Turns out all I needed was a bit of a confidence boost!

As I progressed in my degree and got into instructing and leading in the outdoors, I began to understand my strengths and weaknesses. I loved taking people outside, helping them experience new places, and I realised people needed kindness, empathy, and encouragement in the outdoors. I wasn’t there to prove how great I was at climbing mountains—I was there to support their own growth.

There are many outdoor leaders like that, but the MTB world seemed to have fewer.

During my years as an instructor, I was getting more into mountain biking but mostly just riding with ultra-fit people who were very technically skilled. They never stopped for cafés, and I’d end up grumbling on every climb.

It took a breakup and a career shift for me to find my own connection with cycling.

I discovered gravel riding, bike packing, and café rides.

Instead of following and not enjoying the rides, I realised what I truly loved. I wanted to become more self-sufficient, build my skills, and learn to support others in ways I wish I’d experienced in my early days of MTB.

Scrolling online, I spotted an initiative from DMBinS: a Rider to Leader course, aimed at empowering more women to gain their Level 2 MTB Leader certification. I missed the application window but quickly emailed, hoping they’d let me join.

This was the first outdoor course I’d been on led by a woman, which was hugely inspiring. The whole weekend was filled with inspiration, confidence-building, and practical skills. My biggest takeaway was the confidence boost and the drive to just get on with it.

And I did!

The process was smooth; the training and assessment reminded me of all the leadership skills I already had—I just needed to add the MTB element!

I passed my Level 2 assessment in March 2020, excited to start guiding, but then Covid changed everything.

Oddly, Covid supercharged my cycling journey. I bought a gravel bike just before they became hard to get and started riding a lot. The following summer, I embraced bike packing and started leading gravel rides!

Covid highlighted the need for community and a collective longing for connection. I wanted to make new friends, so I started a WhatsApp group and an Instagram page—and just like that, Lakes Gravel Gang was born. LGG became not only a way to meet people but also a way to practise guiding and figure out my preferred approach to leadership.

Soon, I started feeling the limitations of my Level 2 qualification and found myself drawn to Level 3.

However, the thought of pursuing it was daunting—how technical would it be? How fit would I need to be? What if I got bogged down in the mechanics? It felt like a big investment for something so intimidating. Stories circulated about the Level 3 course, with its super technical riding and near impossible navigation.

Just when I needed it, Rider to Leader—Rank It Up came along. It offered exactly what I was looking for: a confidence boost and the practical preparation to take on Level 3.

A weekend at Glenmore Lodge, back with Emma Holgate and Christine Fox, was designed as prep for Level 3. It was just what I needed. That weekend was filled with joy, driven women, and shared learning. I came away knowing exactly what was expected in Level 3 training and assessment. We rode some fantastic trails, cheered each other on, and left with clear action plans. Mine: book the training.

It took a while to get training booked, mainly due to life getting in the way. I love MTB guiding, but I’m realistic about not wanting to do it full-time. Full-time instructing can be a lot—constant decision-making, high responsibility, and risk management. It’s not something I want every day, and that’s fine. You can feel this way and be a brilliant guide; it’s all about balance.

My balance now is a four-day-a-week desk job in the outdoor/cycling industry, which gives me the space for my own adventures and guiding on the side. I guide intro bike packing weekends with Sisters in the Wild and lead the Lakes Gravel Gang community, which lets me get creative with new ways to engage women in cycling.

I teach basic mechanics classes for women, I have supported 4 LGG volunteers to get their Fundamentals MTB leadership course, I coach and guide for the Sisters In The Wild community which is A LOT of fun and lead regular LGG rides- with lots of cafe stops, chatting at gates and cheering each other on.

Using a guiding qualification doesn’t have to mean full-time guiding—you can use it in whatever way suits you!

In March, I completed my training course. It was exactly as I expected. I left inspired, knowing Level 3 was within reach. My next step was simple: book the assessment.

September came, and I was anxious about the assessment. But deep down, I knew I was ready. I had a wealth of confidence-boosting experiences to back me up. After two days of riding in the rain, I passed.

My feedback? That I brought energy, empathy, and kindness to the world of MTB leadership—even at my most stressed.

I’m proud to join the mission to lead with kindness and empathy. I’m excited to use this qualification to get more women into mountain biking and prove you don’t need to be the “king of the Lake District” to be a Level 3 MTB guide.

So, here’s a challenge: what could you do if confidence wasn’t an issue? Who could help you overcome that challenge?

And if you’re already confident, how can you help others build theirs?