Being outdoors as part of a community can help beat winter blues in one of the UK’s most at-risk regions
TrekHer brings together communities of women through social media and has a Discord group chat where they share their experiences of the outdoors.
Image: TrekHer
Women’s hiking groups in Cardiff and its surrounding areas could help tackle seasonal affective disorder this winter, after a recent study found South Wales to be the third most likely region in the UK to be affected by SAD.
The study, conducted by the health and wellness company YorkTest, considered factors including sunshine hours, mental health scores and the number of people reporting heightened anxiety levels. South Wales came in at third, following Scotland and North Wales.
Women are also three times more likely to be affected by SAD than men, according to the Mental Health Foundation.
TrekHer is a female-centred hiking group bringing together a community of women who share a love of the outdoors, in a space usually dominated by men. The group hosts hikes and other outdoorsy events in the Brecon Beacons and other local areas.
Natural sunlight, staying active and connecting with others are three main ways suggested by the charity AgeUK to deal with symptoms of SAD.
Co-founder of TrekHer, El Ventures, said she believes the connection to nature is one of the biggest factors that can improve mental health. “Most of the adventures are simple local hikes, or swims, or sunsets,” she said. “We hope that this encourages others to make the most of those daylight hours and appreciate the autumn colours or the cold water or any of those things that can only be appreciated in the colder seasons.”
TrekHer’s events are usually female-only and ticketed to keep numbers down, creating a safe space for like-minded individuals to make friends and explore their local environment. On 1 December, the group is hosting an open-to-all festive litter pick at Wentwood Forest, to help give back to the environment and also provide an opportunity for more people to get involved.
“We really focus on being an inclusive, accepting, welcoming group,” said El. “We all want real female friendships and an opportunity to be unashamedly girly in the outdoors.”