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Two Years as a Mountain Leader: What Happened When I Gave My Dream Six Months

Writer: Janire
Janire
7 hours ago
10 min read

On 15th September 2026, I celebrated two years since qualifying as a Mountain Leader.


It also marked the final month of my six-month sabbatical from my day job as a social worker and Independent Reviewing Officer. On 1st October, I’ll be heading back to work.


Two years ago, I stood in Eryri and found out I had passed my Mountain Leader assessment.


This September, I reached another milestone: the end of six months spent discovering what could happen if I gave Ray Of Sun Adventures my full attention.


And what happened?


Quite a lot, as it turns out 🌞



From Healing Outdoors to Helping Others Heal

My relationship with the outdoors began during one of the most difficult periods of my life.


During the Covid-19 pandemic, I was experiencing extreme anxiety. I was a single mum, a frontline social worker and worried about the people I loved. Walking became the thing that kept me steady.

I started climbing the hills of Shropshire with my son and our husky, Ghost. Then I ventured further, climbed bigger mountains and eventually began working towards my Mountain Leader qualification.

The outdoors became my healing space.


Now, it has become meaningful work—and my journey has somehow come full circle.


I get to help other people experience the confidence, connection and sense of possibility that nature gave me when I needed it most.


Being a Mountain Leader is obviously about keeping people safe, navigating through difficult terrain and making sound decisions in changeable conditions. But it’s also about noticing when someone needs encouragement, helping a group come together and creating an environment where people feel safe enough to challenge themselves.


The summit matters—but what happens within someone on the way there matters far more.


The Summer of 2026

During my sabbatical, we ran two sold-out trips: our Snowdonia Women’s Walking Weekender and our four-day Anglesey Adventure and Wellness Escape.


Some guests climbed their first mountain. Others completed their first multi-day walking holiday, pushed beyond what they thought was possible or discovered that they were capable of far more than they had given themselves credit for.


Watching people shine has been the highlight of my summer.


Every one of the four weekend trips I’ve run so far has created the most wholesome, supportive and empowering little bubble. They’re genuinely difficult to leave at the end.


People arrive perhaps not knowing anyone. Then come the friendships, belly laughs, deep conversations, silly moments and unofficial group therapy sessions—although I should be very clear that none of us is actually a therapist! 😂


There’s walking, of course. Miles and miles of it, occasionally in sideways rain.


But I’m beginning to understand that the walking is the means. The group spirit, connection and feeling of belonging are what many of us are really searching for.


Our Anglesey group was even christened “The Sisterhood” by a slightly drunk oracle in the local pub. Free shots were involved, naturally. The Sisterhood group chat lives on.


That’s the magic of these trips. You don’t only return with tired legs and photos of beautiful places. You come home with people who have seen you struggle, encouraged you onwards and celebrated what you achieved.


Two years as a Mountain Leader

My First Multi-Day Trek

This year, I also led my first multi-day trek along the West Highland Way—96 miles through some of Scotland’s most beautiful landscapes.


It taught me an enormous amount, particularly about foot care! It also reminded me how powerful team spirit becomes when a group is tired, sore and still has another day of walking ahead.


On a multi-day trek, people see each other through the full range of emotions. There are highs, difficult moments, blisters, breakthroughs and usually a growing obsession with whatever food awaits at the next stop.


Leading a group through all of that was a huge step for me—and an experience that has made me even more excited to offer bigger trekking adventures through ROSA.



Ben Nevis with My Boy

One of my most special mountain days during the sabbatical wasn’t work at all.


In April, I climbed Ben Nevis with my son. We somehow managed to get a glorious, clear and sunny day with incredible views—but from around halfway up, the mountain was covered in snow.


We put on our crampons so we could continue safely to the summit, turning the day into a proper mountain adventure and one I’ll never forget.


Sharing that experience with him meant so much to me. Building this life isn’t only about creating adventures for other people. It’s also about having more freedom to share extraordinary experiences with my boy—and showing him just how big and exciting life can be.


Now, we have confirmed our first official international ROSA adventure: Everest Base Camp and the Gokyo Lakes in Nepal, delivered in partnership with Ultimate Adventure Travel.


Casual. Just a small first overseas trip, then 😂🏔️


To go from climbing Snowdon for the first time in 2020 to preparing to take the ROSA community to Nepal feels completely surreal.


The Quiet Moments Mattered Too

Not every highlight involved a huge mountain or a multi-day challenge.


Some of the most beautiful moments were much closer to home.

Our Beltane storytelling hike brought together wildflowers, cacao, a full moon and magical stories from Danielle Free. It was one of those evenings that reminded me why small, thoughtful outdoor experiences can be just as powerful as the biggest adventures.


A sunset on a Shropshire hill can stay with you every bit as much as a distant summit.


These are the events that combine everything I love: nature, local landscapes, folklore, community and a little bit of magic.


The Opportunities I Never Expected

One thing I hadn’t anticipated was the amount of freelance work and collaboration that would come my way.


Over the past six months, I’ve had opportunities to work with some enormous names in the outdoor world, including Blacks, GO Outdoors, Ordnance Survey, ACAI Outdoorwear, Danner Boots and Merrell Hiking Club.


Then there were the completely surreal moments: being filmed live by the BBC from the summit of Brown Clee Hill on the summer solstice, seeing Ray Of Sun Adventures featured in Prima magazine, and being invited to talk about my work on local radio.


Writing that list still feels slightly ridiculous.


Imposter syndrome has definitely accompanied me through some of those opportunities. There have been moments when I’ve wondered whether someone contacted the wrong person—or whether they would eventually realise that I’m just a woman from Shrewsbury who really likes walking up hills.


But I’m learning to accept that perhaps I’m being invited into these spaces because I’ve worked hard, built something meaningful and might actually deserve to be there.

Imagine that. 😏


Growing More Than a Hiking Group

During the sabbatical, ROSA has continued to grow through sold-out weekenders, day hikes, sponsored community walks and new opportunities to develop people’s outdoor skills.


I’ve also been preparing to deliver our first navigation courses, helping people learn to read maps, understand contours, take grid references and use a compass with confidence.


But the community is growing beyond the hills too.


Going forwards, I’m planning monthly ROSA socials so we can spend time together away from the trails. We’re beginning with a silver jewellery-carving workshop and our ROSA Christmas party.


They’re chances to be creative, get dressed up, have fun and properly get to know the people we may usually only speak to while climbing uphill and slightly out of breath.


The more feedback I receive, the clearer it becomes that people aren’t only joining ROSA for a route.


They’re coming for friendship, belonging, confidence, time in nature and the wellbeing that comes from feeling connected to something.


ROSA doesn’t provide therapy—but there is undoubtedly something therapeutic about walking beside someone, sharing honestly and remembering that you aren’t navigating life alone.


Eryri Mountain Leader

Creating Revive Outdoor Adventures

Perhaps the thing I’m proudest of—and most excited about for 2027—is creating Revive Outdoor Adventures CIC with Beth.


Revive brings together our lived experience, my professional background in social work and our experience as outdoor leaders. It will use outdoor adventure to help women affected by domestic abuse rebuild confidence, wellbeing and social connection.


We’ll offer safe and supportive walks, outdoor-skills courses and shared experiences, while helping to remove barriers such as the cost of equipment, transport and childcare.


This feels like one of the most important things to emerge from my sabbatical.


In spring 2027, we’ll officially launch Revive and begin working to reach women who could genuinely benefit from what we offer.


To help make those first free monthly walks possible, Beth and I are taking on the Snowdon 6 Challenge in November this year—summiting Yr Wyddfa three times in one day using all six main routes.


That’s around 25 miles and approximately 2,800 metres of ascent. In one day. Apparently we enjoy making life difficult for ourselves 😂




What Instagram Didn’t Show

There’s a quote that says:

“When your life starts to look like your vision board, pay attention.”

Somewhere during these six months, I realised I was no longer only dreaming about this life.


I was living it. But living your dream doesn’t mean every part of it feels dreamy.


The hardest thing about running ROSA full-time was never properly switching off. I imagined working during the day and then having more quality time with my family.


In reality, I often worked during the day, evening and weekend.


There were endless responsibilities to balance: being a mum, partner, daughter, friend and business owner—while attempting to make time for myself somewhere in the middle.


A huge amount of work happened behind the scenes. For every beautiful summit photo, there were days spent staring at my laptop managing bookings, marketing, emails, finances, risk assessments and logistics.


Thankfully, there was more balance than I’d had before. There were also plenty of days spent outside recceing routes and exploring new places.


Having my van made those days so much more fun and achievable. It gave me the freedom to head somewhere new, create adventures and spend more time immersed in the landscapes I love.


Financially, money has come in—but things have been tight. I’ve proved that ROSA can grow, but I also know I won’t currently earn enough through winter to make the business sustainable all year round.


That’s why I need to return to my day job.


It isn’t the end of the dream. It’s the next step towards making it possible.


Health, Heartbreak and Continuing to Show Up

Another difficult part of this period was managing my Graves’ disease.

I’ve made significant changes to my lifestyle, spent much more time outdoors, become more mindful about what I use and consume, and tried to reduce my exposure to plastics. I can’t say exactly what has made the difference, but I have now come off medication and feel so much better.


The final part of my sabbatical also brought something I didn’t expect: the abrupt end of my relationship with someone I loved deeply.

It has been incredibly painful.


Continuing to show up while emotionally devastated was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do.


The two sold-out weekenders took place shortly after the breakup. When I arrived, I wasn’t sure I could summit a mountain myself, let alone lead other people up one. Part of me wanted to curl up in bed and cry for a month.


Instead, those women filled my cup.


Their kindness, laughter, encouragement and love gave me the strength to keep moving when I wasn’t sure I had any. My friends and this wonderful community have surrounded me with hope during one of the most difficult periods of my life in recent years.


I’m used to thinking of myself as the person who supports the group. This summer reminded me that support moves in both directions.

I will be forever grateful for that.



What Two years as a Mountain Leader and a Six Month Sabbatical Taught Me

Above everything else, this sabbatical has taught me that I’m doing something right.


There has been plenty of testing, learning and adapting. Not every idea has worked perfectly, but I love being innovative, creating new experiences and finding better ways to bring people together.


My definition of success has changed too.


Of course, ROSA needs to become financially sustainable if it’s going to support my family. But success is also found in the messages from people who feel braver after a walk. It’s in the friendships that continue after a trip, the person who books their next adventure because they now believe they can do it, and the community that shows up for one another when life becomes difficult.


A few years ago, this life existed only in my imagination.


Now I lead mountain adventures, create experiences, collaborate with outdoor brands I once admired from a distance and watch people grow in confidence through something I built.


That doesn’t mean I’ve “made it.” But it does mean I should sometimes stop moving the goalposts long enough to recognise how far I’ve come.


I’m unbelievably grateful to every person who has booked, returned, recommended ROSA, shared a post, encouraged me or simply believed in what I’m trying to create.


None of this exists without you.


Returning to Social Work

On 1st October, I’ll return to my work as a social worker and Independent Reviewing Officer.


And honestly? I feel okay about it.


I’m grateful to have a worthwhile job to return to—one that pays me a good wage and allows me to make a difference in the lives of children and families.


I’m choosing to view it as a stepping stone.


ROSA will naturally slow down slightly through autumn and winter, but it absolutely won’t stop. We still have day hikes, navigation courses, moonlit adventures, storytelling events and socials ahead of us.


Then, in spring, we’ll officially launch Revive.


The challenge will be balancing work, motherhood, ROSA, Revive and some vague attempt at occasionally resting. Apparently there are still only seven days in a week, which feels poorly designed.


But these six months have given me stronger foundations, clearer ideas and far more confidence in what comes next.


The Next Mountain

My intention is to hand in my notice during 2027, provided the finances and bookings are strong enough, and commit fully to growing Ray Of Sun Adventures and Revive Outdoor Adventures.


Our Lapland adventure needs just two more bookings before it can be confirmed. I’ll be freelancing in Madeira in March. We have more UK adventures planned, including another Anglesey escape, and our first official ROSA international trip to Everest Base Camp and the Gokyo Lakes is confirmed for October.


Most importantly, Revive will begin welcoming women into experiences created to help them reconnect with nature, other people and their own strength.


That is the future I want to build.


Not simply a business that allows me to leave my day job, but a bold, sustainable and adventure-filled life for my son and I—built by creating extraordinary experiences that help other people find their courage, reclaim parts of themselves they thought they had lost and realise that their world can still be much bigger than they imagined.


Two years after qualifying as a Mountain Leader, I know this was never only about leading people up mountains.


It was about showing people what might be waiting on the other side of fear, self-doubt or a difficult chapter.


It was about building a community.


And, somewhere along the way, it became about having the courage to follow my own route too.


Here’s to year three—and to finding out just how far this dream can go. 🌞🏔️


Ray of Sun Adventures

Come and Be Part of What Happens Next

Whether you want to join your first group walk, learn a new outdoor skill, take on a multi-day adventure or become part of this growing community, I would love to welcome you.





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