‘Do you run in the dark?” “How do you stop chafing?” “Does menopause affect your flexibility?” “What snacks do you take on the hill?” It’s the first night of the inaugural “Hostel Hoolie” – a women’s outdoor adventure weekend in Braemer in the Cairngorms – and in a living room packed with 40 guests, the conversation is flowing thick and fast.
Outside it’s wild and windy; there have been snow-closed roads and rural diversions, but the long journeys are quickly forgotten. Most women have come alone, though you wouldn’t know it.
This weekend is a collaboration between two outdoor adventure companies: women’s trail running and hillwalking specialist Girls on Hills, and The Adventure Syndicate, a trio of epic cyclists who put on madcap events on two wheels throughout the year. Both organisations frequently partner with Hostelling Scotland, and we’re staying at the newly reopened Braemar Youth Hostel. Adding to the fun is yoga teacher Lindsay Warrack, and a hired sauna from Stravaig Saunas set up in the woods outside the hostel.
