If you have followed us on our journey along The Winding Trail since we launched the site back in the strange but somehow beautifully empty period between Christmas and New Year in 2021, you might have noticed that things have been a little quiet for a while. We wanted to make some changes to the site but, as so often is the case, things took a little bit longer than we had hoped.
But in the last few weeks we relaunched the website with a new design and a slightly altered focus, and we thought it was about time that we got in touch to let you know what we have been up to and where we are hopefully heading.
The Winding Trail has always had the tagline “adventures beyond the front door” and that remains our key goal with the site, a place to share our writing and photography about travel and the outdoors, whether on the opposite side of the planet or a familiar corner of our neighbourhood. There has never been so much “content” created than in the last few years, but we still think and hope there is a place for sharing travel writing and photography that reflects real places, real experiences and genuine connections.
As we write these words we are packing for a trip to Nepal, a journey that will take us to Pokhara and to some of the communities that are being supported by Pahar Trust Nepal. A previous trip is documented in the essay ‘Between the mountain and the river’ and some of the greatest experiences we’ve had in recent months have been taking on the Yorkshire Three Peaks in May and the Berlin Wall Trail Run relay in August with a group of friends to raise money to build schools and improves standards of healthcare and sanitation in hard-to-reach villages in Nepal.
A year ago we started planning and training for those events, and thinking a lot about purpose. A lot of things in the world feel quite desperate right now, and it feels hard to even know where to begin when it comes to finding a response to it. But on those days we climbed the hills of Yorkshire or ran through history in Berlin, and on the countless hours on the trails in preparation, more often than not shared with each other and with friends, the only conclusion we could come to is that just because we can’t do everything, doesn’t mean we can’t do something.
Even then, it can feel overwhelming, especially in the face of the challenges a place like Nepal has to deal with on a regular basis, not least as one of the countries that is bearing the brunt of the climate crisis, a place of political and economic instability, where the impact of earthquakes, flash floods and landslides can be felt all over. At times it feels like the building of a school or fitting out a classroom is like trying to stop an approaching train with an outstretched hand.
But we focus on what we can do rather than what we can’t. There are cracks and problems all over, but a safe school is a good start, something most of us have taken for granted in our lives, and it is real, impactful and worth every ounce of energy. We’ll be sharing more stories from Nepal on The Winding Trail in the coming weeks and months, but if you would like to support Pahar Trust Nepal and the amazing work they do, then please check out their website for more information and to make a donation.
And in the meantime, if you have read this far then we hope you’ll have a look at what we’ve done with The Winding Trail. You’ll find a mix of long read essays, shorter field notes and our very personal and subjective guide to places we like (and think you might like too). Once we are back from Nepal we will also be looking into a series of interviews with people doing interesting things and who approach the outdoors and travel in interesting ways.
Finally, if you enjoy what we are building on The Winding Trail, then please share with others who you think might like it too.
Here’s to more adventures beyond the front door,
Paul & Katrin
Berlin, November 2025
Link to our website: The Winding Trail
