Following the Fernweh

"Fernweh" is the marriage between fern, meaning distance, and wehe, an ache or sickness. This German word can be translated to mean an aching for places far away. So think of a more powerful term for wanderlust.

That is what I strive to share at Following the Fernweh. My adventure-driven lifestyle and passion for public lands are what makes this page so much more unique than others you may visit.

Today I am sitting inside of a visitor center at an Arkansas State Park during an ice storm to share some of the reasons why I named our blog Following the Fernweh, what makes this page different from others who are passionate about the outdoors, and how you can help this page to grow to reach even more future adventurers!

Whenever I created this page, I wanted a unique name that captures why I love the outdoors and exploring new places. It took they help of my husband and a couple of weeks to land on the word fernweh. After looking at a few different words and meanings, fernweh caught our eyes. A longing to visit new places, see exciting new scenes, and get an overwhelming feeling of wanderlust while out doing any outdoor activity is what I have been seeking for nearly my whole life. I can recall the first floating trip I took on the Buffalo National River when I was in kindergarten during spring break. My dad loaded up the canoe and took me down the river for just one mile. We floated from Tyler Bend to Grinder's Ferry. I saw the glistening water and what looked like little spikey balls in the water (I know now it was the sun's reflection). I was hooked to exploring unseen places after that day. Following the Fernweh is established to encourage you to explore unseen places, experience public lands, and enjoy the small moments of life.

My hopes are that the this is a bit different than most adventure pages. I want to show you where you can head for your next adventure. I created this blog to inspire folks to visit their public lands. Public lands are established and owned by YOU! You have ownership in them. They are yours to explore and enjoy. These can be city parks, state parks, national parks, Bureau of Land Management land, or national forests. I am based in Arkansas and explore as much as I can in the state, but also go anywhere I get the chance to! I have a degree in parks and recreation and love all things parks. My husband does too! We both have a passion for giving folks an opportunity to enjoy nature and all the benefits it has to offer us. So whether it's a local city park for you or a grand national park adventure, we encourage people to get out there and do it!

While I love that you are here reading this article and now know the reason behind why I do what I do, I want you to spread the word. Do you have a friend who needs a push to explore outside? Have you not known where to hike next? Maybe you have questions about how to plan a big trip? We have a few things we'd love for you to do!

1. Share this article with three of your friends or family. Just sharing this article and maybe our social media outlets can help us grow and reach more people!

2. Give us a follow on Instagram (@followingthefernweh) and TikTok (@followingthefernweh).

3. Drop a comment below to share what you'd like to hear from us next!

Be inspired and go!

- Following the Fernweh