Climbing shoes are an essential piece of equipment. They are probably THE most important piece you will buy. Your shoes will affect your comfort indoors and outdoor climbing. Choosing the right shoe is important too, because climbing is all about your feet - how you...
Read More
Footwork is talked about so often by climbers, but even experienced climbers often don't know where to go to improve their footwork. Today's article is all about improving footwork. If we've missed something, leave us a comment and share your experience and knowledge with us...
Read More
Falkland Islander Lisa Watson is a keen boulderer and editor of the Falklands local newspaper. She and her partner Jonny Summers are on a mission to build the Islands first bouldering gym. So what’s it like climbing in the Falklands?
If you’re on instagram you might have come across Project Chalk, the personal account of Wing-Sum Wong. Despite only climbing 2 years Wing trains hard and as the President of London Ladies Climb she helps to encourage other women to give climbing a go.
Womenclimb caught up with her to find out why she loves climbing and how she’s dealt with recent injuries.
At the start of March for Women Outdoors Week both Plans y Brenin and Glenmore Lodge, the National Mountain Centres, ran a series of winter training courses specifically for women. We’ve caught up with avid hiker and Mountain biker Laura Hall who attended the week long winter mountaineering course run by Plas y Brenin in Scotland. Here’s how she found it….
Emily Thompson is a Mountain Leader with a thirst for adventure, remoteness and fun. As part of our 'Best Adventures' series, Emily shares some of her best adventures. Here's part one of three: First Solo Wild Camp In the Moelwyns North Wales. I hiked up Cnicht and camped...
Read MoreEmily Thompson gives us the last instalment of her Best Adventures. If you missed Part 1 and Part 2, you can go back and find out about her adventures. What other adventures does she have for us...
Read MoreEmily Thompson lets us all a little further into her life of adventure after giving us a taster in her Best Adventures Part 1. Hidden behind a quiet and reflective shell, Emily is a great adventurer, a reminder that looks can be deceptive. Never judge...
Read More
Womenclimb want to encourage more women to see Mountain Rescue as something they can get involved in, as despite an increase in women in MR in the last 15 years they still represent less than 20% of team members.
I met up with Becky in a little cafe in Sowerby Bridge and over a brew we chatted about our experiences in Mountain Rescue, why she got involved and how she manages to fit it around her career working as an A&E Registrar.
Womenclimb recognises the importance that Mountain Rescue volunteers play in ensuring that climbers and hillwalkers are educated and safe when enjoying the outdoors. Womenclimb want to encourage more interested women to see Mountain Rescue as something they can get involved in.
Today we catch up with Carina Humberstone, from Buxton MRT to chat how she got involved in Mountain Rescue and teaching water rescue skills.
Womenclimb recognises the importance that Mountain Rescue volunteers play in ensuring that climbers and hillwalkers are educated and safe when enjoying the outdoors. Womenclimb want to encourage more interested women to see Mountain Rescue as something they can get involved in.
We caught up with Judy Whiteside, from Mountain Rescue England & Wales to chat about her involvement in the Rossendale & Pendle team, how she got involved in the national charity and what she gets out of being involved.
Womenclimb recognises the importance that Mountain Rescue volunteers play in ensuring that climbers and hillwalkers are educated and safe when enjoying the outdoors. They are the unsung heroes who ensure that those lost are found and that those in accidents are cared for.
Women are under represented in Mountain Rescue as they are in other outdoor professions and Womenclimb want to encourage more women to see Mountain Rescue as something they can get involved in.
Today we catch up with Ellie Sherwin, one of Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team’s search dog handlers to chat about her involvement in the team, the highs and lows and what she gets out of being in the team.
Womenclimb recognises the importance that Mountain Rescue volunteers play in ensuring that climbers and hillwalkers are educated and safe when enjoying the outdoors. They are the unsung heroes who ensure that those lost are found and that those in accidents are cared for.
Women are under represented in Mountain Rescue as they are in other outdoor professions and Womenclimb want to encourage more women to see Mountain Rescue as something they can get involved in.
Over the next few months we will be interviewing a few key women in Mountain Rescue to find out what made them get involved, what commitment it takes, and what they get out of being a member of a team. We’ll also let you know how you can find out more and get involved.
Today we catch up with Karen Greene, one of the Wasdale Team’s Doctors to chat about her involvement in the team, the highs and lows and what she gets out of being in the team.
On January 19th 2013 an avalanche swept four people to their deaths in Glencoe. It was an event that shocked a great many people. Me included. I was on the mountain on that day. A year later I returned to Scotland to do a Winter...
Read More
Sometimes the best adventures are the small ones or the unplanned ones or the ones that aren't even meant to be adventures. Adventures don't have to be in 'the outdoors', they can be expeditions of the mind, to new places, exploring different kinds of thinking....
Read More
Women are underrepresented in adventure sport, and their stories are not making it in to the media. Do our favourite outdoor magazines have a responsibility to redress the balance? Lucy Wallace talks outdoor media and women, in our latest article. If you've got something to say,...
Read More
My career is complicated. I run Womenclimb and do freelance work, and my ‘day’ job, three days per week, is as a Career Adviser. Since 2001 I have worked with people, starting off working with young people at the margins of society – young offenders,...
Read More
Are you a woman working in the climbing/ mountaineering/ outdoors industry? Perhaps you're a mountaineering instructor? Or maybe you're a garment technologist and engineer outdoor clothing? Or maybe you do something else related to the industry? Womenclimb has a Youtube Channel and we want to fill it with great...
Read MoreDo you find yourself sending boulder problems but having to take rests on longer routes? Do you have to shake out a lot on longer routes and find yourself shouting “take!” a little too often? If so then you might want to train your endurance.
Finding just the right present for the climber in your life can be tricky. Chances are she/he’s got all the usuals, so here are the Womenclimb top Christmas or birthday present picks. You can be in with a chance of winning a 3rd Rock sports bra
Achieving gender equality depends on men. If we continue as we are, with women pushing for gender equality largely alone, or supported by a minority of progressive and engaged men, gender equality is going to take another 81 years to happen – beyond both mine and my child’s lifetime.
Today, on International Men’s Day, I want to share something about how the men in my climbing life have helped me to move to a climbing grade I never thought I would achieve. I admit that I’m, perhaps, so strong and passionate an advocate of equality, so vocal about the inequalities I perceive, that the men around me can feel under attack and then defensive. This holds back the advancement of equality, because in this defensive situation, no-one is learning new ways of thinking or doing things. I felt today was a good day to reflect on the positive stuff and how men have made a difference in my climbing life.
[caption id="attachment_3012" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sophie draws Gwen Moffatt in her unique style.[/caption] "We hear a lot about the romantic notion of dirtbag climbers—guys who live out of their vans, putting up big routes all over the country. But the first iteration of dirtbag was no dude:...
Read More
Junko Tabei, the first women to summit Everest dies age 77, after a life filled with ground-breaking mountaineering achievements. At the age of 35 Junko Tabei sumitted Everest, the first woman to set foot on the summit of the world's tallest mountain, and at the...
Read MoreWhen you have low self esteem and confidence, it's not easy to go adventuring. Today...
Read MorePlanning to go out this winter? This is for you: 
The North Face goal-orientated training is about to happen all over the UK. Don’t miss out on this exciting chance to get prepared for the winter sports season ahead, with the support of North Face.
Part of its renowned programme that promotes training with an end outdoor goal or higher purpose in mind, sessions will help prepare attendees for the winter outdoor sports season ahead. Find out the dates and venues below.
Belay glasses seem to be all the rage at the moment. They’re a save-all for your neck, according to the manufacturers and thankfully the cost of a pair has reduced dramatically in recent times. Today we review the Climbing Frog brand of belay glasses, which come in at less than half the price of some premium brands (with 10% off for 10 of our readers, so get in quick). But… do you get less bang for your buck or are these a winning pair of neck-saving specs? Beth and Emily from Womenclimb both tried them out independently; it’s time to find out their verdict:
Womenclimb is offering an opportunity for students/ volunteers to get involved in an exciting 8-week project to create high quality and engaging film content. We already have lots of ideas, but you will become part of the film production team joining us to help make...
Read More
A fall can be nothing and everything depending on the outcome. Not many people enjoy falling and the aim of climbing is too often to complete your bucket list of routes, without taking a fall. Sometimes however, the artist makes a mistake – hopefully they get straight back on the rock to perfect the move, but other times they can’t walk away from the fall and it is a long wait before the next attempt at any route outdoors.
So, you’ve done plenty of UK peaks and maybe even done a few lower level summits in Europe? What’s next and where can you go to get a real taste of high altitude?
Emily Thompson writes her top tips for staying as healthy and safe as possible at high altitude: