Discover
Inspire
Together


Hi, I'm Nicola. Let me take you on the best mountain walks in the Lake District.

My Story
In a former life, I was a full-time corporate employee and had been for 31 years.
I had also always been a single working mum juggling a very successful career with all the normal aspects of home and work life to balance.
For a long time, my respite for calm and to grab a little ‘me time’ was to get out onto the hills and walk, most often alone.

My career was flying high and then COVID-19 happened.
Somewhere in the middle of all that crazy time, I started to think about life in general and really reflect on what I wanted.
Life had been tough juggling work, the desire to be a perfect mum and essentially trying to hold it all together all of the time. Sometimes I managed it and sometimes, I guess I didn’t.
As Covid started to slow, a thought started to bubble in me about what I really wanted from the rest of my life. At age 53 years, I decided that it was now or never and that I would be a full time Mountain Guide and follow my passion of walking in the hills, breathing in the fresh air every day, watching the stars by night and to leave all the manic corporate stuff behind me.
I already had my Mountain Leadership Qualification so roll on 12 months, to February 2022, and there it was, my 1st paid event as a Mountain Leader.

2022 was fabulous. I was bringing my skills and experience from my last job, leading and inspiring people, to the great outdoors. Giving up that safe, long-term job was no easy decision but I couldn’t have been happier. I was now doing what I loved - working as a freelancer for different mountain walking companies.
While I was leading these walks, I noticed that many women in the group seemed to naturally gravitate towards each other. We enjoyed chatting, banter, and stopping to admire the view. We were like a tribe of our own.
After receiving the most wonderful feedback, the thought started to bubble in me about offering women-only walks. I created GingerRoutes to provide this opportunity and have never looked back!
What you can expect from me: A great welcome, fun, lots of support and and warmth as you explore the best mountains in the Lake District and discover what you’re capable of.
So get ready and come out with me for an exciting day and get ready to push a few boundaries! Rest easy knowing you’re in safe hands at all times:
-
Qualified Mountain Leader
-
Advanced Outdoor First aid trained
-
Public liability insurance
-
Safety and risk assessments
-
GDPR compliant
Book now for a warm, friendly welcome and a well-planned outing.
