Inside out

Fed up with being in the office all day? Missing fresh air and nature? Five people who ditched their desks for the great outdoors tell Donna Ferguson why they'd never go back

- Fabio De Paola

'I love seeing the sheer delight of the children when they discover the wildlife here' Steve Kell, 59, countryside ranger, Warwickshire Country Parks

I always loved being in nature. But I didn't know what I wanted to do when I was 18, so I got a job at a high-street bank. My grandfather was made up - he was convinced I was going to be the governor of the Bank of England. But over the years I became disenchanted. Then, in my early 30s, I was diagnosed with testicular cancer and had to take months off work. I couldn't help thinking about how finite life is. I decided I wanted to do something I really enjoyed.

My partner, Rachael - now my wife - supported me going back to college full-time for two years, so I could get a national diploma in countryside management. I did a placement where I work now, in Kingsbury Water Park, a site of more than 240 hectares owned by Warwickshire council.

Two days after my placement ended, a ranger resigned and I was hired to do some of their work. I've now been a countryside ranger for 20 years.

If I'm on an early shift, my work starts at 7.15am. I'll open the park and do a site check - I usually walk between three and six kilometres every day. Sometimes I'll see muntjac deer on my rounds. When the school groups turn up, I'll go into the woodlands or a field and do pond-dipping or minibeasting to teach the children about the insects that live in those habitats.

Our site is quite close to central Birmingham, and I get such a buzz from showing people the countryside and encouraging them to appreciate their local green spaces.

I love seeing the sheer delight of the children when they discover the wildlife here, and passing on my knowledge to them.