This Girl’s Adventure was launched in 2015 in response to the persistent gender inequalities that exist across the outdoor sector, particularly within leadership, coaching and professional development pathways. Women remain significantly underrepresented in outdoor qualifications and leadership positions, with representation declining further at advanced levels. Recognising that this is a systemic challenge rather than simply a participation issue, the programme was designed to address the barriers that prevent women and girls from progressing into leadership and careers in the outdoors.
Through a combination of participation opportunities, leadership development, mentoring, skills training and visible role models, This Girl’s Adventure has helped create more inclusive pathways into the outdoor sector. The programme works to change perceptions of who outdoor spaces are for, build confidence and aspiration amongst women and girls, and strengthen the pipeline of future volunteers, instructors, leaders and professionals.
By connecting participants with clubs, training opportunities, employers and National Governing Bodies, the programme contributes to a wider shift in the outdoor sector towards greater inclusion, representation and diversity. Its long-term aim is not only to increase participation, but to influence the systems, cultures and workforce structures that shape who can access leadership opportunities and careers outdoors.
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
Here’s a look at some of the things we’ve been up to lately across the UK…
This year, International Women’s Day was celebrated across all our regions, encouraging women to get outdoors, explore new places and develop new skills through a range of activities. Here are just a few of the events that took place:
- Gwent – The Outdoor Partnership Gwent teamed up with Crossfield Outdoors to provide an introduction to night navigation for women.
- Northern Ireland – The Outdoor Partnership Northern Ireland delivered a host of female hill skills and celebration events for International Woman’s Day both in the Sperrins and Mourne AONBs.
- Costal Cumbria – The Outdoor Partnership Cumbria supported Due North CIC’s International Women’s Day event, bringing together a 50‑mile relay, inspiring speakers, film premieres and a vibrant Coast & Trails Festival at Rosehill Theatre.
We’ve recently launched the REACH Women’s Climbing pilot programme in Cumbria. Funded by Sport England and delivered by Climb Well CIC, 16 phenomenal women chose to spend their Tuesday evening with us, bringing openness, courage and plenty of laughter along the way. Our blended compassionate therapeutic and beginner climbing approach creates space for women to reflect, connect and gently challenge themselves, both on and off the wall. It’s already been powerful to see confidence growing and a supportive community forming week by week.
The Women’s Hill Skills group have continued meeting to explore their local area in West Cumbria, gaining confidence and forging new friendships along the way. Watch the video below about the This Girls Adventure programme in Cumbria:
Working in partnership with the Ethnic Minorities and Youth Support Team (EYST) and local provider Tread Gower, we co-designed a programme to address the barriers that prevent women from ethnically diverse communities engaging with outdoor recreation.
Rather than simply providing a series of walks, the project focused on building the confidence, skills, social connections and local knowledge needed for participants to access outdoor opportunities independently and on an ongoing basis. The programme helped create a sustainable pathway into participation by connecting women with local walking networks, community events and outdoor providers
As a result, participants progressed into wider community opportunities, including open walking groups and the Gower Walking Festival. This has contributed to a longer-term shift from one-off engagement towards sustained participation, increased representation of ethnically diverse communities within outdoor activities, and stronger community-led networks that continue to support access to the outdoors.
The Women’s Adventure Club continues to run one or two sessions each month in partnership with Pen y Bryn. A varied programme of outdoor activities, ranging from mountain walking, wild swimming, paddleboarding, climbing, cave exploration and even a ski trip – providing opportunities for women to build confidence, improve wellbeing, and enjoy adventure together in a safe environment.
Our partnership with SUPLASS continues with women’s SUP adventure sessions this summer with a further four-week programme, offering supportive outdoor activities designed to improve confidence, wellbeing, and connection. In the Winter we head indoor to Gwella leisure centre pools to keep working on developing our skills and having fun.
Thanks to funding from Sport Powys we recently offered a series of climbing sessions for anybody identifying as female or non-binary, to increase gender equity in the sport and offer some great quality coaching and development from Kasia Piatek of www.mountainspace.co.uk, one of the few qualified female Mountaineering and Climbing Instructors in the UK (one of the highest instructor qualifications available).
