Six Years Outdoors: My YouTube Journey, Reflections, and What's Next!

Can you believe it? Today marks six incredible years since I first launched my YouTube channel! It feels like a moment and a lifetime all at once. To celebrate this milestone, I wanted to pull back the curtain a little and share some honest reflections, a peek at the channel's journey through its analytics (or lack thereof in the early days!), and a huge thank you to all of you.

When I first hit that upload button back in late 2019, the channel was a very different beast. Back then, under the name "Dave on the Paddle," it was exactly what it sounded like: a place for me to share my paddling adventures. And honestly, for that first year, the analytics were… well, let's just say they were mostly flat lines. Very few views, an even smaller handful of subscribers, and a lot of learning. It was a passion project, pure and simple, and far from hitting any viral trends.

Fast forward to October 2020, and a significant change occurred. I decided to rebrand the channel, giving it its current name, "David Wilson Out and About," to better reflect my increasingly varied outdoor interests. Paddling was still a love, but I found myself wanting to explore so much more – hiking, camping, exploring historical sites, and simply enjoying different seasons in nature. The new name was a conscious decision to broaden the scope and allow for more creative freedom.

In the bigger scheme of the YouTube universe, my channel is undeniably still tiny. I'm under no illusions there! And if I'm honest about the analytics, a major contributing factor to this has been my consistent failure to stick to a defined niche. When I started, the whole idea was to share videos of whatever outdoor interests took my fancy, depending on the season of the year. One week it might be canoeing, the next a wild camp, the next a gentle stroll through ancient woodlands. This approach, while perhaps not the most strategic for rapid growth, has allowed me to truly enjoy the creative process and share what genuinely excites me.

Through all the changes and lack of a narrow focus, one core aim has remained steadfast from day one: to promote the physical and mental benefits of spending time outdoors. Six years later, this mission still beats at the heart of every video I create. I truly believe in the power of nature to restore, rejuvenate, and inspire, and if my videos can encourage even one person to step outside, then I consider it a success.

Life, as it often does, has thrown some curveballs. My recent physical health issues have meant I've had to change direction slightly, adapting my adventures to what my body can manage. But this hasn't dampened my spirit or my commitment to the channel's core message. I will absolutely continue to produce content promoting the benefits of being out in nature, but with an exciting new addition: producing videos showcasing our wonderful island and our rich British heritage. Imagine stunning landscapes, ancient ruins, hidden gems, and stories from our past – all interwoven with the gentle reminder of nature's healing embrace.

To my dedicated followers and subscribers, whether you've been here from the "Dave on the Paddle" days or you've just joined the adventure, I want to extend my most heartfelt thank you. Your comments, your likes, your shares, and simply your presence watching my videos have been an incredible source of support and motivation along this journey. You make every upload worthwhile.

Here's to the next six years! I can't wait to see what adventures, discoveries, and growth they bring, both for the channel and for all of us.