Rise and rise of women outdoors in Scotland

On trails, in the hills and atop mountain summits, there is ever-growing evidence of the rise of the outdoors woman in Scotland.

The “traditional” sight of female hikers with male companions has been replaced by women-only groups and solo females. The ladies are also enjoying an expanding range of activities, from hiking and trail running to climbing and mountain biking.

While research and statistics for exact numbers are scant, anecdotal proof is strong – and anyone who spends time in the Scottish countryside will have witnessed the swelling female presence.

“It’s difficult to say when the growth started,” reveals Nicky Spinks, a running coach and successful fell runner based in southern Scotland. “But I now see many more women, both all-female groups and solo females, walking and running in the hills and on trails compared to the early 2000s. I’d say the most noticeable increase has been in the last seven to 10 years.”

Keri Wallace, the co-founder of Girls on Hills, an award-winning company that guides trail, fell and mountain running, agrees. She says: “I’ve seen a fairly gradual yet constantly increasingly number of women enjoying the outdoors in the last decade.”

It appears to be a similar story with mountain biking and gravel riding. Alice Lemkes is a member of The Adventure Syndicate, a not-for-profit organisation that encourages women to do more cycling adventures.

She says: “It is obvious when you’re out for a ride now that there are more women cycling, especially cycle touring and off-road. It’s not surprising, as it was a decade ago, to see a group of women riding together.”

The reasons for the surge in the numbers of outdoorsy women are reportedly varied. Keri, a mum of two young girls and a successful hill and ultra runner from the Highlands, says: “I don’t think there is one individual cause or change that has led to the increase but, instead, a subtle progress in different areas.

“Changes include improved gender parity across parenting, childcare, the workplace, leadership and pay, which leads to greater financial independence.

“There are also changes in relationship norms, with more women choosing not to have children or marry, as well as a growing group of women staying active into their later years

“All these factors contribute to greater freedom and an increase in leisure time for women.”

Serena Broadway. Credit: MyBibNumber

Women’s outdoors case studies

Serena Broadway, of Edinburgh, has two young daughters, works full-time and is a keen ultra runner. She reveals that people tell her she is lucky to have a supportive husband.

The 44-year-old senior knowledge transfer advisor counters this suggestion, saying: “Andrew and I made the decision together to have children and to share the childcare.

“My husband enjoys cycling, I enjoy ultra running and as a family we go mountain biking, hiking and camping.

“I think it’s increasingly similar for other couples, with a better balance of work, home and leisure activities although there is still room for more change.”

Serena, a member of the volunteer-run charity Black Trail Runners, believes that the best route to change is “to see other women doing more sports”. She says: “I have been inspired by women on social media and the women I have met through groups such as Girls on Hills. I also believe that I will have an influence on the choices our children make.”

Susan Cameron.

Social media played a major part in Susan Cameron’s discovery of a new passion for mountain biking. During Covid lockdown and in her 50s, the primary school teacher started reading books and following women on Facebook who were “doing much more adventurous things”.

She says: “When my husband and I were bringing up our young family, I felt quite time-poor and so I stuck to running on local streets as a way to stay fit and active. But, also, it simply didn’t occur to me that I could be a woman who did sports like mountain biking.

“But reading about – and seeing – other women mountain biking and exploring trails by bike inspired me.”

With new confidence, Susan, now 56, booked a place on a women-only MTB coaching course in Perthshire.

She says: “I immediately loved it. I learned new skills and met other women like me who enjoyed mountain biking.

“It has snowballed from there and I have been on more group courses and trips, such as those organised by Dirt Divas and a multi-day bikepacking trip led by Rosie Baxendine, where we stayed at Hostelling Scotland’s amazing and remote Corrour hostel.”

Morven Walsh.

Runner-turned-hiker Morven Walsh followed a similar confidence and skills-boosting route, signing up to several courses and trips with Girls on Hills. The 54-year-old business support administrator from Dunoon was keen to explore hills and mountains but worried she lacked the knowledge.

She says: “Osteoarthritis stopped me running so I turned to hiking but I knew that if I wanted to feel safe in the hills, I’d need to learn to navigate.

“My first course with Girls on Hills was fantastic and I learned so much. This started me on a journey to taking on more challenging mountain routes and also doing solo hikes.

“Being part of an all-female group with Girls on Hills made such a difference to how I learned because it was so inclusive and supportive.”

It’s the “sense of community” that many women report as a highlight of all-female groups and trips. It’s not only a feeling of being part of a like-minded group of “women like us”, but also spending time together in a safe place.

Hostelling Scotland’s Loch Ossian hostel at Corrour.

Group trips and Hostel Hoolies

One organisation that has partnered with Girls on Hills and The Adventure Syndicate is Hostelling Scotland, a charity that has been at the heart of Scottish outdoor adventures for almost a century.

Last year, the three organisations jointly created an event called the Hostel Hoolie, which invited a group of women for a weekend of walking, running and riding at Braemar Youth Hostel.

Keri says: “The Hostel Hoolie was very successful. We also surveyed potential participants for another trip, which revealed that almost three-quarters would prefer to stay in simple group accommodation, such as a hostel or bunkhouse.

“Women tell us they see hostels as safe, budget-friendly places where women can come together while enjoying some great outdoor locations in Scotland.”

Having experienced hostel accommodation as part of several different group mountain biking trips, Susan is a great example of a women keen to try more.

She says: “Learning to navigate has been another positive part of my new-found love of mountain biking and I now have the confidence to ride solo.

“Hostels make a great base for overnights as part of a trip and I am also building up the courage for a bikepacking trip and wild camping on my own. I never imagined this would be something that someone like me could do.”

Jamie Aarons.

Inspiring outdoors women

Positive role models are an important influence in many areas of life, including the great outdoors.

In recent years, Scotland has become a showcase of female talent, with two extreme Scottish mountain records now held outright by women.

Jamie Aarons set the fastest non-stop round of the nation’s tallest mountains known as Munros in 2023, while earlier this year Helen Rennard completed the quickest winter Munros round.

Ultra runner Jasmin Paris, from Midlothian, leapt to fame last year when she became the first female to complete the gruelling Barkley Marathons in the US.

In the cycling arena, Jenny Graham, from Inverness, held the title as the fastest female to circumnavigate the globe record for six years, until US rider took the record in 2024.

Mountain biker Kerry MacPhee, of Stirling, holds the record as the fastest female rider on the 96-mile West Highland Way and a 200-mile off-road route called the Badger Divide.

Twelve-year-old Quinn Young, of Inverness, completed two rounds of Munros earlier this summer.