Women Finding Their Path Outdoors

Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about the safety of women in the outdoors, and what I can do to make a difference, by giving more of them the knowledge to be confident in those environments. I take those skills for granted, but it’s easy to forget that this is because of a lifetime of experience, built on a foundation that started when I was still in my teens.

I was lucky enough to go to a school with an incredible full‑time Outdoor Leader. Not only did they build a life‑changing Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme for us, but when we reached Sixth Form, we could choose between Sports or Outdoor Ed for our Wednesday afternoon sessions. Naturally, I chose the outdoors (well, I was fairly hopeless at team sports), and spent those sessions doing things like climbing, orienteering and sailing. At the time, I probably didn’t appreciate just how lucky I was.

These skills gave me confidence, independence, and a sense that the outdoors was somewhere I belonged. But over the years - through Wild Rambling, through mentoring, through my work with the BMC Hillwalking Committee, and through countless conversations with women on their own outdoor journeys - I’ve realised how many women never get that start.

And I’d like to do something to help.

Don’t get me wrong, there are some fantastic organisations out there doing brilliant work to support women and girls in the outdoors - from community walking groups, to youth programmes, and national initiatives that champion skills, confidence and representation. The Outward Bound Trust, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, The British Mountaineering Council, Mountain Training Award, Black Girls Hike, Every Body Outdoors to name a few.  

I’m constantly inspired by what they’re achieving, but the need is bigger than any single project, and I believe that there’s always room for one more space where women can learn, grow and feel supported. Wild Rambling: Skills is simply my way of adding another small but meaningful piece to that wider movement.

The barriers are real, and they’re not about ability

When I talk to women about venturing into the Outdoors, the same themes come up again and again.

• They worry about safety.

• They worry about getting lost.

• They worry about being judged.

• They worry about slowing others down.

• They worry about not knowing what they “should” know.

  
  

None of these things are about ability, they’re about confidence - and confidence comes from developing key skills.

Skills open the door to adventure

Once you know how to navigate, plan a route, read the weather, or make good decisions on the hill, something shifts. You stop feeling like a passenger, and start feeling like you can take control of your own destiny.

These skills bring:

• Safety - because you understand what’s happening around you

• Freedom -  because you’re not relying on someone else

• Belonging - because you feel part of the outdoor world

• Joy - because you’re not worrying, you’re experiencing

And that’s what I want more women to experience.

Why I created Wild Rambling: Skills

Recently, I’ve found myself mentoring more and more women. Officially through the Mountain Training Association Mentor Scheme,  and unofficially over cups of tea, or long walks, or for daughters of friends who are interested in what I do.

I meet women of all ages who are only just discovering the outdoors for themselves - some in their twenties, some in their forties or fifties, some well beyond that. The common thread isn’t age, it’s the desire to feel capable and safe. Many of them are starting from scratch, others are rebuilding confidence. 

So I began thinking about developing Wild Rambling: Skills.

I wanted to create a space where women could learn the foundations of navigation, planning, and decision-making in a way that feels supportive, calm and genuinely welcoming. A space where questions are encouraged, mistakes are part of the process, and nobody has to pretend they know more than they do.

It’s not about turning them into hardcore mountaineers. It’s about giving women the tools to feel safe, capable and at home outdoors, whether that’s their local area, a long‑distance path, or the start of a bigger journey.

Looking ahead

When we help women build outdoor skills, we’re not just teaching them how to use a compass or plan a route. We’re giving them independence. We’re giving them resilience. We’re giving them a sense of belonging, a feeling of worth.

And the more women who feel confident outdoors, the more the outdoors changes, and becomes more welcoming, more diverse, more reflective of the people who love it.

What matters is that they’re taking that first step, and that they have someone beside them who is there to help, to understand, to guide, and never to judge.