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.
Have a look at what we have been getting up to……
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!
We have grown our International Women’s Day celebrations from 2023 where we facilitated sessions from introduction to kayaking sessions, mountain biking coaching to a snowy paddling session and inspiring presentation by “Merched y Môr” (https://www.merchedymor.wales/ (four amazing women who are training to become the first all -female Welsh crew to row across the Atlantic)
In 2024, we went bigger and better!
We had sessions across all of Wales , Coastal Cumbria, North Yorkshire coast and Ayrshire.
The activities on offer included night navigation, rafting, skiing & mountain biking
We also offered an extra opportunity for women across the UK to get together and support one another on an evening Zoom session, presented by women, showcasing the stories of two inspirational women who shared their amazing stories of their love of the outdoors.
For international women’s day 2025 we facilitated 10 sessions across the UK providing a 136 opportunities for women to participate inn activities ranging from fell running taster sessions, climbing sessions, night navigation and river swimming.
We grew our tradition from 2024 of providing an online community for women to get together and share their stories, challenges and success through their lives in the outdoors through a presentation of a solo circumnavigation of Iceland to a Q&A from one of the former British fell running champion & the founder and director of Element Active – https://element-active.co.uk/
This Girls’ Adventure offered participants the opportunity to take part in subsidised activities run by inspiring instructors in a sociable and supportive environment.
The Festival included :-
- Monthly Hill Skills walking days
- Open water swimming skill sessions
- Learning to sail
- Paddle development sessions including Kayak, Canoe & SUP
- Coach education support for volunteers
Followed by a two day “Festival of Water” based on beautiful Bassenthwaite to bring everyone together to try new activities & make new friends.
Please view the video above that was created regarding the project below.
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!
