Wild Women Wander in the Mournes

Two days on from the first ever Wild Women Wander in Northern Ireland, I’m still elated.

Feeling grateful, connected, nourished by those few hours in the wild in the company of women. 

This was the first of my friend Kelly’s new series of Wild Women events to inspire women to reconnect with nature and with each other and nurture their creativity. 

“Just a little crazy morning thought…”

Two weeks ago, Heidi, another friend of hers who lives in Greystones, reached out on Instagram. Would I be up for attending Kelly’s very first event as surprise guests? My answer was an immediate and resounding “Yes!”

Until Heidi picked me up at 8.15 on Saturday morning for the 2-hour drive up to the Mournes, we had never met. Yet the conversation started flowing from the minute I fastened my seatbelt! The journey went by in the blink of an eye.

We made it to the meeting point at the Leitrim Lodge car park just in the nick of time. Kelly was over the moon when she saw us get out of the car. Women supporting women.

Wild Women Wanders

This was the first of Kelly’s monthly Wild Women Wanders, i.e. small group taster hikes in the Mourne Mountains, Co Down.

Six of us met up for a day of walking, chatting and laughing in the Kingdom of Mourne. Kelly guided us up the gravel trail and past frozen puddles and bog pools, to the summit of Pierce’s Castle. It was a beautifully calm and crisp day under the big blue sky, with mountain views aplenty.

Breaking the ice didn’t take long!

Pierce’s Castle

Looking back on the Windy Gap, in the Mourne Mountains

For all of us, having time and space to think and recharge and connect with wholehearted women felt like a gift. A gift that will keep on giving for some time to come.

Freedom, if only for a few hours – no appointments to remember, no household chores to complete, no selfless mothering to devote ourselves to.

Freedom, if only for a few hours – to talk our hearts out and listen intently, to arrive as strangers and leave with new friends.

Freedom, if only for a few hours – to slow down and breathe, to think and move, to just be.

Frozen bog pool at the top of Pierce’s Castle

Something special happens when women get together. Something beautiful, heartwarming, magical. Something I am only now beginning to understand and appreciate.

When women connect without agenda, judgement or expectation, to do something as simple as a hike in the mountains, or a swim in the sea, they create community. They build a tribe.

As we reached the top of Rocky Mountain before the final descent, a pair of paragliders rose up from below our feet. Swaying and swirling in the cold sunny air above our heads.

A fitting end to an uplifting day in the mountains!

On the way down, via Rocky Mountain

Perfectly timed and totally unexpected paragliding display over Rocky Mountain

Wild Women Wander

Wild Women Creatives

Wild Women Creatives is a series of monthly outdoor events with the theme of creativity at its core. Each month Kelly will lead a group of women on an outdoor adventure that will inspire, energise, encourage and motivate – hikes, wild swims, kayaking, yoga and a whole bunch of other wonderful activities for women who want to experience more adventure in their lives.

If it sounds like something you’d like to take part in, get in touch with Kelly on her blog, Facebook and/or Instagram. You won’t regret it!

About Kelly @ Every Treasure

I first came across Kelly’s blog Every Treasure – In search of the silver lining several years ago, and I was immediately inspired by her heart-felt writing and her daring adventures with her boys. At last I had found in Ireland another outdoor family blogger! 

When 2 years ago Kelly contacted me to feature in her Bloggers Showcase series (read the interview here), we had already arranged to take part in Every Treasure‘s first family guided hike.

Now Kelly has just launched this new series of outdoor events for women.

“It is for women who want to connect with the natural world, to take a deep breath and experience the many powerful soothing, uplifting, motivating and healing benefits of time spent in nature. It is for women who want to feel inspired to create art of any type, to inspire women to live more creatively and joyfully and for women who seek creative solutions in any aspect of their lives. I truly and wholeheartedly believe that nature and creativity are inextricably entwined and that any time spent outdoors can inspire all sorts of things.”

Get in toucch with Kelly if you’d like to join one of her Wild Women events

Follow Kelly on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to stay up-to-date. In June, I will be collaborating with Kelly for a wild swimming event, so stay tuned!

Related

• A guided family hike in the Mournes / Randonnée guidée dans les Mournes
• One day in forest school / Un jour à l’école de la forêt
• Adventures R Us / Des aventures et nous
• Camping in the Mourne Mountains / En camping dans les montagnes de Mourne
• Errigal – Family trek to the top of Donegal / Randonnée au sommet de Donegal