Lisa Drewe

Meet Lisa Drewe – Island explorer, marine conservationist, author of Islandeering, coffee lover, mountaineer, cyclist, kayaker.

Lisa Drewe is an avid explorer and award-winning author, passionate about immersing herself in the natural world through hiking, paddleboarding, and kayaking. Known for her curiosity and drive, Lisa loves uncovering hidden corners of the British Isles, mapping new routes, and inspiring others to explore. Her favourite places are the islands, coastlines, and mountains where she feels the transformative power, beauty, and tranquillity of nature.

With over 600 British islands circumnavigated and a goal of reaching 4,000, Lisa documents her adventures to encourage others to connect with these unique landscapes. Her approach is holistic: she values moments of stillness to absorb her surroundings as much as the thrill of discovery, sharing her experiences in her popular Walk of the Week series for The Times (Scotland) and in five acclaimed guidebooks. Additionally, as Chair of Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Lisa is deeply committed to marine conservation, combining her love for the outdoors with her dedication to protecting the natural world.

Her life reflects her passion for exploration and connection, as she divides her time between Wiltshire, the Isle of Skye, and research trips, constantly discovering and documenting new ways to inspire others to get outside.

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What’s your favourite route/ place to go and why?

Too many to choose from, but it would have to be an island circumnavigation – whether walking oir on my paddleboard. One of my favourites is the coastal path around Papa Westray. One of Orkney’s smallest islands, renowned for its raw beauty, rich history, and vibrant community. Its coastal paths offer dramatic seascapes, sweeping cliffs, and diverse wildlife, especially at North Hill, where the meeting of two great oceans creates a sensory overload of crashing waves and circling seabirds. This is an enchanting coastal path past Papay’s highlights include the Neolithic Knap of Howar, one of the oldest stone houses in northern Europe, and the iconic white-sand bays sheltered by the Holm of Papay – a great destination on my paddleboard if conditions permit. perfect for a secluded dip.

Lisa's favourite Route – Islandeering: Papa Westray Circular Coast Walk

OS Explorer 464 : Orkney – Westray, Papa Westray, Rousay, Egilsay & Wyre

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What’s your fave bit of kit available on the OS Shop?

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As someone who spends my life researching routes for my website, walking and paddleboarding books, and numerous articles, I genuinely couldn’t live without the OS Map app. Writing up routes for walking, paddleboarding, and swimming requires constant, detailed exploration across the UK, and I rely on the app multiple times daily for everything from route planning to on-the-ground navigation. Beyond mapping the way, I love using the OS app to uncover interesting features along each journey—whether it’s geological formations, parking spots, terrain details, rivers, forests, trig points, lighthouses, and much more – er and pubs. It’s an indispensable tool for both the practical and the inspiring elements of my work.

Find and follow Lisa online

Instagram @islandeering
Facebook www.facebook.com/Islandeering
Website www.islandeering.com