About Me
Present.
I have combined my love for archaeology and journalism and write on a Freelance basis for various publications in both the UK and US. I have been published in Current World Archaeology, Scuba Magazine, Military History Matters, HistoryNet and luxury yacht mag NAVIS.
As well as my freelance work, I was the Assistant Editor at The Travel Magazine from July 2017 to October 2021. I have been lucky enough to go on press trips to such amazing destinations as Japan, Cyprus and the Maldives.
As well as my work in journalism I also freelance for various organisations utilising my media, research and marketing skills. I gained my first client in May 2017, Amazing Wonders, who engaged me in a three-month contract to help them publish a brand new series of travel guides. Since April 2018 I have also worked with the foundation Association Cap Moderne as a media and fundraising manager.
I have also written several travel blogs including How to Travel Around Europe, chronicling my inter-railing trip around Western and Central Europe in 2012.
Past.
Born and bred in Dorset, England, I spent 18 happy years living in a village so small there wasn’t even a shop (there is a pub though, which is obviously more important). NB/ The pub has now closed ??
I then moved to the comparative bright lights of Bristol to study Archaeology and Anthropology, where I developed a fascination for all things ancient. This led me to Peru (twice) and North Carolina where I took part in several archaeological excavations, igniting a passion for travel and adventure.
More importantly, though, I realised through my studies in anthropology, and my experience of being a student at the University of Bristol, that I am passionate about people. Archaeology and anthropology go so well together because they both attempt to tell the story of humanity, past and present, in different ways. I love to meet new people and learn about their hopes, interests, passions, and faiths. I was determined to work in industries that allowed me to spend time with people from all walks of life.
As I also love to write, I decided to qualify as a journalist. I moved to Bournemouth after graduating with a First degree and completed an NCTJ-accredited magazine journalism course at the Bournemouth Echo. I then spent 6 months interning at Current Archaeology and The Travel Magazine, where I was based in the South of France with the then Marketing Director, Martino. Living and working abroad in Antibes was a fantastic experience, and something I hope to do again in the future.
Given that I couldn’t live off unpaid internships for long, I packed my bags for London and got myself a job at an executive search firm. Though not my dream job at a travel publication, I was able to speak with people from all corners of the globe and gain some much-needed commercial experience. I lasted almost four years at the same headhunting company, something I am very proud of given the average recruiter lasts 7 months in their first job.
Despite my success in executive search, I knew my future wasn’t in recruitment. I had never stopped writing, and I was determined to forge a career in travel journalism. So I started my own business in May 2017, Lucy Woods Travels.
Charity Work
I spent three years from winter 2013 volunteering for The Global Heritage Fund, a fantastic charity helping to preserve and protect archaeological sites and getting local communities involved. I also helped to establish a charity partner, Tomorrow’s People, at my headhunting firm in Spring 2017, something that had been missing in our business for far too long.