Leah

Travel information

I am currently

Description

🌄I'm 42, independent, confident and currently live in rural mountainous solitude so no place is too remote for me to help out even if I'm on my own. I'm also used to hiking daily, and far, 3-7hrs!

☘️IRELAND I'll arrive in Ireland on 18th August for a conference and will be free to help out from Friday 21st/Saturday 22nd August until I leave on 29th September - flights are already booked. I would love a rural Workaway experience or two anywhere in Ireland for pet-sitting, plant-sitting, home-sitting, ecotourism or beekeeping. I'm hoping I can return to Ireland yearly after this first experience.🐝

🐾SPAIN LASTMINUTE: As I'm permanently settled in rural Asturias, Spain (I have a NIE residency card), I can usually support lastminute hosts anywhere in Asturias, Cantabria & León with pet-sitting, home-sitting, plant-sitting, beekeeping and ecotourism only (maybe further afield if you cover travel costs by reimbursement when I arrive). My nearest city is Oviedo. RURAL, URBAN, REMOTE & PURE SOLITUDE welcomed. If you're in Asturias and need urgent pet-sitting support I can possibly help from the day you contact me (e.g. an unexpected hospital admission, etc.).

🌻WHATSAPP: I do have WhatsApp, but I prefer to communicate on here first until we've agreed initial details and dates (I can check profiles to remind me who is who that way).

🎓QUALIFICATIONS & CAREER: I've studied a BSc Hons in Wildlife Conservation (upper 2:1), PgDip Youth & Community Work (distinction), PgCert Ecology & Spirituality (distinction), 190-hour Ecotherapy Cert., Natural Mindfulness Cert., a BTEC National Diploma in Animal Care (with distinction - full-time study - two years duration), etc., etc.., and have tonnes of work experience in those fields too. I'm a former wildlife conservationist, bat biologist, eco-consciousness thought leader and I'm a published co-author in the same topic. I've also worked extensively as an environmental community projects officer, volunteer and student placements manager, international youth development worker for social and environmental impact (working across 32 different countries in-person or virtually - see photos) and in Nature connection for 23-years. For over 15-years I've also managed coaching and mentoring programmes across the globe in themes of wellbeing, mental health, youth development, safeguarding, prevention of gender-based violence, leadership, human experience and peer-support (ICF-ACTP qualified coach, EMCC EIA Senior Practitioner in mentoring and coaching, NVQ IAG Level 4, etc.); albeit, in 2025 I've somewhat stepped back from this field of work due to my shifting values and growing passions. Currently, I'm part of the editing team for a British academic journal, and an independent researcher and writer/trainer of Nature connection, eco-consciousnesses and extraordinary/spiritual experiences that manifest in solitude/Nature/on pilgrimages etc. I still undertake wildlife conservation, as a personal project, and monitor bears and wolves, etc., in land I've bought to protect. My CV is bizarre, but everything interlinks one way or another!

🐶ANIMAL CARE EXPERIENCE: I've looked after ALL kinds of plants and animals over my lifetime since childhood for myself, rescues and other people, including: dogs, cows, cats, axolotls, horses, chickens, geese, ducks, donkeys, lizards, fish, amphibians, goats, sheep, snakes, insects like tarantulas, small mammals, wildlife etc., etc. I also used to work as a licensed bat surveyor and cared for injured bats. In my twenties I worked daily, alone, on a dairy farm with 55 milking cows (rounding them up by quad, milking them, checking welfare etc.); there were also horses, chickens, cats, dogs etc. In my teens I worked weekends at a horse riding stables and in pet shops. I have absolutely no experience in beekeeping yet, but would love to. We currently have borrowed cows and sometimes horses and donkeys on our land as well.

🐌NOTE: I'm aware that my profile is quite extensive, but I hope it will answer all of your questions to ensure that I am right for you before we start communicating.

🌄PILGRIMS, RETREATS & ECOTOURISM: I have helped develop two ecotourism projects, both in Kenya, and I'm passionate about including local communities and their local culture into sustainable tourism and ecotourism programmes. I've also delivered team building programmes for eco-tourism staff and helped create 5-year plans and SWOT analysis with the team for positive impact, ownership and sustainability. I used to be an ISO-14001 environmental standards assessor and a quality mark assessor/mentor too. Project development, delivery and management is my passion and top skill, which I'm very happy to mentor in especially if it's related to eco-tourism, eco-spiritual retreats, Nature connection, ecotherapy, pilgrimages, personal vision quests, solitude immersion etc. (you can see this on my LinkedIn page; details sent if requested). I don't want to set up my own retreats; I want to help you to do amazing for yourself and others!

🧅MY COMMITMENT TO YOU & VICE VERSA: I do expect some really basic food in return for my support and my own bedroom; not shared. All I need are some bare basics in exchange for my time e.g. potatoes, onions, peppers, garlic, milk and eggs (unless you're vegan), herbs, salt, oil and bread - I can be very creative with just those ingredients, even for a few weeks. And, if I'm home/pet-sitting, I don't need any days "off" - I'm there for your animals and plants for the entire stay every day. Your home will be just how you left it, or even better; I love to clean. I can keep you updated whilst you're away with a daily message, videos and photos via WhatsApp, if you'd like that.

🏔️YOUR LOCATION, LOCAL AMMENITIES & TRANSPORT: I currently live in pure solitude as you'll read below and see in my photos (the images of mountains are the views from my home); yet, I've also lived in massive cities like Guayaquil in Ecuador, Leeds UK and Kampala in Uganda, working with communities, so I don't shy away from rural or urban settings. I love walking and hiking, so, if you have dogs, horses, donkeys or other animals that like a short or long stroll it would be my pleasure to walk with them if they're used to that (I don't ride horses anymore). If you stock up for my stay, I'm happy to be left alone for up to 4-weeks in pure solitude with no amenities nearby. Solitude is my soul PASSION. I'm not scared at all of being alone day or night.🌄

🚜DRIVING: I have a full up-to-date Spanish driving license; although, I don't drive on public roads anymore by personal choice. I do however live in rural solitude and hike far every day: 3-7 hours a day - up to 15k daily! My nearest shop and bus stop is a two-hour hike down from the village & a lot more back up the mountain, so please don't let my lack of driving put you off; it doesn't stop me. I will drive on private land - tractors, quads, 4 x 4, but not on public roads at all (fear - after a severe motorway crash 20-years ago). I'm a public transport whizz ;)

👩🏼‍🌾MY CURRENT LIFE & PERSONAL INFO: I'm a 42 year old confident and independent woman that's married to my wonderful Spanish husband Daniel, who is from Asturias - he's a professional translator & qualified wine specialist - we've been together for 18-years (see photo in 'photos'). We lived in Leeds city centre for 9-years and in Ecuador for a year. I lived alone, for work, in Southern and Eastern Africa for four months before moving here whilst Daniel settled in. I'm originally from Wirral, UK, with Scottish and Irish roots (mostly Irish - hence why I'd love to volunteer in Ireland next year as I've never visited). I've spent a lot of time alone working for several weeks and months in countries across Africa too (rural locations like Ndhiwa, Rusinga and Mukuni and big cities like Kampala and Livingstone). Once we settled into Daniel's ancestral Asturian lands eight years ago, a month later our Carea Leonés dog Bowie arrived by magic, literally, on the doorstep as a little pup emaciated, starving, full of parasites and hosting a badly broken hip/leg (see photos of Bowie; he's all fixed now and lives "the best life of all the dogs in the village" according to my local neighbour).

🚣🏼‍♀️My husband happily stays at home with Bowie when I help you out - I travel alone, and travel often so this is very normal for us (up to 4-months at a time). We're surrounded by plenty of wildlife and have no children. Our dinky 200-year old cottage is in a quiet mountain village of just 15 neighbours, and we have an even more isolated stone cabin in the middle of the mountains, about three-four hours walk away, with no neighbours/no distant lights/no electricity poles/no roads/nada, at all, as far as the eye can see, where I go to write and disconnect half of the week alone in pure silent solitude (see photo of its views - great inspiration for a writer/trainer of eco-consciousness and Nature connection). The wolves and bears are my regular visitors there (no humans, not even family visit), and as a conservationist that adores privacy, and protects land, I keep the location of these special places exceptionally secret and quiet. Please don't ask where they are: I won't tell you, sorry.🐺

🌳MY PERSONALITY & VALUES: You've probably guessed a lot about me already by now. I'm super friendly and smiley (well I think I am haha) and I love hearing about people's cultures and traditions, trying them out too, but I do like to keep myself to myself as well, unless I'm directly working with people. I'm not a super sociable person; kind of obvious with me living in solitude. However, I have worked with thousands of people over my 23-year international youth and community career and will not shy away from a good conversation when I'm around people. I'm more than happy to meet via Zoom or GoogleMeet on video if you'd like to check that I'm right for you first; if I'm not the right match I will not be offended at all - it's best to make sure I'm the right person for you before I arrive, and vice versa, hence all of this extensive content. If you're in Asturias I may even be able to meet you beforehand.

🍷🧀I do not smoke at all and I have never done any drugs of any kind (I'm respectful of everyone's individual lifestyle and choices!). I do love a wine/cider with food, or a beer on a sunny day; that's my vice (plus local cheese). In my personal life I eat local and seasonal (I have absolutely no dietary requirements - I eat what I'm given and what we have access to, within reason); especially from our own allotments and the magical land and forests that we have become the loving guardians of. We buy products from local farmers, butchers, fishmongers and growers and go to the farmer's market fortnightly to stock up - we live a simple, humble life as much as we can; don't get me wrong, though, a traditional local restaurant once a month isn't turned away hehe, but we rarely go on holiday or buy anything we don't actually genuinely need.

🌺YOUR ACCOMMODATION & MY STAY: I'm used to living off-grid and staying in very basic conditions (cleanliness is very important to me, though!): outside compost loo, mud huts, tents, candle light only, cold water from a well, bucket shower etc. are normal for me through my work overseas across Africa and Latin America. However, I do prefer to sleep on a "good" mattress. In addition to a real mattress, a private bedroom/sleeping area is 100% imperative for me. Although I'm not vegetarian (I used to be until I moved into the rhythm of local and seasonal, which works sustainably here!), I will absolutely respect and live by the rules in your home and eat only vegetarian or vegan food, if required. And any other rules I must follow - I will. I've lived/stayed alone with groups of tribal people in Ecuador, Uganda, Kenya, Peru and Zambia and thus have learnt to adapt to culture, traditions, customs and diets quickly.

🔏YOUR PRIVACY: I don't use social media - I do not have Facebook, Instagram, TikTok etc. I will never share photos, location or videos of your home, land, animals or property. I value privacy, it's one of my top five core values, so I will also respect yours and Nature's too (I keep special locations very secret for Nature).

🐈ANIMALS REQUIRING MEDICATION: I'm happy to administer any medications or injections that have been prescribed by a vet. You must, however, show me how to administer these meds/injections before you leave, and leave me with clear written instructions. It is important that the medication is labelled and in its original box. I also expect you to leave me with a local emergency contact.

🐓ALLERGIES: I am NOT allergic to bee stings or any animals of any kind. However, I am VERY allergic to feather pillows/duvets that I sleep on; strangely when they're on the actual living birds, feathers don't seem to bother me! I've cared for looooooads of chickens, ducks and geese.

💃🏼MY LANGUAGE SKILLS: I'm native British with a very neutral accent. I understand Spanish very well and speak Spanish at an intermediate level; I can have a good conversation in Spanish. I understand a lot of Asturianu too. However, I use translation apps to translate written Spanish as that's my weakest and laziest language skill.

📜REFERENCES: Obviously you can see some here. Also, I do have a very complete, and active, professional LinkedIn page with my certifications, refs, career history and accreditations (including my animal care and conservation qualifications). However, I will only provide this information if you are serious about my support, and only if we have agreed dates and details.

Wahhh, that was a lot, but I hope it was helpful and will support you to decide if you'd like me to look after your home, animals, plants, projects etc.

I'd love to help out if I'm right for you and you're right for me. 😊
Thank you so much,
Leah🙏🏼

Interests

Writing

Self development

Sustainability

Plant care

Photography

Pets

Nature

Mountain

Hiking

Farming

Culture

Books

Animals

Languages spoken

English: Fluent
Spanish: Intermediate

Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:  

Animal Care

House & pet sitting

Life at a Farmstay

Helping around the house

Hospitality/Tourism

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Some knowledge of:  

Eco Projects

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Able to teach about:  

Charity Work

More details about your skills

Please see description for my relevant skills. 🌞

Age

42

What else ...

A private bedroom or sleeping area with a sturdy mattress is required (not a mat, blow up air bed or a hammock; some sofa beds are okay if the foam isn't super thin!), and I do not want to stay in a home where people smoke indoors (I can't bear the smell of cigarettes). I like to keep myself to myself so please be aware I may not always be social, but I can be and I'm super smiley. I'm happy to meet on a video call first. I don't drive!

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies
  Yes. I'm extremely allergic to feather bedding, pillows and duvets that I will be sleeping on: I'm not allergic to birds and can absolutely 100% look after birds! I can explain more, if required.

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  Special dietary requirements
  No, none at all, except that Octopus are one of my favourite animals, so I refuse to eat them. I also refuse to eat companion animals, including horses and donkeys no matter where I am in the world. I will adapt to any/all dietary requests/requirements in