With fire as our guide, develop skills to tend fire for ourselves and for community with respect and responsibility
Develop values that foster self respect, accountability and emotional maturity as we explore our place in our own lives, our communities and the greater web of life.
Learn practices to develop an enjoyment of calm and contentment, aid in grounding, moving out of the mind and into conscious presence.
Empower ourselves through the development of skills to create shelter, to cook outdoors, to forage, to weave and wild craft, engaging creatively with the world around us.
Create ceremony with a solo night vigil, marking the threshold that this time of life brings.
Details
26 and 27 Sept 2026 Autumn equinox - Fire
As we enter the dark half of the year and the beginning of our journey, we will learn the ways of fire. Creating ember with bow drill, and exploring the transformative power of fire, we will seek to ignite the spark of intention within each person.
Over two days we will explore various ways of making fire, what we can do with it, and what it can teach us.
8 Nov 2026 Samhain - Deer
Meet the hunter and the hunted. Chad Biddle joins us for this session with stories of the hunt, wild caught venison, and crafts using the gifts that our local deer bring. We will explore our relationship with the reverence for this life and death process.
(veggie options will be a plenty for those that don't want to eat venison)
20 Dec 2026 Winter solstice - Celebration
We will come together on the winter solstice to enjoy story, feasting and celebration. On this shortest day, we will explore aspects of the dark and the overculture's denial of it. A day rooted in gratitude, we will begin to look at what is asking to be left behind with the darkness, and what wants to be cultivated in the light of the lengthening days ahead.
7 Feb 2027 Imbolc - Weaving
With the wonders of willow we will weave simple crafts and deepen relationship with our self, each other and the land. We will explore how we can begin to re-weave connection in a disconnected world.
21 Mar 2027 Bealtaine - Shelter
Exploring themes of shelter and home, modernity and social justice, through experiential practices of building and continuing to learn from the more than human world. Keith Mac Aodh will join us as guide to help us navigate through this complex topic.
9 May 2027 Spring equinox - Connecting with the land
As we approach our night vigil we will begin to prepare ourselves by looking at intention, place and belonging. An extended time alone on the land will offer insights, questions and challenges. How will we prepare ourselves for the next challenge?
19 and 20 June 2027 Summer solstice - Fire vigil
Guided and supported, the young people will cross the threshold of their night vigil ceremony. They will be welcomed back the next morning into the community. A true celebration of who they are, and who they are becoming.
Who's it for?
- Teens, age 13 to 16, looking to deepen their connection with their authentic self and to take an intentional step on their journey toward adulthood
- Teens who would like to learn and develop some real outdoor skills
- Teens looking for an alternative to church-based rites of passage
- Teens who would like to explore ways to help them stay grounded and embodied through this liminal and often turbulent time
- Teens who would like to explore their relationship with the natural world and what it means to belong to the wider web
What will be expected of participants?
- Openness and curiosity to see what unfolds
- An agreement to respect yourself, each other and nature
- An attitude of 'give it a try'
- Helping to run the camp (cooking, tidying up, etc)
- Turning up (physically) and being present (mentally)
- Nothing will be asked of you that isn't within your power or ability. We may stretch you or challenge you in different ways, but our main focus is on allowing what is already inside you to begin to grow.
Cost of the Programme
Sliding scale - this enables the course to be available at different price points based on the circumstances of the person. This system relies on honesty and accountability.
Supported - €990; this will fall short of covering the cost of the course (3 places available)
Basic - €1100; this will cover the direct expenses
Benefactor - €1210; this will support those needing to pay on the lower end of the scale and will support programme development.
If you feel you are able to offer a higher amount, or wish to make a separate donation, this will allow us to offer more supported places. Get in touch
Payment plans available
What's included
All materials required for the sessions
Simple nutritious lunch cooked on the fire
Group shelter
Guidance, preparation and support throughout the solo night vigil
Screen free time - no devices are permitted on the programme
Please note: this course takes place entirely outdoors so rain gear and suitable footwear, such as sturdy hiking boots are required