Finding My Way: Becoming a Mountain Leader as a Woman
Ray of Sun Adventures was born from a deep-rooted love of the outdoors and a lifelong urge to explore, even if that love story started among the concrete jungle of inner-city London.
I was always the “outdoorsy” one. The kid who disappeared outside until the streetlights flicked on (the universal sign for get yourself home). Summers were spent in the Basque Country, bombing around on bikes with friends from the barrio until midnight, tasting freedom long before I had the words for it.
As a teenager, I took on the Duke of Edinburgh Award and loved every muddy, chaotic, wild bit of it, apart from the time a herd of cows chased my group across a field. Picture it: enormous rucksacks bouncing, us legging it like our lives depended on it, until a heroic farmer stepped in to save the day. Iconic. Traumatic. Character-building.
But the moment that truly changed everything came much later.
When Walking Became Survival
During the pandemic, I was working as a frontline key worker, and it broke me. Anxiety, panic attacks, and intrusive thoughts became my daily reality. I felt lost, exhausted, and disconnected from myself.
The one thing that helped was walking.
So I laced up my boots and, with my young son and our husky Ghost, set out to hike every hill in Shropshire. Step by step. Breath by breath. Hill by hill. I started to find my way back to myself.
Then, in September 2020, I climbed Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), my very first mountain. It was tough, sweaty, emotional… and completely transformative. That summit lit a fire in me. I wanted more. More hills. More summits. More moments that made me feel alive.
But I didn’t yet know how to do it safely. Or confidently. Or with purpose.
So I booked a Mountain Skills course. Then I discovered the Mountain Leader qualification.
And I thought: This isn’t just about me reaching summits anymore.
I want to help others reach theirs!
The Lonely Middle Bit Nobody Talks About
The Mountain Leader journey, for me, was often lonely. I made some brilliant friends along the way, but many of my training days were solo. Out in sideways rain. Snow rolling in. Strong winds. Scorching heat. Just me, an OS map, a compass, and a mountain trying to decide if I really knew where I was going.
I spent hours practising navigation, finding obscure features, reading contours, trusting the map over my instincts. Slowly, something magical happened. One day, contour interpretation just clicked. I could look at the mountain and place myself on the map with confidence. That moment changed everything.
Navigation stopped being stressful and started feeling empowering.
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Fitness, Fear and a Plot Twist
I worried constantly about my fitness. About “keeping up”. About being the slow woman in a group of men I assumed would be faster, fitter, stronger.
So I trained hard. Really hard.
Then, a few months before assessment, I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. My energy crashed. My anxiety spiked. And suddenly I was terrified I wouldn’t cope physically on assessment.
What I eventually realised is something simple but powerful:
A Mountain Leader doesn’t leave anyone behind. Whether in training, assessment, or real life, leadership isn’t about speed. It’s about care, awareness, and responsibility. Ironically, if anyone had raced ahead and left the group behind on assessment, they would have failed.
Being a Woman on the Hill
I never experienced overt sexism. But I did get a lot of older men asking if I was lost when I was standing confidently with a map in my hand.
I’d usually smile and reply,
“I know exactly where I am, can I help you? Are you lost?”
It became my quiet little power move.
Wild camping scared me at first too. It’s a required part of the qualification, eight nights total, four of them wild. I felt vulnerable initially, but with preparation and experience, my confidence grew.
There are practical things we can all do to feel safer:
- Let people know your plans and grid references
- Choose areas with signal where possible
- Carry tracking or safety devices
- Plan escape routes
But there’s also a responsibility on others, especially men, to respect our space, boundaries, and presence in the mountains. There are also realities rarely spoken about in training: periods, menopause, pregnancy. These aren’t niche issues, they affect half the population. Female leaders often quietly manage them. But male leaders should understand them too, so every member of a group feels supported.
Outdoor leadership should be inclusive in practice, not just in theory.
Maps: My Quiet Superpower
OS Maps played a huge role in my journey.
During training and assessment, we’re required to use different map scales. I mainly worked with:
- 1:25,000 scale — perfect for detailed day adventures with lots of features.
- 1:50,000 scale — more zoomed out, great for longer routes and big-picture planning.
I used OS maps to:
- Plan routes and escape routes
- Practise navigation and contour interpretation
- Stay on track on the hill
- Build confidence to explore alone
There’s something incredibly empowering about standing in the wilderness, map in hand, knowing exactly where you are. Now, as a qualified Mountain Leader, I always recce routes using OS maps. When I’m leading, I carry a paper map as backup and keep my route on the OS Maps app for easy reference.
You can explore OS Maps subscriptions here: OS Maps Subscription
OS Explorer maps can be found here: OS Explorer Maps
Navigation isn’t just a skill. It’s freedom.
The Win Moments
There were so many.
Understanding and “seeing” contours.
Qualifying on Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) — the same mountain that started it all.
Setting up Ray of Sun Adventures.
My first Winter Solstice walk in 2024 had two people: my mum and a lady called Ru, who nearly didn’t come because she was so anxious.
One year later, the same event on the Stiperstones sold out twice.
That’s not just growth. That’s community. And our community absolutely loves post work sunset hikes in the Shropshire Hills.
Why Female Mountain Leaders Matter
Representation matters. When women see women leading in the mountains, something shifts. Possibility expands.
I’d tell my younger self that she does find her confidence. That she does build a life outdoors. That she still helps people, just in a different, healthier, more hopeful way. I went into social work wanting to make a difference, and I burnt out. Now I make a difference by helping people feel strong, capable, and alive in the outdoors.
What Is a Mountain Leader?
Mountain Leaders are qualified to take groups into the highest mountains of the UK and Ireland, as well as hill, moorland and lowland terrain. The role combines navigation, leadership, safety, decision-making, and care.
Key facts:
- Training: 6 days
- Assessment: 5 days
- Average time to qualify: 3.3 years
- Ideal for people who want to lead groups on single or multi-day mountain walks
To register as a mountain leader, you must:
- Be 18+
- Have at least one year of mountain experience
- Be a member of a mountaineering council
- Log your experience in DLOG
To book assessment, you must:
- Complete training
- Log at least 40 quality mountain days in three mountainous regions
- Complete 8 nights camping (4 wild)
- Hold a valid outdoor first aid certificate
A Quality Mountain Day includes planning, navigation, leadership, unfamiliar terrain, and meaningful challenge. You can find out more about the Mountain Leader qualification on the Mountain Training website here: https://www.mountain-training.org/qualifications/walking/mountain-leader/
Becoming a Mountain Leader didn’t just teach me how to navigate mountains.
It taught me how to trust myself. And if you’re reading this wondering whether you could do it too, I promise you – you absolutely can. But the Mountain Leader qualification isn’t the only path into outdoor leadership.
There are so many routes into the outdoors: Lowland Leader, Hill and Moorland Leader, Camping Leader, Climbing Instructor, each one offering a different way to support, inspire and guide others.
And if you do go on to qualify as a Mountain Leader, the journey doesn’t stop there. You can progress into Winter Mountain Leader, International Mountain Leader, or shape your career in whatever direction fits your life, your strengths and your dreams.
There is no single version of what an outdoor leader should look like. So whether you’re dreaming of snowy summits, gentle woodland walks, climbing walls, or wild camps — there is a place for you in this world. And it starts with believing that you belong there.
Let’s Talk
If you’ve ever thought about becoming a Mountain Leader, I’d love to hear your questions.
If you’re already on the journey, I’d love to hear your story.
And if you’re just beginning to dream about it, welcome. You belong here.
Drop your thoughts, experiences, or questions to me at @rayofsun_adventures and let’s keep the conversation going.
Because the mountains are for all of us.
So… where could the outdoors take you next?
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