Cotswolds Hiking and Navigation Weekend
Wild Camping and Hiking Adventure
Please note: This trip will not be available in 2025, but stay tuned for future adventures!
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Please note: This trip will not be available in 2025, but stay tuned for future adventures! 〰️
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Hiking Adventure
Guided walking weekend to build skills and confidence in the outdoors and navigation
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Learn to Navigate!
Navigating without using technology is a great way to boost confidence outdoors!
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Camping
Challenge yourself with your first overnight expedition!
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Escape the City
Reconnect with nature and explore a beautiful countryside location
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Meet New Friends
Meet like-minded women! Over 95% of our guests join our trips solo.
Join Gusty Girls on our women-only, UK Hiking weekend in the beautiful Gloucestershire Cotswolds! A walking weekend adventure in this picturesque, unspoilt area of England where we’ll hike and wild camp in secret locations while learning navigation skills in the stunning Cotswolds countryside.
You’ll be in expert hands on our Cotswolds weekends which are led by former Royal Marine Commando, Expedition Leader and photographer Ian Finch who will guide us through how to navigate the land sans technology. Ian knows this part of the countryside inside out, including the most gorgeous, hidden spots to unwind and wild camp in at the end of the day!
This is an immersive two-day adventure that will help you to really connect with nature as we explore and camp in secluded landscapes, learning about natural navigation, map reading, weather patterns and camp craft as we go.
We provide all most of the gear you’ll need for this adventure, it’s a great opportunity to get away from the city this summer and boost your confidence in the outdoors while making meaningful new friendships with women just like you!
Activities
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The Adventure
Our Cotswolds Hiking, Navigation & Wild Camping Weekend is beginner friendly, however you will need to have previous day hiking experience. You don’t need to have any experience of navigation or wild camping as Ian will guide us every step of the way, and you’ll leave the weekend with brand new skills that you can put into practice on your own adventures!
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Navigate
Learning to navigate without the use of technology is a great way to boost your confidence and feel more independent in the outdoors. We’ll be using a natural navigation technique called hand railing over our weekend hike, which involves using line features like paths, streams and fences to find safe routes to our destinations.
Ian will also talk to us about map reading, planning solo and joint trips, reading the landscape, weather patterns and camp craft. These are timeless skills that will benefit every hiker, from amateur to expert, and you can try them out for yourself on future walks
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Camping
ll be wild camping on the Saturday night, pitching our tents on an enchanting hidden hillside! We’ll eat, chat and relax under the stars before resting up for our second day of hiking.
You’ll be provided with tents and backpacks but you will need to bring your own sleeping bag and mat for this adventure.
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Community
Gutsy Girls is an incredibly friendly, inclusive and supportive community of like-minded women. We’re all about encouraging you to reconnect with nature - and yourself in the process - by nurturing confidence and self-growth in the outdoors at your pace, whatever your ability or background.
Most of our guests join Gutsy Girls’ adventures solo, and they leave with new, meaningful friendships!
The Adventure
Our Cotswolds Hiking, Navigation & Wild Camping Weekend is beginner friendly, however you will need to have previous day hiking experience. You don’t need to have any experience of navigation or wild camping as Ian will guide us every step of the way, and you’ll leave the weekend with brand new skills that you can put into practice on your own adventures!
Navigation
Learning to navigate without the use of technology is a great way to boost your confidence and feel more independent in the outdoors. We’ll be using a natural navigation technique called hand railing over our weekend hike, which involves using line features like paths, streams and fences to find safe routes to our destinations.
Ian will also talk to us about map reading, planning solo and joint trips, reading the landscape, weather patterns and camp craft. These are timeless skills that will benefit every hiker, from amateur to expert, and you can try them out for yourself on future walks!
Camping
We’ll be wild camping on the Saturday night, pitching our tents on an enchanting hidden hillside! We’ll eat, chat and relax under the stars before resting up for our second day of hiking.
You’ll be provided with tents and backpacks but you will need to bring your own sleeping bag and mat for this adventure.
Location
The Gloucestershire Cotswolds is a gorgeous slice of quintessentially English countryside! This stunning landscape offers rolling green hills and valleys, ancient woodlands, wildflower meadows, winding streams, picturesque farmland and honey-coloured stone cottages.
We can’t wait to navigate our way through this beautiful part of the UK, taking in incredible views and a lungful of fresh, country air!
Community
Gutsy Girls is an incredibly friendly, inclusive and supportive community of like-minded women. We’re all about encouraging you to reconnect with nature - and yourself in the process - by nurturing confidence and self-growth in the outdoors at your pace, whatever your ability or background.
Most of our guests join Gutsy Girls’ adventures solo, and they leave with new, meaningful friendships!
What to Expect
This trip is rated moderate. A good to high level of fitness is required to fully enjoy the experience.
Experience: You must have some previous hiking experience and be comfortable with the distances. No need for overnight trip experience.
Duration: Expect to hike for 6-7 hours daily, with breaks included.
Distance: Each day involves a 15km hike.
Terrain: Be prepared for hills, you should feel comfortable with both ascents and descents, especially when carrying a backpack.
Backpack: You’ll be carrying approximately 15kg on your back throughout the hikes.
Consecutive Days: The hike spans over 2 consecutive days, which can be demanding.
Camping: You’ll spend one night camping under the stars, without access to bathrooms.
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You are responsible for making your way to and from our meeting point.
Meeting Point:
Uley, Dursley - Outside Old Crown Inn
Uley GL11 5SN
Meeting Time:
12 noon on day one
End Time:
Returning to Uley 2pm on day two
Public Transport:
The closest train station to the start point is Cam & Dursley.
From here it is a 10 to 15 minute taxi to the start point, for around £15. Contact Cam & Dursley Taxis on 07577753530 to book. Other taxi companies are available in the vicinity as well.
You may be able to split this cost with other guests, arranged via your WhatsApp group.
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The closest train station to the start point is Cam & Dursley.
From here it is a 10 to 15 minute taxi to the start point, for around £15. Contact Cam & Dursley Taxis on 07577753530 to book. Other taxi companies are available in the vicinity as well.
You may be able to split this cost with other guests, arranged via your WhatsApp group.
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On this hiking expedition, you will carry all your kit with you from beginning to end, so we recommend keeping your pack as light as possible.
We will provide tents (if required) and cooking stoves. We do recommend sharing a tent with another guest to lighten the load if you feel comfortable doing so. Gear you decide not to take with you on the hike can be stored in our guide’s vehicle at the start.
Personal Clothing
Good pair of waterproof walking boots / shoes (BOOTS WITH ANKLE SUPPORT PREFERABLE - you will not be allowed to hike in trainers)
Waterproof Jacket
Waterproof Trousers
Warm jumper or fleece
Insulated Jacket (down or synthetic) to wear around camp
Fast drying T Shirt / long sleeved top
Quick dry hiking trousers or hiking leggings
Thermal Top for sleeping
Thermal Bottoms for sleeping
Hiking Socks - one pair per day
Underwear (Not cotton, synthetic that is fast drying)
Warm Beanie/Hat
Gloves
Flip flops/sandals/crocs (optional for around camp)
Cap / sun hat
Sunglasses
Gear
50 - 60L Hiking backpack (optional - we can provide this)
One man tent (optional - we can provide this)
3 season down or synthetic sleeping bag (comfort Rating of 0 to 5 degrees - mandatory for your comfort)
Sleeping mat (mandatory for your safety and comfort)
Headtorch
Spork / camping cutlery
Camping mug
Walking poles (optional but highly recommended)
3 litre water carrying capacity (ie. 3 x 1 litre bottles or hydration system
Drybags - Selection of sizes or one large to fill your day pack
Spare bag (e.g. duffle,tote) to leave spare kit at vehicles not required for the trek
Small trowel
Personal Items
Packed lunch for day one
Snacks for both days. You will finish at around 2pm on day 2 after a cafe breakfast, so bring enough food to keep you going until then.
Small sun screen
Small bio soap (optional)
Small pack baby wipes (optional)
Small hand sanitizer
Any other toiletries or prescription medicines you may need
Light travel towel (fast drying)
Travel toothbrush and toothpaste
Eye mask (optional)
Ear plugs (optional)
Personal First Aid/Blister Kit: bandage, tape, plasters, blister kit, painkiller
Small trowel for wild pooping!
Loo paper - only bring what you might need (ziplock bag to carry it out)
Kula Pee Cloth (Optional)
Sanitary products - (ziplock bag to carry it out)
External Phone Charger and lead
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General sportswear will be fine, or hiking specific clothes - choose clothes without heavy seams that won’t rub and will dry quickly if it gets wet. Please do not wear denim!
Sportswear like leggings, or hiking trousers / shorts and wicking t-shirts. Layers you can take on and off throughout the day - it will probably get cold in the evening so we recommend merino wool which is very good for warmth but is still thin and lightweight.
Good, supportive hiking boots or hiking shoes (no trainers).
Waterproofs.
Itinerary
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Day 1
We’ll kick off our Cotswolds Hiking, Navigation & Wild Camping Weekend from the pretty village of Uley, near Dursley, at noon on the Saturday. Our first day’s hike will take us on a beautiful route with high views of the Severn Estuary across the scenic Gloucestershire countryside. We’ll use a type of natural navigation called hand railing to find our way, using landmarks such as Norman forts and timeless Cotswolds valleys to get to our secret camp location!
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Night 1
We’ll pitch our tents in a gorgeous hidden hillside spot overlooking lush green valleys, cooking and eating our dinner on campfire stoves. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about and build your confidence around navigating the natural landscape as Ian will share his many years’ of experience and knowledge with us over the evening.
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Day 2
We’ll begin Day 2 of our weekend adventure by heading down into the pretty market town of Dursley for a café breakfast and hot drinks before trekking upwards to forested hilltops, following a long loop through undulating woodland trails. We’ll take in majestic forested tree lines and make our way through dense thickets before crossing sweeping lowland fields, returning to Uley for an approximate 2pm finish to our adventure.
Dates
Please note: This trip will not be available in 2025, but stay tuned for future adventures!
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Absolutely! This trip is created for beginners, you just need to be happy walking longer distances (18 miles over the two days) on hilly and rough terrain and have a good base level of fitness.
There will be plenty to learn, with discussions on subjects like natural navigation, reading & understanding a map and its signs, planning solo/joint trips, weather patterns, camp craft and how to read the landscape.
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Yes!
If you’ve got previous experience this route will still be great fun; you’ll be hiking for two consecutive days covering reasonable distances, and there will be plenty to learn about the wild camping side of things with discussions on subjects like natural navigation, reading & understanding a map and its signs, planning solo/joint trips, weather patterns, camp craft and how to read the landscape.
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This trip is rated moderate. A good to high level of fitness is required to fully enjoy the experience.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Required Experience: You must have previous hiking experience and be comfortable with the distances. No need for overnight trip experience.
Duration: Expect to hike for 6-7 hours daily, with breaks included.
Distance: Each day involves a 15km hike. Be prepared for hills, you should feel comfortable with both ascents and descents, especially when carrying a backpack.
Backpack: You’ll be carrying approximately 15kg on your back throughout the hikes.
Consecutive Days: The hike spans over 2 consecutive days, which can be demanding.
Camping: You’ll spend one night camping under the stars, without access to bathrooms.
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Yes you do.
This is a self-sufficient adventure, so you’ll be carrying everything you need for one night and two days of hiking on your back! Packing light is key.
We expect your pack to weigh about 15kg, so you need to be comfortable carrying this on two 9 mile, hilly walks on consecutive days.
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Packing light is key, but even then we expect your pack to weigh about 15kg, so you need to be comfortable carrying this on two 9 mile, hilly walks on consecutive days.
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All Gutsy Girls events are for over 18s only.
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There is no upper age limit for our adventures - we have women up to 76 years old join us.
The Gutsy Girls community is filled with fun, friendly and supportive women from 18-70+. We never ask your age, just that you are up for an adventure!
As a rough guide, most Gutsy Girls guests are 24-60 years old, with around 60% in their 30s-40s.
After a day learning to surf, hiking to peaks for incredible views or exploring remote locations by paddleboard, age becomes irrelevant and we are all connected by our experience.
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Absolutely! Over 90% of our guests come on our adventure alone, you'll leave with plenty of new friends!
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Please check your spam folders before contacting us. Hotmail in particular like to put our emails in spam. You'll need to add events@gutsygirls.co.uk to your safe list or to your contacts.
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We recommend all guests have appropriate travel insurance that protects them for cancellation. For UK based trips this might be a different policy than your usual travel insurance. We can't advise on insurance, but you'll find lots of information here.
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Whenever possible we use female instructors and guides on our day events and trips, however we cannot always guarantee this, simply because there are fewer female instructors available!
Our first priority is to work with the most highly experienced and considerate instructors and guides, who are patient, friendly and as passionate as we are about building women’s confidence in the outdoors. Simply due to the ratio of men to women in the outdoors industry, sometimes this means our guides and instructors are male. We keep a close eye on the feedback our guides receive from our guests as we believe that overall this is more important than their gender.
We sincerely hope that as more women are introduced to adventure sports and activities, the amount of female guides and instructors in our industry will increase.
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General sportswear will be fine, or hiking specific clothes - choose clothes without heavy seams that won’t rub and will dry quickly if it gets wet. Please do not wear denim!
Sportswear like leggings, or hiking trousers / shorts and wicking t-shirts. Layers you can take on and off throughout the day - it will probably get cold in the evening so we recommend merino wool which is very good for warmth but is still thin and lightweight.
Good, supportive hiking boots or hiking shoes (no trainers).
Waterproofs.
-
On this hiking expedition, you will carry all your kit with you from beginning to end, so we recommend keeping your pack as light as possible.
We will provide tents (if required) and cooking stoves. We do recommend sharing a tent with another guest to lighten the load if you feel comfortable doing so. Gear you decide not to take with you on the hike can be stored in our guide’s vehicle at the start.
Personal Clothing
Good pair of waterproof walking boots / shoes (BOOTS WITH ANKLE SUPPORT PREFERABLE - you will not be allowed to hike in trainers)
Waterproof Jacket
Waterproof Trousers
Warm jumper or fleece
Insulated Jacket (down or synthetic) to wear around camp
Fast drying T Shirt / long sleeved top
Quick dry hiking trousers or hiking leggings
Thermal Top for sleeping
Thermal Bottoms for sleeping
Hiking Socks - one pair per day
Underwear (Not cotton, synthetic that is fast drying)
Warm Beanie/Hat
Gloves
Flip flops/sandals/crocs (optional for around camp)
Cap / sun hat
Sunglasses
Gear
50 - 60L Hiking backpack (optional - we can provide this)
One man tent (optional - we can provide this)
3 season down or synthetic sleeping bag (comfort Rating of 0 to 5 degrees - mandatory for your comfort)
Sleeping mat (mandatory for your safety and comfort)
Headtorch
Spork / camping cutlery
Camping mug
Walking poles (optional but highly recommended)
3 litre water carrying capacity (ie. 3 x 1 litre bottles or hydration system
Drybags - Selection of sizes or one large to fill your day pack
Spare bag (e.g. duffle,tote) to leave spare kit at vehicles not required for the trek
Small trowel
Personal Items
Packed lunch for day one
Snacks for both days. You will finish at around 2pm on day 2 after a cafe breakfast, so bring enough food to keep you going until then.
Small sun screen
Small bio soap (optional)
Small pack baby wipes (optional)
Small hand sanitizer
Any other toiletries or prescription medicines you may need
Light travel towel (fast drying)
Travel toothbrush and toothpaste
Eye mask (optional)
Ear plugs (optional)
Personal First Aid/Blister Kit: bandage, tape, plasters, blister kit, painkiller
Small trowel for wild pooping!
Loo paper - only bring what you might need (ziplock bag to carry it out)
Kula Pee Cloth (Optional)
Sanitary products - (ziplock bag to carry it out)
External Phone Charger and lead
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You will need a good, sturdy and worn in pair of hiking boots or hiking shoes. If you buy a new pair for this trip, please make sure you wear them in first. There’s nothing worse than blisters appearing on the first day of a multi-day hike!
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Yes - you need to bring your own 3 season down or synthetic sleeping bag (comfort Rating of 0 to 5 degrees) that you can carry in / attached to your backpack.
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Yes - you need to bring your own camping mat or roll mat that you can carry in / attached to your backpack.
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Walking poles are optional but they can really take the pressure off your knees especially on the downhill sections and especially when you are carrying a heavy backpack, so we do recommend them. We do not supply these, so please bring your own.
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Yes, we can provide a hiking backpack for this expedition.
If you have your own, please do feel free to bring it.
We recommend a backpack of around 50- 60 litres so that you can fit your sleeping bag, tent and cooking stove in, as well as the clothing you'll need.
Going any smaller than this can cause issues fitting the tent in your pack.
You will be asked whether you want to borrow a backpack after you have booked.
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Yes, we can provide a lightweight backpacking tent for this expedition.
If you have your own, please do feel free to bring it.
You can choose whether to have your own tent or to share a two man tent with another Gutsy Girl.
Be aware that if you have your own tent you will have to carry it all, whereas you will be able to share the load if you choose to share a tent.
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Yes! You are welcome to use your own tent. It needs to be small and lightweight to fit in your backpack.
Please not we cannot offer a discount for using your own tent.
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We can provide individual tents, but if you are happy sharing a tent this will save carrying extra weight.
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Not at all!
There'll be training and guidance on preparing food, purifying water, cooking on our camping stoves and pitching tents and camp craft from our highly qualified guide.
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We don’t have access to electricity for the weekend so you may wish to bring a battery pack.
These can be heavy, so consider this when purchasing one. You could always go phone-free for the weekend!
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We are able to provide backpacks, tents and camping stoves, this is included in your booking.
You need to bring your own sleeping bag and camping mat.
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Anything you don’t or can’t pack on in your backpack can be stored at the start point in our guides' vehicle at your own risk, but bring your valuables with you. You might want to bring a spare duffle bag to put this stuff in!
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You are responsible for making your way to and from our meeting point.
Meeting Point:
Uley, Dursley - Outside Old Crown Inn
Uley GL11 5SN
Meeting Time:
12 noon on day one
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We will be back in Uley, outside the Old Crown Inn, at around 2pm on day two.
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The closest train station to the start point is Cam & Dursley.
From here it is a 10 to 15 minute taxi to the start point, for around £15. Contact Cam & Dursley Taxis on 07577753530 to book. Other taxi companies are available in the vicinity as well.
You may be able to split this cost with other guests, arranged via your WhatsApp group.
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You should find roadside parking in Uley without difficulty.
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We will be in a wild location, with no access to bathroom facilities. We ask you to bring a lightweight trowel so that you can dig a hole for wild pooping if necessary! Have a search for "How to Poop in the Woods" on YouTube - there's a great video by the US outdoors store REI which explains exactly how it is done. Done properly, this is an environmentally friendly and hygienic way of expedition toileting. Loo paper can be buried and will break down quickly under the soil.
There will be toilets at the café on Sunday morning.
For those of you who will be on your period during the expedition, after many expeditions on mine, I’m happy to address any questions you may have about this! We will need to carry any waste out with us, if you do not use a menstruation cup, remember to bring extra zip lock bags for your waste.
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Your dinner and breakfast will be covered by us. Dinner will be a top quality rehydrated expedition meal. Let us know if you have any dietary requirements and of course we can cater for your needs. Breakfast on day 2 will be at a café.
You’ll need to bring along your own lunch on day one.
On day two, you will finish at around 2pm after a café breakfast, so bring enough food to keep you going until then.
Please bring plenty of high energy snacks as well. Snacks should be foods like flapjacks, cereal bars, nuts, dried fruit and so on.
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We can cater for most dietary requirements, including gluten-free, lactose-free, vegan.
If you have allergies please let us know before booking so we can check our meals and ensure we have enough time to source any different options if required.
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We don't have any running water at our camp spot, so you'll need to carry the water you'll require with you.
We recommend at least 3 litres, but you could need more dependent on the weather conditions.
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There is nowhere to fill up your water bottles at the start point, so please make sure you bring all the water you need (at least 3 litres) with you.
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We hike come rain or shine!
Whilst we hope the weather is kind to us, British weather is unpredictable. We will ride in the rain, so please pack a waterproof coat and waterproof trousers if the forecast is wet.
If the weather conditions are unsafe, we will notify you as soon as possible to re-arrange your adventure.
Make sure your travel tickets are flexible in the rare instances this happens.
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Please leave the weather watching to us!
Our guides will be monitoring the weather conditions in the lead up to your session and we will be in touch if we need to cancel. (Please also see "What if it rains"!)
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Please contact the WhatsApp group you'll have been invited to. We will try to accommodate you but we need to be fair to the group and we cannot guarantee we will be able to wait for you.
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Cancellations by You
You can cancel your day event booking with us at any time.
Your cancellation will be effective from the date that the cancellation is received in writing by email.
Cancellation Fees
If you cancel more than 30 days before your day event, we will refund you 50% of your payment.
If you cancel within 30 days of your day event, no refund will be given
How to Cancel
If you want to cancel your booking, send us an email with your name, details about the event that you booked and the date that the event is due to take place on.
We will confirm cancellation of your booking.
If you’re due a refund this will be facilitated and be in your account within 5-10 working days.
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As an alternative to trip cancellation we also offer the option of rescheduling. This can be done at any time on the condition that Gutsy Girls are able to fill your spot. There is a £20 admin fee for rescheduling if your spot is filled.
If we are not able to find a replacement to take your spot, then rescheduling will not be possible. Your payment is non-refundable, but no additional admin fee will be charged.
Just to note:
If you want to reschedule because the weather forecast for your event is looking like it will rain, it is highly unlikely that your spot will fill. We recommend joining us in the rain, bring a raincoat!
The sooner you notify Gutsy Girls that you want to reschedule the more likely it is that your spot will fill. Last minute rescheduling is not advised as we are unlikely to fill your spot at short notice.
How to Reschedule
If you would like to reschedule your booking, email us your name, details of the event that you've booked and the date that the event is due to take place.
Gutsy Girls will cancel your spot on our booking system and open the spot up for others to book. If another person books the spot, you will receive a credit voucher for the amount you paid, minus the £20 administration fee.
You can use your credit voucher to rebook onto any Gutsy Girls Day Event. The voucher is valid for 6 months from issue.
If you would like to use this towards the payment of a Gutsy Girls holiday, you'll need to get in touch via email.
Gutsy Girls will notify you if we are able to fill your spot.
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You'll see our full booking terms and conditions here