(Left to right: Polly, Jumana, Angela (project lead) and Nataliia)
 

As Jumana looks across the golden landscape, she takes a breath and describes it as paradise. She's in the Cairngorms as part of her training as a Community Champion with the Ramblers, gaining the skills and confidence to lead walks for people in her community. The weather is perfect and spirits are high.

"It’s difficult to express, it’s wonderful, I think it’s paradise for me, that’s all I can say.” Jumana, Community Champion
 

Jumana, from Iraq, wants to share her love of the outdoors with others and that's why she decided to become a Community Champion. "I think we all face some difficulties in our lives, some challenges," she tells us. "It's easy to get stuck in those difficulties. But I believe that going for walks and exploring nature can have a powerful healing effect on minds and bodies."

As part of their training, this year's Community Champions – Jumana, Polly and Nataliia – spent two days walking, navigating and leading walks in the Cairngorms, the perfect place to put their skills to the test:

Turning Scotland's access rights into a reality

Scotland has incredible outdoor access rights and amazing landscapes like the Cairngorms to explore. But, for many people, a lack of confidence and experience can still be barriers to fully enjoying the outdoors. 

Through the group walks they will lead, our Community Champions will help open up the outdoors to others, creating welcoming spaces where people can connect with nature and each other. It's all part of our mission to make sure everyone has the opportunity to share in the joy of the outdoors. 

Creating a ripple effect of skills and confidence

The project primarily works with people from refugee, asylum seeker and global majority backgrounds who are already active in their communities. We equip them with everything they need to become walk leaders so they can set up walks in their communities, and create a ripple effect that inspires others to get outdoors. 

"I wanted to join this scheme so those who are interested in walking, we can walk together. By connecting them to nature, I can also help them to have some unforgettable memories.” (Polly, Community Champion)
 

Alongside building their confidence, they've also been developing practical stills – from route planning and navigation, to first aid and group management. They've already gained their Outdoor First Aid Certificate and are working towards their Lowland Leader qualification. 

An unforgettable two days in the Cairngorms

After months of hard work, the Cairngorms felt like the right place for Jumana, Nataliia and Polly to go further afield. It was a chance to not only develop their skills but to celebrate the journey they've been on and the walk leaders they've become. 

Stepping beyond familiar routes, they built new confidence, learned new skills and had an opportunity to recognise how far they had come. They were also joined by like-minded women from Wales, who have also faced their own barriers to exploring the outdoors. 

The result was an incredibly joyful and empowering weekend that left everyone feeling inspired and uplifted. It was also a moment to pause and reflect. For some, the sense of connection and time spent surrounded by the natural beauty of Scotland meant something more – especially for Nataliia, from Ukraine. 

"A lot of people, especially Ukrainians, they’re lost. They need something to help them, for a short period of time, just to forget what’s going on in their native land.” (Nataliia, Community Champion)

Now, Jumana, Polly and Nataliia are looking forward to completing their qualification in March and leading more walks in their own communities, helping more people feel confident, welcome and able to enjoy the outdoors.

They will also have the exciting opportunity to continue their journey with the Ramblers as a Community Outreach Trainee. Through these paid positions, they could continue to strengthen their walk leadership skills and open the door to opportunities in the outdoor sector, supporting a more inclusive and diverse outdoor community.