Meet Sarah – Wellness Walks Volunteer Leader

Who, Where & Why...

Sarah is one of our Volunteer Wellness Walk Leaders.

Sarah is a fully qualified Lowland Leader & like all of the team she also has qualifications in First Aid for Mental Health, Outdoor First Aid and Safeguarding.

Sarah is based in Greater Manchester.

Tell us a bit about your journey to becoming a Wellness Walk Leader

I met Kelvyn on a Mountain Skills course in Langdale and I was inspired by his amazing vision for Wellness Walks. Being passionate about walking and the outdoors and with my professional background in mental health I couldn’t wait to get involved!

What were your expectations before training started? How did you feel?

I don’t think I had any big expectations about the training, I hoped I would enjoy it and learn something! I was really excited about getting started, keen to develop my skills on the hill and I was hoping to be amongst supportive and inspiring people and I wasn’t disappointed!

Which part of the qualification process did you enjoy the most & why?

Two things…the locations and the people! I have most enjoyed getting out in all of the beautiful locations Wellness Walks operates in! My training with Wellness Walks has taken me across the Lake District from Threlkeld to Langdale to Coniston, closer to home across the West Pennine Moors and most recently to the Carneddau, the Ogwen Valley and the Moelwyns in North Wales for my Hill and Moorland Leader Training and I have been lucky enough to train with Kelvyn, Helen T, Beth, Karl and Tom!

What was the most challenging part of gaining your qualifications?

Probably the increased emphasis on micro-navigation on the Hill and Moorland Training that I have undertaken just recently, learning to be much more precise with navigation over short distances and really becoming aware of my immediate environment and being more confident in recognising and using natural landform features in my navigation. Oh and did I mention night navigation?!!

What's been the personal inpact of becoming a Wellness Walk Leader?

It’s given me a different focus outside of work and my own walking and it gives me a good reason to keep on getting out there, finding new routes and discovering new areas and meeting new people.

Can you share a memorable moment from one of your walks?

Too many to mention but will usually involve the fun and belly laughs that come from negotiating a way through bog or even just muddly puddles!

What do you enjoy most about leading walks?

Meeting and talking to lovely new people of all ages and from all walks of life, being able to share my own love of walking and the outdoors with them, being able to share some of my knowledge, it’s a real privilege.

How has this role impacted your own mental health, confidence, or skills?

Being out walking is great for my own mental health; putting myself out of my comfort zone in tackling more challenging terrain, going out in all weathers and pushing myself in taking on the challenge of the Hill and Moorland Leader training has helped with increasing my own resilience and confidence.

Final Thoughts

If you could give one piece of advice to someone considering volunteering with Wellness Walks, what would it be?

Take the Nike approach – Just Do It!

Where do you think your own journey with Wellness Walks will go?

More qualifications – yes as I’m already on the way to being a Hill and Moorland Leader. Maybe Mountain Leader one day! I’m keen to expand the range of walks I can offer across the North West and I’m always thinking about how I can attract new people to our walks. I’d like to bring more of my professional counselling skills to the role, perhaps by offering some one-to-one walks.

How would you describe your experience with Wellness Walks in three words?

Challenge. Community. Fun!