Gay Outdoor Club: Women's Section

In 1999 GOC launched an active campaign for more women members. As a result, the number of women has increased significantly, particularly in the climbing, caving and mountaineering sections. In the north, women meet every Tuesday to climb indoors or outdoors, depending on the season, and regularly go on weekend meets all over the country. In the London climbing group much the same applies, and in both, women often comprise fifty per cent of the group or more.

Recently there has been a particular upsurge of interest among women for canoeing and kayaking.

Women write:

'Recent highlights include trips to the Wye Valley and Langdale, and a holiday on Lundy Island. We camp or stay in each others' houses, turning a simple climbing event into a social occasion. We have also organised clubbing trips to Manchester, a New Year walking trip complete with role-playing murder mystery games, and weekend socials. We provided a strong contingent for the Gay Games (five of the GOC climbing participants will be women, out of a team of twelve), had our own alternative mountaineering expedition to Morocco at Easter 1998, and are open to suggestions about any other wholesome outdoor activities! We also organised the Club's trip to the Vercors area of France in August 1998 and another to the Picos de Europa in 1999.

'What the GOC needs is more women in all of its sections. In the climbing group particularly we already offer and enjoy a friendly and welcoming environment in which to participate in fun and adventurous sports. It only takes one or two women to get involved for the same to be true of all the sections. In the meantime, whatever your sport, contact us and be where the action is!'



One of our women members climbing in the Cala Gonone region on the east coast of Sardinia, May 2005.