Wild Rambling Footnotes: May, June and July
I can’t believe that it’s three months since my last blog - the time has just flown by! So of course, there is so much to fill you in on…
There have been two wonderful Wild Rambling holidays in that time, plus a flurry of planning and development for the new Adventure and Skills programmes. Add in a lot of exciting stuff happening with the British Mountaineering Council Hill Walking Committee, and an inordinate amount of time devoted to sea shanty festivals with Sudden Squall!
The Beautiful Brecon Beacons
The weather gods didn’t deliver quite the same fabulous weather as we had in 2025, as the week started with very heavy rain and grey skies. But we didn’t let that dampen our spirits, as we reconvened at the beautiful cottages at Wern-y-Cwm near Abergavenny, and by the end of the week, we were treated to glorious sunshine and beautiful blue skies.
The accommodation was as wonderful as ever (thank you to Laura for your fabulous hospitality), and Sarah and Amber created plate after plate of delicious food in the kitchen.
The walking was fabulous (even though I say it myself), combined with some lovely sightseeing. The highlight for me was a wonderfully relaxing barge trip, organised with the Monmouthshire, Brecon and Abergavenny Canals Trust - they even let us have a go at steering, with mixed success, and much laughter!
We are planning a wellness retreat here for 2028, and will be counting the days until we return. It really is one of our favourite places to stay!
Check out the photos from the holiday here.
Wild on a Hill in The Howgills
A couple of weeks ago, Clare from Her on a Hill and I ran a joint holiday, based at the very lovely Thorns Hall in Sedbergh, run by HF Holidays. A lot of the group were new to the HF experience, but everyone commented on the delicious food and fabulous staff, and how happy they were with the accommodation overall.
The weather played ball too. It stayed cool enough for comfortable walking, and, very considerately, only rained until the exact moment we were due to leave the house. My waterproof trousers stayed tucked away in my rucksack all week, a small miracle.
In total, thirty women joined us at various points, and with five guides and up to three walks a day, everything ran more smoothly than I could ever have hoped. So much planning goes into these events, and it’s such a relief (and a joy) when it all comes together so well.
Check out the photos from the holiday here.
Launching Wild Rambling: Skills
I recently met my Mountain Training Award Mentee for a navigation refresher day in east Cornwall, and this weekend, I ran my first National Navigation Award Scheme Bronze Course here in West Penwith, as part of the Wild Rambling: Skills programme. And everyone passed!
Supporting women in this way genuinely means a lot to me - to allow them to learn or develop their knowledge of navigation, planning, and decision-making in the hills. Watching their confidence grow as skills click into place is so rewarding, and it’s a privilege to help women feel more independent, capable, and adventurous outdoors.
If you think I can help you develop your hill skills, please get in touch. If you are based in the north of England, I’d highly recommend Navigation for Women, run by the one and only Clare Kelly.
Launching Wild Rambling: Adventure
When I first met Mel Britton from Outdoor Adventure Connection last year, I immediately knew that this was someone that I wanted to work with in the future. She joined me to guide the Malvern trip earlier this year, and my instincts were right - the group loved her.
So I am thrilled to be collaborating with Mel again for an adventurous weekend in Dartmoor in August 2027. Open to women of all ages, we’ll be staying in bunkhouse accommodation at lovely Shallowford Farm. We are still working on the programme, but we’ll let you know as soon as we have it pinned down. In the meantime, the dates for your diary are Friday 13th to Monday 16th August 2027.
Also, some of you have met Amber Brown, whom I am mentoring on her journey to become a guide. I’m helping her run her own adventurous trip in Ilkley from Friday 14th to Sunday 16th May. This is open to women aged 18 to 30ish, and will be a relaxed weekend of fabulous walking, with opportunities for sketching, journaling or just chilling. More information can be found here.
BMC Hill Walking Committee Update
I’m so pleased that the Big Walking Weekend, that I had a small part in organising - alongside Sally Mayor, whom some of you have met - was a huge success! So much so that we immediately started planning the next one, and we should have dates and location for you very soon.
Behind the scenes, I’m also working with the working group who are looking to develop hill skills in young people, which ties in very nicely with the Wild Rambling: Skills programme too.
Also, I’m in the team which is hoping to deliver a series of events for International Women’s Day 2027, and would love it if some of you would join your local walks - Wild Rambling t-shirts are optional but encouraged!
Finally, I’ll be on the BMC Stand at the Dartmoor Outdoor Festival at the end of this month alongside Julie Woodman (Ortava Ourdoors), who is the South West Hill Walking Rep. So if you are there, please come along and say hello.
In Other News
All three of the 2027 Wild Rambling holidays - the Cotswolds, Ilkley and Exmoor - are already full. It’s always worth joining the reserve list though, as places often come up.
I’ve even started thinking about 2028. A return to Swaledale is definitely on the cards, and it’s been a while since we visited the Lakes, so that’s on my radar too. And of course, the wellness retreat at Wern‑y‑Cwm is firmly pencilled in. After the success of our recent trip, I’d love to visit another HF Holidays house too. All other suggestions are welcome.
Looking Ahead
Now that the Howgills holiday has been and gone, my thoughts have turned to our trip to Beddgelert in North Wales next month. I’m having such fun planning the itinerary, and there are plans for a small group to summit Snowdon with our local guide Anita! We also have Sally guiding officially for the first time, which is very exciting.
From there, the things continue to roll on at a steady pace: the Cotswolds in January, Ilkley in May, and in between, there will be more navigation courses, the IWD27 event, and the Big Walking Weekend. It’s a wonderfully full calendar, but I’m sure I can find room for even more if I try?
Remember that “a path is made by walking.” - Lao Tzu, and “Don’t stop me now, I’m having such a good time…”- Queen.
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