Hikerdelic Heroes - #002 - Gwen Moffat

Ever heard of Gwen Moffat? If yes, congrats. You already know about one of the most unique figures in British outdoor. If the answer us no, let us explain.

Long before the nomadic #vanlife crowd ganged up and made us all envious of their freedom and flexibile lifestyle, Gwen Moffat kicked against convention.

Born in 1924, Gwen's generation were expected to conform to gender stereotypes, staying at home and taking pride in keeping house. She chose to make her mark as a climber, writer, wanderer, and teacher. Her life was bohemian in the truest sense: sparse, mobile, deeply connected to nature and weather and guided by those wholesome chance encounters that seem to punctuate life in the outdoors.



She often lived without a permanent home, carrying what she needed, trusting her own resilience and the generosity of the world. Long before the phrase “off-grid” was coined, Gwen was already living a version of radical simplicity rooted in self-reliance and faith that the world would reward her endeavour.

While she achieved a lot, it was never about being a pioneer for performative reasons or vanity. It was just a case of enjoying the lifestyle so much she naturally became an authority at a time when the outdoors was dominated by men. Indeed, she became the first female British Mountain Guide in 1953 and was known to often climb barefoot.

Gwen earned a living from her skills in the hills but also from writing. Her honesty and warmth, documenting her adventures without bravado led her to becoming an acclaimed author, publishing an autobiography in 1961, before embarking on a career writing crime fiction, loosely based on her own experiences.

As if to serve as a lesson for a life well-lived, Gwen Moffat will celebrate her 102nd birthday this summer and for that reason we'll give her the final word, taken from BMC's Summit magazine.

"Longevity isn’t how many years you’ve lived, it’s how you’ve spent them. In youth the fun is enhanced by danger; in old age by serenity."