Happy Explorer Nature Adventures is an Isle of Man-based social enterprise to help people explore and reconnect with nature.

‘Our main aim is to get people outdoors into nature and to find fun and interesting ways to enjoy the wonder of new and beautiful places,’ says founder, Andy North.

The adventures on offer include guided glass bottomed kayaking on river and sea, group giant paddle boarding, wildlife watching, hiking, sea and waterfall swimming, and cold water therapy.

Andys says: ‘We often combine our Inner Explorer mindfulness relaxation and breathing techniques, using biofeedback, during these sessions to help people feel fully alive.

‘We are also involved in music and art performances in nature. Every full moon is celebrated with a full moon walk and cave concert. The cave has benches, soft candle lighting and a lit fire, with views of the full moon outside.’

Andy and his wife Luna bring their harmony singing and their collection of instruments that includes cajon drum, fiddle, accordion, mandolin to the acoustic space of the cave. They perform ancient and modern music, often mixed together with haunting melodies from the Isle of Man and around the world, and always try to include a song that everyone can join in with, which of course is optional.

There are also outdoor-based wellbeing and adventure retreats, where people spend three or four days immersed in all of the Happy Explorer activities on offer.

Andy says: ‘Our belief is that, when we spend time outdoors in nature, we start to develop a gratitude and appreciation for natural beauty and life and so develop a love and care for our natural environment. We also use a social enterprise model structure with our events and activities in that we offer two gift price places to those who cannot afford the full price of an event. As well as this, people can use a pay it forward gift to allow others to come for free.

‘We try to promote our outstanding living landscape and seascape through active involvement with UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man. We are not just talking about the Biosphere, our daily work promotes the landscapes and seascapes of the island and helps people directly experience the many creatures and plants that share the space with us. We are in a unique position to show people how fine the balance is between destruction and nurture of these spaces.

‘We often plant native flower bulbs on our trips and always collect plastic from remote places. We monitor wildlife and report back to Manx Wildlife Trust, Dolphin and Whale Watch and DEFA fisheries for a number of initiatives. We have also planted 720 trees so far, to help cover the carbon costs of driving to our events.’

Happy Explorer also works with the charity Heroes on the Water which supports uniformed (police, medical, fire, ex military) staff by providing wellbeing sessions, and with Manx Care to provide Forest and Wilderness wellbeing sessions to staff and patients.

Upcoming events include twilight Wild Wallaby walks and watching with a guide who has an expert knowledge of where to find them; Sulby River Glass Bottomed Kayak Adventures where you will often see little egret, herons, and sometimes the elusive kingfisher and, if the river is clear enough, see fish beneath, and cold water therapy in the Secret Waterfall Wanderers adventure.

For more information visit www.happyexplorer.co.uk or see their Facebook page.