“After discovering a love for the outdoors I now help others to get out and adventure”

When I made the decision to move to Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands I hadn’t the faintest idea about hill walking and I certainly hadn’t ever owned a down jacket! Being surrounded by such a beautiful landscape inspired me to start exploring my new surroundings. I soon took up mountain biking, walking and snowboarding. It took me a few years but a friend then eventually convinced me to hike up my first Munro - a Scottish mountain above 3,000 ft. It was boggy, windy and cold and I wondered why on earth anyone would do that time and time again for fun. Little did I know that standing at the summit looking out on the world below would, in time, become my head space and my favourite form of escapism.

There was something empowering and energising about setting the goal of a new adventure, then going out and experiencing it for myself. I discovered that being on top of a hill gave me the feeling of being on top of the world. It helped me to put daily trivial concerns or worries into perspective, nothing felt too big or too overwhelming when I felt so tiny in comparison to the mountains surrounding me. It evolved into a way of boosting my self confidence as well as my fitness.

Four and a half years later, after a career change to become a nurse, I understand that the benefits of hill walking aren’t limited to physical health but also mental health. After my first initial Munro experience I set out on all my hikes on my own, knowing nobody else to go with. Determined to meet and engage with people who shared my new found love for hill walking I set up a facebook group in 2018. It grew rapidly and I soon realised that there were so many others like me who wanted to share their days in the mountains. I now run ‘Iona’s Adventures’ on facebook to encourage and connect like minded people and there are currently over 4,000 members.

When I began hiking I was clueless about every aspect of it but in time I learnt an incredible amount from the people I met through my group and couldn’t believe how helpful the outdoor community could be. This gave me the idea to set up a social enterprise, which in 2021 will provide skills courses to help people gain the knowledge, experience and confidence to safely enjoy hiking. Nobody should be limited in accessing the hills, especially when being active outdoors can have such a positive impact on mental wellbeing.

In 2021 I would love to see more people enjoying time outside and the idea that I can help facilitate that is really special. Hopefully I’ll be able to travel to some of my favourite beauty spots in Scotland like the Western Isles and I’m dreaming of nights spent camping under the stars after long days hiking. If you’re considering starting hill walking, remember no matter how daunting starting something new can be, expanding your horizons, seeing progression and discovering new experiences can be extremely rewarding - I’ve learnt that during the last few years of adventures. My head and my heart are happier as a result of the days I’ve spent in the mountains.

To join the growing community of like minded people, search ‘Iona’s Adventures’ on Facebook

Follow Iona’s own adventures on Instagram @iona.adventuring

You can read more about the social enterprise, donate to the community Go Fund Me pot or explore upcoming skills courses for 2021 at www.ionasadventures.com

Kit to get you started - Iona’s Top Kit Picks

If you’re looking for a few pieces to get you started or you just fancy some new gear for spring, here are some of my favourite bits from Berghaus:

I’ve recently started wearing the Ridgemaster Waterproof Jacket and I absolutely love how bright it is - an essential safety aspect when hill walking. The under arm vents are perfect for keeping cool while hiking uphill, while the waterproof material is super resilient on even the wettest days. The Nula Hybrid Insulated Jacket has become a staple piece of my adventure kit, I wear it constantly because it’s a great outer layer on warmer days. Alternatively I use it as a midlayer when I’m wrapping up for those colder days - let’s face it, that’s pretty frequent in Scotland!

The Remote 28 Rucksack is perfect for starting out as it’s not too big but it’s really comfy with the waist strap. Not to mention all the extra pockets it has for stashing plenty of snacks - an essential for any adventure. The Ortler 2.0 Trousers are about the only women’s hiking trousers I’ve found that are functional yet flattering and they actually fit - that’s a rarity when you have curves yet you want to have the same access to resilient clothing.

Use this code to get 15% off at berghaus.com - BERGHAUS-MFTM-01Q