International Women's Day

There's a story behind every challenge. And this March, to celebrate International Women’s Day, we’re shining a light on the brilliant women at Snow+Rock. From in-store experts to our wider team across the UK, our passion for the outdoors runs deep. And, we’re sharing their epic adventure stories to inspire your next challenge.  

Unstoppable and thirsty for new cultural experiences, Nancy shares her incredible 5000km trip - all without leaving the ground. 

''Last summer, I achieved a bucket list ambition of cycling solo and unsupported from London to Nordkapp, Norway 3,658km (2272 miles) - while on sabbatical from Snow+Rock. Then I cycled most of the way back. I took a few trains and boats and stopped off for some hiking which rounded off the trip at over 5000km cycled. All without flying! 

It was hard but also wonderfully peaceful after the restrictions of the pandemic. I crossed the Arctic Circle, camped in glorious places and was disturbed by many bugs. I saw moose, elk, reindeer, and thousands of birds and witnessed the midnight sun!  

I survived all the travel hazards, some familiar, some new, took loads of photos, and ate all the food! I had an absolute blast! I never had wild camped alone before or been to such unpopulated places. So even though this was not my first cycle trip, it was my longest alone. It gave me the confidence to discover how far I could go and to know when the going gets tough, you just need to keep your head up, make a plan and go for it.

I always meet far more men touring than ladies and have been repeatedly told the world is dangerous, but on this trip and many others, I have found far more love than hate on the road. And I am already planning my next adventure.''   

Triathlon runner, and all-year-round sea swimmer, Katie tells us how climbing helps build confidence and focus her mind on the present. 

''Rock climbing is an activity that has really pushed me out of my comfort zone, especially on sea cliff routes around Cornwall. Climbing with my partner, who I trust entirely, has given me the confidence to climb really challenging routes and push me to my limit.

When I'm climbing, I am completely focused on what I'm doing and not worrying about any of my day-to-day stresses. Afterwards, I always feel an amazing buzz of achievement and adventure.''    

A keen downhill mountain biker in the summer and anything snow-related in the winter - Holly shares one of her favourite ski days in the mountains of BC, Canada.

''I'm fortunate to have grown up in France with access to the slopes from a young age. Skiing was always a passion, and in 2019, I moved to Canada, where I worked and lived in Nelson and Revelstoke, BC. Canadians are the loveliest people and top senders in park and powder. So, being out there, you have no choice but to try and keep up.

Revelstoke's terrain is enormous and nothing I had ever experienced before. I made some great connections with local skiers and snowboarders, and they'd excitedly take me to hidden gems often overlooked on powder days. 

Of course, you have to work hard to get there, and we would climb for 20+ minutes beyond the lifts with our gear attached to our packs. On a clear day, these climbs gave us the best mountain panoramic views, and on cloudy days, we'd climb above the cloud with little to no visibility. 

My favourite descent was on one of these low-visibility days. And luckily, I knew the route pretty well. There had been 20cm of fresh snow the night before, and avalanche patrol gave us the all-clear to enjoy first tracks.

The joyful vibes, non-stop beaming smiles and whoops of joy echoed as I dropped straight off a ridge into a beautiful untouched bowl. Then, our big surfy turns funnelled straight into a maze of vertical powder-filled glades. Ignoring the thigh burn, I kept skiing to keep up the momentum while avoiding tree wells as much as possible. This experience pushed me beyond my limits, and I'll never forget that buzz.''