The Outdoor Partnership launched the This Girl’s Adventure in 2015 to address the inequality of women in the outdoor sector. Women are underrepresented in outdoor leadership qualifications, and this becomes more pronounced the higher up the qualification ladder. Women make up only 4% of leaders with higher qualifications (IOL Linda Allin, Northumbria University 2021).
This Girl’s Adventure aims to inspire more women and girls to participate in outdoor activities and enjoy the benefits that the outdoors can bring to one’s health and social wellbeing and ultimately see a potential career in the sector.
We inspire women and girls to get active through social and friendly activity sessions including climbing, hill-walking, kayaking, canoeing, mountain biking, skiing, surfing, open water swimming and fell and trail running.
These sessions are fun, safe, enjoyable and accessible for all, delivered by qualified and experienced instructors and coaches.
Come along and get involved in the fun while gaining confidence, fitness and friends.
Activities and opportunities are generally advertised through our This Girls Adventure Facebook group
Check it out!
An annual worldwide event, we like to celebrate with pride!
In 2023 we held a range of sessions from introduction to kayaking sessions held by Copeland Canoe Club in Cumbria, to female-led mountain biking coaching sessions in Rhondda Cynon Taff, to a snowy paddling session and inspiring presentation by Merched y Môr (four amazing women who are training to become the first all -female Welsh crew to row across the Atlantic), we certainly showcased all the fabulous women who participate in the outdoors every day, at every level.
For 2024, we went bigger and better!
We had sessions on across all Wales regions and Coastal Cumbria, North Yorkshire coast and Ayrshire.
The activities on offer included night navigation, rafting, skiing, mountain biking, a hike and swim session and climbing.
A total of 187 opportunities were created for Women and Girls to try out different activities across 11 sessions in 9 locations , and an added extra opportunity for women across the UK was an evening Zoom session, presented by women, showcasing the stories of two inspirational women who shared their amazing stories.
Kasia Piatek told the story of her journey from giving up a 9-5 office job, to qualifying and working as an outdoor instructor, as well as her amazing expedition to Tajikistan where she was part of a female pair that achieved a first ascent in north Sikkim. They named the 5595m peak Dhairya – the Nepalese word for patience.
Sarah Barnes then told her tale of her love of water. She has written 2 books based around cold water immersion and is a regular practitioner herself. She found a new sense of adventure through going in the water and is passionate about getting other women (and men!) into it as well.
Many thanks to both speakers and all those that joined us to listen – a thoroughly enjoyable and inspiring evening!
Working with the Ethnic Minorities and Youth Sport team (EYST) in Swansea, we developed a specific programme to encourage women to access the outdoors. With an interest in low level walks, a four week programme was devised for the group, alongside local provider, Tread Gower. These focused on coastal path walks, and with the aims of building up the distance and confidence, alongside skills and an opportunity to learn new routes, the programme received rave reviews.
Following on from the sessions, members enjoyed opportunities to participate further at open sessions and bigger events such as Gower Walking Festival – a great community based event, allowing opportunities for everyone to experience the great walks that are on offer in the Gower!
