The Land That Raised Me: What an Ancient Woodland Can Teach Us About Belonging
For this episode of Where We Come Alive, I met artist, filmmaker and storyteller Dandy of Fine and Dandelion in Dane Valley Woods, a community woodland tucked away in Margate that has become deeply woven into his life.
At first glance, it’s simply a woodland. A place filled with towering trees, tangled undergrowth and winding paths. But spend a little time there and it begins to reveal something else. It becomes a place that invites you to slow down, to pay attention and to remember that we are part of something far older than ourselves.
As we wandered beneath the canopy together, one question kept returning to me.
Can a landscape help shape who we become?
More Than a Woodland
Dandy chose Dane Valley Woods because it isn’t simply somewhere he enjoys walking. It’s somewhere he returns to again and again.
“It’s very consuming,” he told me. “Very rich with life.”
That richness isn’t only found in the plants and wildlife. It’s found in the feeling of the place itself.
Unlike carefully manicured parks, Dane Valley Woods feels delightfully untamed. Brambles spill across paths. Trees twist into one another. Light filters through layers of leaves, creating a constantly changing landscape that never looks quite the same twice.
It’s one of those places where you instinctively begin walking more slowly.
Not because you have to.
Because something quietly asks you to.
Learning to Notice the Extraordinary
As we explored, Dandy introduced me to one of his favourite trees: a walnut tree quietly growing amongst the woodland.
To many people it would simply be another tree.
To him, it held familiarity, memory and possibility.
Throughout our conversation, I was reminded how often nature rewards those who are willing to look a little closer.
We noticed tiny seedlings pushing through the woodland floor.
The textures of bark softened by moss.
The changing quality of light beneath the canopy.
The sounds that only become apparent once conversation pauses for a moment.
These details aren’t hidden.
They’re simply overlooked.
Modern life encourages us to move quickly, always looking towards the next task, the next destination or the next notification.
Nature works differently.
It invites us to become fully present where we already are.
Sometimes that’s enough to transform an ordinary walk into something quietly extraordinary.
Wild Places That Raise Us
The title of this episode, The Land That Raised Me, speaks to something many of us recognise but rarely put into words.
We often think the people in our lives shape us.
But places do too.
The beach where we learnt confidence.
The woodland where we escaped as children.
The garden where we sat with grandparents.
The hill we climbed whenever life became overwhelming.
These landscapes become woven into our memories until they are almost impossible to separate from who we are.
Listening to Dandy speak about Dane Valley Woods, it became clear this wasn’t simply somewhere he visits.
It’s somewhere that continues to teach him.
A place that reminds him of curiosity.
Of imagination.
Of slowing down.
Of allowing the natural world to exist without needing to control it.
Perhaps that’s why certain places call us back throughout our lives.
Not because they stay the same.
But because they quietly help us become more ourselves.
What the Woodland Knows
One thing I’ve noticed throughout this first series of Where We Come Alive is that every guest has spoken about nature as though it isn’t simply scenery.
It becomes a collaborator.
A teacher.
A companion.
Walking through Dane Valley Woods, it was impossible not to feel that.
Trees that have stood for generations ask nothing of us.
The woodland doesn’t expect productivity.
It doesn’t care about achievements, deadlines or status.
It simply continues doing what it has always done.
Growing.
Decaying.
Renewing.
Life layered upon life.
When we spend time in places like this, something inside us begins to match that slower rhythm.
Our breathing softens.
Our thoughts become quieter.
We stop trying quite so hard.
Perhaps that’s why so many artists, writers and makers return to wild places when searching for inspiration.
Nature doesn’t hand us answers.
It simply creates enough space for us to hear our own.
Returning to the Places That Make Us Come Alive
As our walk came to an end, I found myself thinking about the title once more.
The Land That Raised Me.
It’s such a beautiful way of describing our relationship with place.
Whether it’s a woodland, a stretch of coastline, a favourite garden or the hill behind your childhood home, most of us have somewhere that feels woven into our story.
Somewhere that knows us.
Somewhere we return to not because it’s new, but because it reminds us who we are beneath the noise of everyday life.
Perhaps that’s what this series has been exploring all along.
Not searching for somewhere extraordinary.
But rediscovering the places that have quietly shaped us all along.
The woodland will continue growing.
The walnut tree will bear fruit.
The seasons will keep turning.
Long after we’ve left, the birds will continue singing beneath the canopy.
And perhaps that’s comforting.
Because it reminds us that we are never truly separate from the natural world.
We belong to it.
If you’ve enjoyed this episode of Where We Come Alive, you can listen wherever you get your podcasts. I’d also love you to join my monthly Studio Diaries newsletter at louisapeacock.com, where I share reflections on art, nature and photography, along with behind-the-scenes stories from my creative practice.
Until next time, keep noticing.
Listen to the episode
If you enjoyed this conversation, you’ll find more episodes of Where We Come Alive waiting for you on Spotify, Apple, Amazon or wherever you get your podcasts. Each week, I spend time outdoors with inspiring women in places they love, exploring how nature, creativity and landscape shape the way we live, see and feel.
Louisa Peacock creates fine art photographic prints that celebrate the beauty, stillness and wonder of the natural world. Inspired by the changing seasons, wild landscapes and the quiet moments often overlooked, her work is an invitation to slow down, notice more deeply and reconnect with the places that make us feel most alive. Each piece is thoughtfully produced as timeless artwork for homes that value beauty, nature and meaningful living.
The Where We Come Alive podcast is on all major platforms including Apple, Amazon and Spotify. Please follow me wherever you get your podcasts to ensure you don’t miss an episode.
