{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"Words: Hannah Ralph | Illustrations: Adrianna Bellet   ","standfirst":"In an industry that\u2019s long been dominated by male adventurers, five of the UK\u2019s most boundary-pushing female explorers talk about the trials and triumphs of being a woman in the wild.","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/5713/laura.png","width":673,"height":524,"altText":"","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELaura Bingham, e\u003C/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Explorer and adventurer\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdventurous beginnings\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnything that gets you into the outdoors at an early age is likely to have a positive effect on you in later life. I remember learning the Countryside Code \u2013 if you find a gate closed, leave it closed, that kind of thing. It embeds something within you, an appreciation for the outdoors, which I don\u2019t think I ever lost.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDefining moments\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOn our all-female descent of the Essequibo (the largest river in Guyana), we would hear jaguars growling near our tents \u2013 it\u2019s a strange sound, a bit like a snuffle. The pumas would whistle, caimans would linger metres from our kayaks. Then there were the flesh-eating parasites and foot infections\u2026 There were a lot of hairy moments out in the jungle!\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWoman to woman\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPut your hair in French plaits. My husband (Scout Ambassador Ed Stafford) would ask why I was bothering with plaiting my hair, and I had to tell him \u2013 it\u2019s nothing to do with vanity, it\u2019s strategy! French plaits stop your hair from knotting with sweat, which is, literally, one less headache.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPower games \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn South America, our local guides (all male) would tell us to wait while they set up camp. That was really frustrating, and something we\u2019d hoped to avoid. We even instructed our cameraman to let us get off the plane first to greet them, because we knew they\u2019d start\u0026nbsp;by shaking the hand of the only man with us. We wanted them to know from the start that we, the females, were leading this expedition.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGetting started\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThink of your standard gap year, and then do the exact opposite. The key to carving out a successful adventure career is to do something so wild, so specific, that everyone has to sit up and take note. But to get to that stage, you need confidence in your skills \u2013 something I gained when training for the Mountain Leader award.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EParting words \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ELook people in the eye, don\u2019t take no for an answer, and don\u2019t expect to make money on your first expedition. If you want to make a career out of adventure, you\u2019re going to need to dip into your own pocket, but if it\u2019s your passion and you have a unique enough angle, you will make it work.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null},{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPip Stewart, a\u003C/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Edventure journalist\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdventurous beginnings\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI went through Brownies loving the outdoorsy stuff, especially camping. And the badge system, too, which taught me a lot about goal setting. If I had to attribute the start of my career to anything, though, it would be The Duke of Edinburgh\u2019s Award \u2013 that experience really took things to the next level for me.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDefining moments\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen I cycled from Malaysia to London, I experienced unbelievable generosity. Islam has a proverb, \u2018a guest is a gift from God\u2019, and even in the poorest communities, people would welcome us into their homes. It\u2019s easy to focus on negatives, but this helped me realise there are so many benefits of being a woman, including that we\u2019re not seen as much of a threat.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWoman to woman\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI find a real beauty in the sisterhood. As women, we have this tremendous power to lift each other up. So get together with your group and head into the wild \u2013 I\u2019m positive you\u2019ll have a great time.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPower games \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI love Instagram, but with all these bodies sculpted to perfection, you have to remember that\u2019s not most people\u2019s reality. The reality is we\u2019re all different; we don\u2019t always look great. Personally, I\u2019ve never felt more beautiful than when I\u2019m sweating, hyped up on endorphins\u0026nbsp;during an expedition.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGetting started\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFind your niche. I got into adventure because I love telling stories, and wanted to tell them in more interesting ways, from more interesting places. Be it videography, photography or writing \u2013 develop your skill. You can go down the social media influencer route, but that might have a short shelf life, and the alternatives are so much more rewarding.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EParting words\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETrust your instincts. If something feels wrong, don\u2019t stick around for politeness\u2019 sake. And think back to those badges \u2013 if we didn\u2019t know those badges existed, we wouldn\u2019t have known to achieve them. It\u2019s the same with gender \u2013 if we don\u2019t know we can do it, we wouldn\u2019t be doing it at all. Find your female role models and know what\u2019s possible.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null},{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/5710/molly.png","width":522,"height":453,"altText":"","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMolly Thompson-Smith, c\u003C/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Elimbing star and Sky Sports Scholar\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdventurous beginnings\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFunnily enough, growing up in a big city meant the great outdoors felt totally beyond my comfort zone. It wasn\u2019t until a trip to the Peak District that I really started to enjoy nature. I found scrambling on the rocks gave me that same thrill I\u2019d experienced at my seventh birthday party, at our local climbing wall in Ladbroke Grove \u2013 the first time I ever climbed.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDefining moments\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn 2017 I ruptured three ligaments in one finger. It was devastating and ended one of the most fulfilling years in my sporting career. I\u2019d lost all hope for Olympic qualification, but after months of uncertainty and surgery and countless hours in the gym, I was able to compete at the World Championships, finishing one move out of the finals.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWoman to woman\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn climbing competitions, men\u2019s and women\u2019s events are held at the same time with the same number of spectators. Our success is so encouraged, and it motivates me to know I\u2019m on a level playing field with my male counterparts. And it\u2019s the same with rock climbing; rocks are not designed to favour one sex. Just make sure you work on your weaknesses \u2013 being strong is useful and not limited to men!\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPower games \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBeing a mixed-race girl in London is pretty common, but walk up to a climbing wall and you start to stand out a little. As a largely Caucasian-dominated sport (at least in the UK), I don\u2019t often see many other people who \u2018look like me\u2019 when I go for a climb. Though it\u2019s never held me back, I\u2019m really passionate about pushing for more diversity in the sport.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGetting started\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EStart by climbing in a safe, indoor environment \u2013 that\u2019s a nice introduction to the sport and will give you the confidence to get outdoors and do some exploring. Accept that it may be a little scary and challenging, but that with more practice, it all becomes more natural \u2013 and fun!\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EParting words\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EYou turn this kind of hobby into a career with dedication to training. That\u2019s the only way you can climb the ranks; start entering competitions and become a recognised figure in the sport. Once you\u2019re recognised as someone who\u2019s achieving competitive greatness, brands may start to reach out \u2013 especially if you\u2019ve built a social media following \u2013 so that you can inspire their audiences, too.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null},{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/5711/karen.png","width":646,"height":477,"altText":"","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKaren Darke, p\u003C/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Earalympic cyclist\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdventurous beginnings\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMy first tastes of the outdoors were out on the Yorkshire Moors with my parents \u2013 every Sunday we\u2019d hike the moorlands, come rain or shine. I don\u2019t live there any more, but that landscape will always feel like home to me.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDefining moments\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt was a poster on my high school wall, advertising a trip to China that the Yorkshire Schools Exploring Society was organising, which lit a spark within me for all things extreme. I competed for a spot on the trip and spent the next year getting ready for it. In terms of the path I took into sports and adventure, it was pretty life-changing.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWoman to woman \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere are some parts of the world where females aren\u2019t viewed the same way as men, but your gender should never hold you back or be an issue. As long as you\u2019re respectful to others, you know when to take risks (and know when not to) and are aware that vulnerability can be a weakness, but it can\u0026nbsp;also be a strength.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPower games \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EReaching the top of the Khunjerab Pass between China and Pakistan was a special moment for me. It was only a few years after my injury, and I knew I could either sit around feeling miserable about how things used to be, or get out there and live adventurously with a new set of circumstances. To cycle all that way with no support gave me the confidence that led to winning Gold at the Paralympics.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGetting started\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EConnect with the Royal Geographical Society \u2013 they run an event every year called Explore and that\u2019s an amazing place to begin. Hearing about what other people have done with their lives and with their time is so motivational, and there are different panels dedicated to different sports and activities, so you can be more directly inspired.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EParting words\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere\u2019s adventure on your doorstep, you just have to have the motivation to dive into it. Even if you live in a city, you can head to your nearest National Park, or your nearest set of hills, or a lake. Build your confidence, and then let yourself get excited with ideas of things you want to do next.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null},{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/5712/belinda.png","width":608,"height":534,"altText":"","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBelinda Kirk, e\u003C/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Explorer and entrepreneur\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdventurous beginnings\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI used to help out at my local Guide group, but it was growing up on Alderney \u2013 one of the Channel Islands \u2013 that unleashed my outdoorsy side. I\u2019d hide out in a secret den I\u2019d made in the garden, cycle around the coastline on my little bike \u2013 I was pretty much feral.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDefining moments\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETen years ago, I set up Explorers Connect to foster a community of adventurers. At first we were all about big, flashy expeditions, but soon realised the demand was for the opposite \u2013 niche, intimate expeditions that gave people their adventure hit without a huge amount of travelling or money.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWoman to woman\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESociety puts a huge amount of pressure on women to be and look a certain way. Being out in the wild lifts some of this pressure. On the road, I wasn\u2019t bothered about make-up or my hair, and you quickly learn to reject the idea that our value lies in our appearance. Now, I direct my energy to what I\u2019m doing, not how I look.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPower games \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ELife has become a bit too easy \u2013 and that\u2019s something we really do have to fight against. We have all this instant gratification, but what we learn by pushing ourselves and forcing ourselves to become uncomfortable is truly the important stuff.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGetting started\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI just saved and saved, until at 18 years old I had enough money to travel around Africa on my own. I came back, saved again, and then headed to Borneo. You just keep doing it, until someone pays you to do it. If you really love it \u2013 and in this field, you have to really love it \u2013 you\u2019ll find a way.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EParting words\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt feels wonderful when you reach the top of a mountain, because you walked there yourself. It\u2019s all about one foot in front of the other and perseverance, because the biggest lessons in life come from the hardest times and the hardest work. You have to get yourself out there and challenge yourself, no matter how you do it. \u003Cspan\u003E\u00A0\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"28 February 2020","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[],"relatedLinks":[],"id":48496,"nodeName":"Blazing a trail","title":"Blazing a trail","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/5713/laura.png?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1d9becd0742c610","caption":"Laura - blazing a trail","type":"png","size":141375,"width":673,"height":524,"altText":""},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"Blazing a trail","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":"","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC80ODQ5NiJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2020/february/blazing-a-trail/"}