In this episode of the Tough Girl Podcast, we sit down with Sophie Pierce, a writer, broadcaster, and passionate wild swimmer from Dartmoor in Devon, UK. Sophie shares her profound journey through grief, particularly the loss of her son Felix in 2017, and how the healing power of nature has been an anchor in her life.

Sophie talks about her memoir, "The Green Hill," which explores themes of love, loss, and the transformative effects of wild places. She also discusses her work as a journalist with the BBC, her love for exploring new places, and the growing popularity of outdoor swimming. We delve into her co-authored wild swimming guides, including her most recent book, "Wild Swimming Walks Exmoor and North Devon.”

This episode highlights the mental health benefits of outdoor swimming, the importance of community, and how nature can help reset and heal us. Sophie offers insights on navigating grief, the support she received from friends and family, and how she continues to find solace in nature.

Join us for an inspiring and heartfelt conversation with Sophie Pierce as we explore the intersection of nature, grief, and resilience.

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Show notes

Who is Sophie
Being based in Dartmoor in South west England
Living close to the sea and a wild moorland media
Working as a journalist for many years
Her love of exploring
The loss of her son in 2017
Where her love of exploring and swimming came from
Her childhood and growing up with 3 brothers
Being quite ferrel when younger
Getting back into outdoor swimming
Connecting with friends and exploring new places
Outdoor swimming and it’s increase in popularity
How outdoor swimming have changed over the past 25 years
Why its about your mindset and having a desire to be out in nature and explore
Why all you need is a map, a swimming costume and a pair of walking boots
The benefits of communities
Looking out for one another while in the water
The importance of having fun at any age
Going wild swimming in the River Dart ever day during the summer
The impact cold water can have on your mental health and how it can help reset you
Dealing with the loss of her son, Felix
SUDEP ‘the Sudden, Unexpected Death of someone with EPilepsy’
How her life changed afterwards
Learning to incorporate her grief into her life
Finding spending time in nature to be helpful
Charity SUDEP Action
Dealing with grief
Book: The Green Hill: Letters to a Son
Writing a series of letters to Felix – composed during walks and swims taken close to his burial place by the river Dart
Still feeling connected to Felix
Why it was hard to go back to the places where her and Felix had spent time
Wanting to explore new places and create new memories
Remembering Felix as a child
Processing her grief
Having some counselling but not finding it helpful
Book: Weathering By Ruth Allen
The narrative imposed about grief by society
Not feeling the urge to process grief
Making something beautiful out of something terrible
Feeling a loss when the the book was published and not having anything to focus on
The support from friends and family and what helped
Living in a small town and having to face people
What happens when a year or two passes
Getting use to living with the loss
Why the second year can be tougher than the first
Published Wild Swimming Walks guide books
Wild Things Publishing
Artist - James Lewis
Push back from locals who don’t want to share their beauty sports
The impact sewage is having on beautiful wild places
Surfers Against Sewage App
Doing a risk assessment before getting into the river/water
Writing to your MP and complaining about the sewage situation
How to connect with Sophie on social media
Advice for women dealing with grief and the loss of a child

Social Media

Website: www.sophiepierce.co.uk

Instagram: @mssophiepierce

Twitter/X: @sophiepierce

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