Megan & Rachel, walking friends

“Walking together is our chance to escape the stresses of life”

Megan and Rachel met on social media, quickly became friends, and now inspire each other to get outdoors more. 

“I love the experience of spending time outdoors with other people,” says Megan. “I’ve met a lovely group of people through the Mountains for the Mind Facebook group, including my new ‘bestie’ Rachel. I noticed from one of Rachel’s posts that we live in the same town, so I sent her a message and the rest is history. We were both nervous about meeting for the first time, but after half an hour of chatting it was like we’d known each other for years.

“We’ve since been on a couple of local walks together, and Buckden Pike was our first, which was amazing. We also arranged a group meet-up with other members of the Mountains for the Mind community, where we had a lovely walk to the top of Pen-y-Ghent in the Yorkshire Dales. As well as walking, we also meet for regular glasses of Prosecco!

“It’s lovely to meet people who love the outdoors to share adventures with. Aside from the selfies, it’s a great opportunity to step away from social media, stop thinking about work and the stresses of life, and really focus on the moment. It’s a real head-clearer and some of the best conversations happen when the only distractions you have are the views.

“When Rachel and I walk together, it’s our time to escape and put the world to rights. We both have the same passion for the outdoors, and we motivate each other to plan more adventurous walks.

“Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. The Mountains for the Mind community is full of lovely, like-minded people who all love being outdoors. I’ve met friends for life, each with their own inspiring story to tell.”