Call for women to be good sports during outdoor activity week

The annual HER Outdoors Week aims to get more women involved in all types of sporting activities and adventure

'We know that women want to be active, and HER Outdoors Week provides a great supportive environment for them to take that leap.'

Kayaking, Canadian canoeing, yoga, activator poles, mountain walking, open water swimming, surfing. These are just some of the sports women and girls are going to be able to trial during HER Outdoors Week, which runs from August 10 to 16.

HER Outdoors Week is an initiative created by Sport Ireland to celebrate and encourage women and girls to be active outdoors. Now in its sixth year, HER Outdoors will see local sports partnerships and outdoor national governing bodies offering opportunities for females of all abilities to experience adventure.

“We know that women want to be active, and HER Outdoors Week provides a great supportive environment for them to take that leap,” says Ciara Lucey, women in sport manager at Sport Ireland.

“There is so much on our doorstep but a lot of women can be unsure how or where to start; HER Outdoors provides that institutional support and the teaser events are a great way to dip a toe into a new sport or activity.”

Most of the events during the week are free, while others may have a nominal charge. The aim of the initiative is to make participation as accessible as possible for women and girls across all ages and abilities.

Participants prepare to take part in a rowing event at a previous HER Outdoors week.

Last year, more than 15,000 women got involved in HER Outdoors, and this year looks set to be even bigger, says Lucey.

“There are hundreds and hundreds of events taking place across the country this year. We’ve seen such a huge level of growth over the years. This is a big anchor week for women to get introduced to a sport, to get introduced to the outdoors, and we know from feedback that women are getting involved in sporting programmes on the back of this initiative, which is exactly what we’d hoped to achieve.”

Sport Ireland initiatives like HER Outdoors and Her Moves, together with the Women in Sport programme, appear to be reaping dividends. According to Sport Ireland’s Irish Sports Monitor 2025, women’s participation in sport in 2025 was at 46% compared to 50% of men, and up from 38% in 2021. 

Personal exercise, swimming, running, cycling, and lifting weights are the top five activities across both genders.

A highlight of the Cork HER Outdoors Week is Inchydoney BeachFest 2026. Organised by Cork Sports Partnership, it will take place on August 15. The free event will feature sports like surfing, beach volleyball, orienteering, beach tag rugby, lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, and beach cricket.

Elsewhere, a traditional currach rowing event will take place at the Shandon Boat Club in Cork City on August 15, and Ballyhass will be the scene for a wakeboarding event on August 16. On land, there will be a guided hill walk in Bantry on August 15 and an orienteering event in Ballincollig Regional Park on August 16.

There’s been a concerted effort this year to adapt the programme to appeal to teenage girls, says Lucey.

“We’re acutely aware of the drop-off rate of teenage girls in sport when it comes to those early adolescent years. There are two key drivers in that drop-off — the transition to secondary school and exam years. 

But what we also know from teenage girls is they want new offerings. They might not all want to be involved in competitive sports; some are looking for social or wellness activities.

That’s why in this year’s HER Outdoors Week there will be a real impetus to encourage girls to take part through new offerings like surfing, yoga, and woodland activities.

A mountain biking event at a previous  HER Outdoors week.

In Tipperary, the local sports partnership has organised teenage stand-up paddleboarding sessions to tap into the rise in popularity of this relatively new sport. It will also host rowing, mountain biking and dragon boating tasters, as well as a horse-riding event.

In Clare, the sea will be the setting for several events, including beach cricket, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, surfing, and a three-day water sports programme designed for teenage girls new to water sports.

“We really want to ensure this is an enjoyable and fun week and a time for women and girls to experience the freedom of the outdoors. There’s so much happening within our communities right across the country, so this is really just about spotlighting the fact that these opportunities exist,” says Lucey.

Exercising outdoors offers physical benefits, including lowering blood pressure, and the risks of coronary heart disease and stroke.

But the mental health benefits —– such as social connection, a sense of freedom, and confidence — are equally as important, according to Lucey.

“Being in the outdoors and taking part in outdoor activities offers mental and physical health benefits. It provides women with a sense of freedom, and the chance to build friendships and community,” she says.

“By creating supportive, women-only spaces, Her Outdoors Week aims to help women feel empowered in nature and more confident getting active.”

• Find out more about HER Outdoors Week on the Sport Ireland website, sportireland.ie/heroutdoors