Gay Walking Groups In The UK
We’re OutdoorLads, the UK’s largest outdoor activities group for gay, bi and trans guys. With hundreds of gay walkers in our club we’ve always got a walk near to you. On this page we’ve summarised everything gay ramblers in England, Wales and Scotland want to know before their first walk.
What kind of walks do OutdoorLads do?
1. Leisure Walks
These walks usually take in the sights of towns and cities, and are suitable for most abilities, including those with some accessibility requirements. They'll usually have a pub or cafe stop.
Leisure Walks can have up to 20 or 30 people on them, and you are unlikely to need any special walking equipment. They are a good place to start if you don't have walking experience or prefer a walk that's gentler and where it's easier to chat with others on the way around.
2. Lowland & Hill Walks
These may be longer walks, and may involve walking uphill for a while. Walks like this include coastal hiking, or hiking in National Parks like the Peak District, Cotswolds AONB, Dartmoor, Brecon Beacons, and the Yorkshire Dales. The groups size is smaller, normally 20 or fewer.
You will need to have some basic walking equipment such as walking shoes or boots and waterproof clothing. If you are generally fit and want to do a walk that is more challenging, then a Lowland and Hill walk could be your ideal first event.
3. Mountain Walks and Winter Mountain Walks
These are more strenuous, and will typically take a full day. There will be several hundreds of meters of ascent and descent, and the terrain and conditions will normally be more challenging, and the weather can have a much greater impact on the event. The group size will be smaller to reflect the more challenging conditions. You will need to have more equipment to take part. If you already like hiking in mountainous terrain, these walks may be ideal for you.
Mountain walks are often, but not always, found as part of OutdoorLads hostel weekends, simply because the more remote locations can take too much time to get to for them to be practical as day walks, especially on shorter winter days.
OutdoorLads runs Mountain Walking events all over the UK where there are mountains. Areas such as the Lake District, Snowdonia, and the Scottish Highlands.
Winter Mountain Walks are the most challenging, as you can expect there to be snow and ice and the conditions will be much tougher. As a result, the group size will also be smaller, to enable the event leader to guide the participants safely. You will need to have, or hire, some specialist winter equipment such as crampons and an ice axe.
When are the next hiking events near me?
Check our calendar to see all upcoming gay walking events we have in the UK this year.
UPCOMING GAY WALKING EVENTS IN THE UK >
What if I'm a beginner hiker?
Pro mountaineer or not, we all started small and we’re expressly inviting walking beginners to our events. All of our Leaders will be happy to talk you through the challenges of an upcoming walk.
OutdoorLads is committed to ensuring all hikers are safe, by requiring Mountain Walk Leaders to be certified in Outdoor First Aid and trained in group leadership as well as ensuring all bikers wear appropriate safety equipment. They're also offered the chance to complete Mountain Leader (ML) training. All other walk Leaders are offered First Aid and ML training.
Do I need any equipment to join gay hiking events?
All the kit you need will be details on the event page. Typically for a Leisure Walk, you won't need any specialist equipment. You'll need a good pair of walking boots for most Lowland and Hill Walks, as well as season-dependent clothing like waterproofs, and a backpack.
Mountain Walks and Winter Mountain Walks will require decent walking boots, plenty of layers and a decent jacket to keep you warm at the summit, hat and gloves, and maybe a pair of walking poles if necessary.
Is this group for LGBTQ+ ramblers?
Yes, it sure is! We're all gay, bi and trans folks that just enjoy rambling around the beautiful British countryside. No dumb questions and all are welcome!
How much does it cost to join for a walk?
It's free to join OutdoorLads and to thank you for signing up, we'll pop £25 of coupons on your account to use against your first event(s).
If you decide you still like us (which, of course, you will), you can continue as a Pay-As-You-Go Member, or upgrade to Full Membership to get discounted events, retail discounts, and a vote on governance matters at our AGM.
So, what are you waiting for? #GetOutMore!
Does OutdoorLads run non-walking Events?
Yes! OutdoorLads also run other outdoor events like Cycling, Mountain Biking, indoor climbing & bouldering, outdoor climbing, watersports, camping, hosteling and more! Check out all of our events.
