Rhiane Fatinikun

Founder of Black Girls Hike UK C.I.C

In 2019, while taking a train journey through the Peak District, Rhiane decided to start hiking and set up Black Girls Hike. There are now three groups, hosting group hikes, outdoor activity days and training events nationwide. bhguk.com

“The only thing that I ever worry about when I’m outdoors is actually injuring myself. It’s not other people. Out in more rural areas, there’s just no-one around. The chances are so slim that it doesn’t even cross my mind that I might encounter someone that makes me feel unsafe. I mean that in terms of physical safety. You might encounter someone who makes you feel like there’s a bit of a race issue there, they might look at you funny, but it never makes me feel like I’m going to be physically unsafe.

“But I know that that’s different for everybody. Our group has been trolled on social media and people have said that makes them feel unsafe because they worry that those people might turn up to our walks.

“I just don’t feel like we should live in fear. During winter, I started doing evening hikes with my friend from Instagram with our headtorches on. Just me and her on local trails. That was a really good way to reframe how you see those long dark winter evenings and I felt even more safe then – there was nobody around.

“It makes me feel like I’m taking charge of my own life, and I’m not allowing other people to dictate how I live and how I get my enjoyment. They say you live in the prison of other people’s opinions, and I think it’s really easy to get distracted by what’s going on around you, but going out is empowering. It boosts your confidence. It makes you feel like you’re owning it and you’re knowing yourself more, you’re a lot more self-aware. You’re making that active choice to go and do it.”