This International Women's Day, we're thinking about the women who opened doors to the outdoors. Who inspired you?
This International Women's Day, we're thinking about the women who opened doors, the ones who made us believe that long days in the hills, cold water at dawn, and going further than seemed sensible were things for us too.
Sometimes it's a famous name. Sometimes it's someone who'll never know the effect they had.
Women who've inspired our community
From our own archives, a few who've quietly or loudly changed what feels possible:
- Jenny Graham — fastest woman to cycle solo and unsupported around the world. Proof that the most audacious ambitions are worth backing. Read Jenny's story.
- Nicky Spinks — former double Bob Graham record holder and the first person to complete the double Paddy Buckley and double Ramsey Rounds. Few people have understood the fells the way Nicky does. Read our conversation with Nicky.
- Anna Wells — climber, paraglider, and the first woman to complete a solo winter Munro round, done with the kind of understated determination that makes it look like the most natural thing in the world. Follow Anna's winter round.
- Kate Rew — founder of the Outdoor Swimming Society and author of The Outdoor Swimmers' Handbook. In 2024 she completed a 24km ultra-distance swim in Finland. Read Kate's ultra swim.
- Katie Palmer — runner and mountain adventurer who completed all the Lakeland Wainwrights over six months and writes honestly about training, pacing, and going at your own speed. Read Katie's Lairig Ghru adventure.
- Steph Wetherell — co-founder of Every Body Outdoors, pushing for size-inclusive kit and the kind of outdoor spaces where everyone belongs from day one. Read Steph's story.
- Katie Tunn — artist, marine conservationist, and castaway. She lived off-grid as part of Channel 4's Eden experiment and has taken herself to some of Scotland's most remote islands. Read Katie's castaway story.
- Hollie Harmsworth — whose winter swims in Welsh river pools remind us that cold water doesn't care about the season, only whether you show up. Read Holly's story.
- Sara Barnes — cold water swimmer who returns to the same Lakes spots through the dark months, finding something on a grey Tuesday morning that a good day can't give you. Read Sara's cold fix.
- Lucy Allan — cyclist who completed the 200km Traws Eryri route across North Wales and rides through every season, including the ones that make most people stay inside. Read Lucy's Traws Eryri ride.
- Emily Williams — co-founder of Every Body Outdoors and filmmaker who paddled a canoe sailing rig across the Isle of Lewis. Evidence that adventure doesn't need to look a particular way. Read Emily's Lewis crossing.
- Emma Pooley — former professional road cyclist and Olympic silver medallist turned bikepacker. She swapped the velodrome for long days in the mountains and hasn't looked back. Read Emma's Pyrenees ride.
- Mel Nicholls — Mel's heart is in endurance and her passion is for adventure. She seeks out wild and remote places and epic challenges to continue to dream big and go beyond barriers.. Read Mel's story.
- Sara Huws — wild swimmer and part of the Every Body Outdoors community working to make outdoor spaces genuinely welcoming for everyone. Read Sara's story.
- Sara Leighton — solo winter wild camper and mountain adventurer who makes going alone in hard conditions look like the obvious choice. Read Sara's solo story.
- Lee Craigie - is an inspiration for turning her world-class cycling career into a mission to get more people, especially women and young riders, confidently exploring the outdoors. Listen to Lee chat alongside Jenny Graham in this Alpkit Night In
- Sarah Outen — rowed solo across the Indian and North Pacific Oceans and cycled through Russia, China, and Alaska. Her London2London expedition is one of the most ambitious human-powered journeys ever completed.
- Emily Chappell — bikepacker, author, and winner of the 2016 Transcontinental Race. Her writing about fear and joy on long rides has brought many people to cycling who didn't think it was for them. Read Emilys story
- Claire O'Hara — playboating world champion who competed across the North America, and the European circuit. Read Claire's story.
More stories from women in our archive:
Run
Ride
- Bikepacking the Badger Divide
- Amigos, Ushuaia, and 38 boiled eggs
- Pendle 600 Audax
- Pedalling the planet — 10 days in
Swim
Climb
Hike
Your turn
We'd love to know who inspired you. A friend who first talked you into an early start. A name you read about that made you think: I could do that too. A coach, a sister, a stranger on a trail.
Tell us on Instagram — tag us and use #WhoInspiredYou.
And if you're just starting out, or looking for a reason to get back out there, welcome. The outdoors is for everyone. There's no right way to begin.