The co-founder of the female-only company discusses how her group promotes safety and independence for female mountain runners
As the dark winter nights continue, the thought of lacing up your running shoes and heading out into the chill can feel daunting – especially for women.
The challenge of staying safe while running is something that many women face, and it can be even more pronounced in remote areas, like the terrains of mountains, where the isolation can feel even more intense.
That sense of unease, especially as dusk falls, is one of the reasons why ultra-runner Keri Wallace, alongside friend Nancy Kennedy, decided to take matters into their own hands in 2018, founding a trails and mountain running group exclusively for women in the Scottish Highlands – Girls on Hills.
Based in Glencoe, the female-only group focuses on trail, fell and skyrunning. The pair also quickly realised there was a broader need for not just running, but also run hill-walking, navigation and mountain safety events.
Keri Wallace (B Chalmers)
Fast forward to today and their venture has blossomed into an inclusive and empowering community, boasting over 21,000 followers on Instagram. The group now extends its reach beyond the Highlands, hosting courses across the UK’s other national parks, including Snowdonia and the Lake District.
The mission of Girls on Hills is clear: to equip women with the confidence and skills needed to navigate the mountains independently and safely. The sense of safety is something that Wallace, an elite ultra-runner and mountain leader, personally understands.
Her latest achievement involved running the entire length of the West Highland Way – Scotland’s oldest national trail, measuring 154km and involving a climb of 4312m. She completed the run without a single stop and with the essential gear provided by Petzl, including head torches for the dark days and nights.
What does Girls on Hills involve?
We take women out on guided runs, but also guided hill walking. We teach navigation skills and winter skills so that women can continue to get out in the winter environment and don’t have to feel like they’ve got to stop as soon as it starts to snow.
We also run retreats where we go out and get really muddy, have a run and then cook our own dinner. It’s about getting women together for adventurous weekends and creating a social space for outdoor activities in an environment where it’s really supportive. There’s less of a…
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