Zoe Langley-Wathen

Business: HeadRightOut

I’m Zoe, a writer, speaker and midlife adventure seeker. I am also an artist and poet, and once upon a time, I wrote the manuscript for a children’s book in rhyme about a group of adventurous toys. Little did I know how much adventure would later become part of my life! Aside from walking, since last year I have found the joy of practising yoga daily. My creative mind fills when surrounded by nature, helping me to solve problems, generate ideas and inspires me to write and create. As a secondary school teacher of eighteen years, I am a part-time supply teacher now, with more time freed to devote to HeadRightOut projects. It is my mission to encourage others, and particularly midlife women to ‘HeadRightOut’ of their comfort zone in the outdoors, to keep their mental health in tip top condition and their resilience strong. I look to stretch my own comfort zone regularly and put this into practice when I spent three years living on a narrowboat in South Wales. We only moved back on land to South Somerset in 2023. I’m still getting to know my new environment and excited that the Blackdown Hills, Quantock Hills, Exmoor and Dartmoor are all within striking distance. I am a mother, and a grandmother now too – and look forward to our grandchildren absorbing my stories of the importance of adventure in their lives as they develop.

What is your interest or experience of adventure for mental health or wellbeing? I have always enjoyed the outdoors, but it wasn't until my 40th birthday that I truly embraced adventure. After battling fears and imposter syndrome, I marked this milestone by walking the South West Coast Path solo. I understand firsthand the struggle of confronting self-imposed limitations and the anxiety of trying something new. The following year, I became the first woman to walk the Wales Coast Path. Since then, I've walked many UK long-distance trails as well as the Camino de Santiago. I’ve realised the focus of a challenge and the benefits of pushing my comfort zone are a stronger pull than just the walk. These adventures boost my confidence for months. Though I often adventure with my husband now, I am keen to maintain my independence and encourage other women, especially those in peri and post menopause, to do the same. I know how easy it is for older women to lose confidence as our hormone levels drop. In May 2024, I set off on a 120-mile walk from Somerset to Carnglaze Caverns in Cornwall, using public rights of way. This journey generated significant social media interest and tested my limits through brutal weather and river crossings on Dartmoor. The positive reception of my midlife adventure message reaffirmed my HeadRightOut mission to encourage female resilience. Through HeadRightOut, I have designed and led social media challenges like 100 Mappy Days and Move More in May, bringing followers together to support resilience-building and everyday adventure. I co-authored The Biggest Book of Yes and have delivered talks for podcasts, schools, conferences, and clubs. As an RGS Fellow, I spoke at the Royal Geographical Society’s Microlectures, and have featured in national magazines and on ITV and BBC Radio. My adventure memoir, the first of a series, will be published later this year, offering an honest, funny, and heart-warming insight into midlife adventures.

How can you help us spread the word about AdventureMind’s mission?

I host the podcast HeadRightOut – Conversations with Resilient Women, relaunching this autumn alongside my book release. It received three award nominations and was Runner-Up in the Podcasting for Business Awards 2022. In December 2021, Belinda Kirk and I discussed the importance of outdoor challenges for midlife women in one episode. Despite a hiatus, the podcast remains popular globally and often charts. Midlife and older women are often invisible in the outdoor world, which I aim to change. I advocate for ‘women of age’ using adventure as their outside medicine. My book’s ‘About the Author’ page can link to my website with more information about Adventure Mind. I have attended every Adventure Mind conference and am a dedicated advocate for its ethos. Belinda featured my 2020 blog post on Explorers Connect, and my 2023 conference blog post led directly to the establishment of WildStrong Black Mountains in South Wales. While I use other platforms, my robust online presence includes mostly Instagram and Facebook. I manage a private Facebook group, the HeadRightOut Hub, for women to support and encourage each other. I am preparing to launch an email newsletter, ‘HeadRightOut Happenings,’ with over 100 subscribers already. As a member of the Berghaus Test Squad, I participate in gear testing and advise on clothing needs for women, especially those in peri and post-menopause. I am friendly and approachable, openly sharing my midlife outdoor experiences. At Adventure Mind conferences, I have connected with many new and returning delegates and would be comfortable extending this to future events.