Spending a weekend at an indoor event – would it be worth it?
Last year we were advised to attend the Annual National Outdoor Event in Birmingham this March. We hesitated as it takes time to prepare and it takes time to be there. March we are busy with lots of winter activity holidays and could we spare the time?
But our advisor was right …
We had so many women come and see us. Many, many had never heard of WalkingWomen and they were delighted to see the opportunities available to walk with other women. We had so many lovely chats – women who said they want motivation to stay active in later life, women who have husbands that don’t want to walk but they do, women recently widowed who would love company, women who are solo travellers but sometimes just want to be in a group… how wonderful to have time at the Expo to talk face to face with all these women seeking out a little adventure. We hope to see you soon!
We had women wanting to be guides come and see us, women running hotels, women writers who specialising in writing about walking , women with podcasts to share inspirational women’s stories. There was a wealth of talent and creativity and obvious determination to change the narrative from what was a male dominated industry to one opening up and recognising the needs and wants of women. It was a wonderful weekend!
If you are a podcast fan have a listen to these women we met…
The links below will take you to these fascinating podcasts …
And we were surrounded by so many women entrepreneurs
To wander around and find a woman creating special arctic clothing for women going to these extremely cold places ( we know them well !) a woman understanding the need for plus size outdoor clothing, a woman fed up with sombre wetsuits and wanting to provide bright,colourful wetsuits for all these outdoor swimmers out there. There were so many and we want to share them with you.
Look out for new collaborations and discounts coming soon….
Vertura Women’s Arctic Clothing
Katharine Partis Outdoor Clothing
So why go to one of these events – our top 5 tips
1. It’s a great way to meet other like minded people and immerse yourself in the latest trends, gear, and experiences. We came away buzzing with ideas, new contacts and new collaborations to progress.
2. Walking Kit – you get hands-on experience with the latest outdoor gear and there were many special discounts. We came away with some great new merino socks!
3. Advice & Workshops on various topics – on the centre stage you heard about swimming an ice mile, or top tips for trail running … lots of ideas for new activities to try.
4. Adventure Planning – WalkingWomen were there to give ideas on new destinations, why we run guided trips and to talk about the different levels of our walks. There were many more travel companies there – all helping you think about your next holiday.
5. Connecting – everywhere there were people chatting about getting outdoors and what’s good about it. It was stimulating to hear and see how many people are interested and wanting to be active. There are lots of places to sit and soak it all in or strike up a conversation with the person next to you.
Maybe a day out next year …
