Short and Slow Walks for Women who aren’t bushwalkers - yet.

I’m Richelle Olsen, I’m the President of the Escaping Your Comfort Zone bushwalking club and the Executive Officer at Bushwalking Victoria. I want to show you how to grow your membership by reaching the women who love nature but don't yet see themselves as 'bushwalkers' because they lack the confidence to take that first step.

In the last 10 years since I started our bushwalking club, I realised that for a lot of women, specifically those aged 50+, the idea of a "Bushwalking Club" is actually pretty intimidating. They worry they aren't fit enough, don't have the right shoes, or will hold everyone back. They want to connect with nature and others, but don’t see themselves as “bushwalkers” just yet, so they simply just don't show up.

Side-by-Side Nature Walks is a program I designed to bridge that gap. It’s a "slow and short" walking stream that acts as a gentle introduction into your club, a supportive, low-pressure pathway that builds their confidence until they’re ready to join the main group. For the past 12 months, with the support of OV, COGG, SCS and Fed Gov, we have been working to get women aged 50+ into bushwalking, in a way that we can share our insights with other clubs, to help them to introduce new women to bushwalking.

The "Invitation" that changed everything

The Result? 250+ community members, 80 signups from one post, and 20 new attending walkers within 4 days. These women weren't "bushwalkers" yet. They were women in transition, newly retired, moved to a new town, or recovering from a health issue, and they were looking for "conversation and connection in nature." By giving them a space where they felt safe (and didn't have to worry about being "the slow one"), they finally took the first step.

Why Women only? And Why Slow Paced?

  • Women can experience certain barriers to walking in nature

    • low body confidence (e.g. worried about not being able to walk the distance)

    • a fear of the unknown

    • fear of judgment

    • concerns around physical safety

  • Many women report that these types of barriers stop them from joining mixed-gender groups and that they can feel more comfortable participating in women-only opportunities until their confidence grows.

  • In addition, many women are intimidated by walking opportunities advertised by Bushwalking Clubs because they do not yet see themselves as a bushwalker - they may be intimidated or unsure if they can walk that far, if they have the right gear, where to go, how to get there, the pace of the walk, and the overall feeling that others in the group will be more serious about bushwalking and get annoyed that the new person is slowing them down.

  • We have reviewed group-based walking in nature programs open to women 50+ years in Victoria and have found that there are limited women-only opportunities and limited slow-paced beginner opportunities.

Side-by-Side Nature Walks aims to engage those women who may not have been active for some time, and/or those women who may be reluctant to join a group because of these common barriers. Our program therefore suggests that Bushwalking Clubs offer targeted women-only slow-paced walks with the option for participants to join mixed gender walks within the club as they feel comfortable.

The aim is to create a pathway that supports women who would not normally join a bushwalking club. By creating these supportive pathways, the club may see an increase in overall participation.  Today’s "short and slow" walker is tomorrow’s club member. As their confidence grows, they naturally transition into your mainstream walks.  

It is important to note that THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOUR CLUB IS NOT WELCOMING. It just means that some people need a little more support when joining something new and what we know is that for women over 50+ years, being in a group with like-minded peers can make it easier to take the first step (literally!). Once they realize they can do it, their confidence grows. They start looking at your club’s 5km walks, then 10km. It’s a feeder system for your main membership!

What do participants look like?

 It is also important to understand the motivations of women to join a nature walking opportunity. What we found is that Side-by-Side Nature Walks has been good at engaging women who:

  • Have just moved to the area and are looking for an opportunity to get to know some people

  • Used to walk in a group, but then others moved away and now they have no-one to walk with

  • Are new to retirement or semi-retirement and now have more spare time

  • Are not sporty, but I do want to get back into activity

  • Recently diagnosed with a health issue and/or their doctor has recommended getting active

  • Have previously been walkers, but health and age may have forced them to slow down their usual bushwalks

How it benefits your Bushwalking Club

  • Growth: Attract a demographic that isn't currently reached by traditional “bushwalking club” marketing.

  • Retention: Keep your "vets" involved! Older members who may find your 15km walks too strenuous can become "Side-by-Side Leaders," sharing their knowledge at a gentler pace, keeping them connected as they get older

  • Sustainability: New members mean new energy, new volunteers, and a healthier club bank balance.

  • Grant Success: This program aligns perfectly with government grant priorities (Active Ageing, Social Connection).

  • It’s all fully supported in the first instance with a view that you can run the program anyway you like and as often as you like, in future (low

    additional workload)

How we can work together

I’m looking to help other clubs across Australia to roll this out. I’ve already done the heavy lifting, I know the program works, and I can help you:

  1. Use the "Side by Side Field Guide": I’ll give you the exact wording, templates and tips and tricks that worked for us (it turns out "We love a sleep-in!" is a great recruitment tool). It will also help you to identify 1-2 members who love a chat and don't mind a slow pace to be your "Side-by-Side" leads.

  2. Support Your Members: This is also a great way to keep your older members involved as "slow walk" leaders or participants so they stay connected to the club for longer.

  3. Get the Funding: I can help you apply for grants if you need them to help you to get started

Want to see the "Side by Side Field Guide"?

If you think your club could benefit from a few dozen new members and some extra funding, I’d love to have a chat

Email me at richelle@escapingyourcomfortzone.com