Tough Girl Podcast

Natasha is a year-round wild swimmer, qualified Stand-Up Paddleboarding instructor, freelance travel writer, and outdoor adventurer with a deep love of water in all its forms. Based in Suffolk, she is also a volunteer for the Bluetits Chill Swimmers and an Ordnance Survey Champion.
Natasha's journey into the outdoors began early, swimming in the sea as a child, but like many people, her connection to sport and adventure faded during her 20s and 30s. It wasn't until her 40s that she rediscovered the water, found her community, and stepped into a completely new chapter of adventure.
In this episode, Natasha shares how she went from feeling like she wasn't "outdoorsy" to becoming immersed in wild swimming and paddle boarding, including getting involved with inclusive swimming communities, discovering cold water swimming, and building confidence in outdoor spaces. She opens up about being diagnosed as autistic in her 40s, and how understanding herself better helped her find her tribe and her confidence.
We also talk about her progression into Stand-Up Paddleboarding, from early lockdown experiments to completing endurance challenges such as the Race to the Castle, and preparing for a 162-mile coast-to-coast SUP journey across England. Natasha shares what it's really like training around work and family life, the realities of cold water swimming, and why time on the water has become so important for her wellbeing.
Alongside her adventures, Natasha is also the author of the upcoming guidebook Swimming Wild in London and South East England, featuring 100 incredible swimming spots across beaches, rivers, lakes, lidos, and hidden wild locations.
Listen to this episode to hear how Natasha found confidence through cold water and community, why it's never too late to become an adventurer, and how simple steps—like saying yes and asking for help—can open the door to a whole new way of living.
***
 New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.
 Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.
 Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x
***
Show notes
Who is Natasha
46 year old adventurer and Mum of three
Passionate year round wild swimmer, outdoor adventurer, and freelance travel writer with a deep love of all things water
Living in Suffolk 
Swimming in the sea from a young age
Moving out to a small village into the countryside, which was 5 mins from the seaside
Not being involved in sports or the outdoors in her 20s and 30s
What changed in her 40s?
Making new friends when your older
Being shy when she was younger 
Discovering she was autistic about 5 years ago 
Finding the swimming and outdoorsy community 
Feeling like she has found her tribe
Getting into paddle boarding during lockdown
Being introduced into wild swimming but not really enjoying it at first
Setting up a local group for The Bluetits 
Joining the Adventure Queens and attending a camp out 
Saying her adventure idea out loud for the first time 
Applying for the Adventure Queens Grant
Wanting to paddle board in Finland and experience the endless summer
Not having any idea on how to plan her adventure 
Working with Gee Jackson as her mentor 
Feeling overwhelmed by all the advice out there in relation to multi-way adventures 
Struggling to find advice about doing a multi-day adventure on SUP
Planning to visit 4/5 islands and how plans changed over time
Being worried about feeling lonely 
Not thinking she was an outdoorsy person 
The barriers for women to get into water sports 
Becoming an ambassador for This Girl Can, Suffolk 
Writing her first guide book about Wild Swimming - with Vertebrate Publishing 
Common misconceptions about swimming in London  
Why swimming in Canary Wharf is one of her favourite swim locations 
How it works with access rights for swimming in England 
The Outdoor Swimming Society
The do's and don'ts of getting into water 
Why you always swim with a buddy
Entering into different events
Winter Swimming World Championships 
What it feels like to swim in cold water 
Deciding what challenge to do next
Following adventurers and outdoorsy people on social media 
Doing the Race to the Castle - 25 mile paddleboarding race on the River Trent with a cut off time of 9 hours  
Winter training and fitting training into her life 
Working with an elite paddle board racer—Emily King 
Why it was about time on the water 
Using an ironing board instead of a standing desk 
The next adventure and paddle boarding coast to coast across England (162 miles over 9/10 days). Going from Liverpool to Yorkshire
Being supported by RED Equipment 
Meeting up with Jo Moseley
Fundraising for the Canal and River Trust 
How to connect with Natasha and follow along with her adventures 
Advice for other women who want to take their next step into adventure 
Just try it, and if you're unsure, ask for help
Follow people and get inspired 
 
Social Media
Website: www.natashasoneseditorial.com 
Instagram: @natashastarseeker 
Book: Swimming Wild in South East England. Over 100 of the best outdoor swimming spots in London, the Home Counties and the Isle of Wight

Sylvia Malan-Gonzalez is a Fat Positive Hiker from Portland, Oregon, on a mission to show that hiking really is for every body.
Although she enjoys being active, Sylvia didn't fall in love with hiking straight away. Getting started wasn't easy. Finding affordable gear that fit, overcoming self-doubt, and navigating the outdoors in a body that isn't often represented in the hiking world all presented their own challenges.
Instead of giving up, Sylvia set herself a simple goal: hike twice a month. One trail at a time, she built confidence, found supportive communities, discovered the gear that worked for her, and eventually climbed Mt. St. Helens—proving to herself that she was capable of far more than she ever imagined.
In this episode, Sylvia shares what it means to be a Fat Positive Hiker, why she embraces body neutrality over chasing weight loss, and how learning to trust herself has transformed both her relationship with the outdoors and with her own body.
We also talk about overcoming fear, dealing with judgement, finding hiking partners, using hiking poles, building strength in the gym, and why losing your hiking mojo doesn't mean your adventure is over.
Whether you're completely new to hiking, returning after time away, or simply looking for encouragement to take that first step, Sylvia's story is a reminder that the outdoors belongs to everyone.
***
 New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.
 Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.
 Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x
***
Show notes
Growing up and living in Portland, Oregon, USA
39 years old
English teacher
Married for 29 years
Half white and half Latina 
Growing up in a very creative environment 
Her parents running - Miracle Theatre Group! 
Getting to go to Outdoor School and spending time in nature during Middle School and High School 
Working as a Youth Counsellor 
Not liking hiking at first 
Liking being active and going for walks 
Trying to get into hiking and struggling at first
Not being able to get the gear
Setting a personal goal other hike twice a month
Figuring out what gear worked for her and her both
Using athletic gear that she used for the gym
Starting to read more about what clothes she would wear
The basic essentials you need to take with you
First aid, electrolytes 
The lack of brands for plus size people 
How the market for making clothes for bigger people is no longer there anymore
Thicket 
Wonder Outdoors 
Being a Fat Positive Hiker and what that means 
How the body positivity message has changed via influences over the years
Centering herself in body neutrality 
Not wanting to focus on weight loss
Loving yourself and losing weight are two separate entities 
Loving yourself no matter what stage you're at
Seeing health at every stage
Setting a personal hiking challenge
52 Hike Challenge 
Founded by Karla Amador
Using hiking poles and how they helped her
Finding other people to go hiking with 
Using All Trails 
Oregon Hikers 
Sharing and tracking your hikes
Building a hiking community 
Making friends through the hiking community 
Being held back by fears
Overcoming fears and the lessons learned along the way
Climbing Mt. St Helens
Being a fat person and being afraid of getting hurt
Judgement from other people
Being encouraged by her friend to climb Mt. St Helens
What is the real fear
Why it is more of a mental thing
Losing hiking mojo and how to handle that
Setting hiking goals for 2026
Leading group hikes
Getting into strength goals
Going backpacking and camping!
Sharing on Instagram 
How to connect with Sylvia 
Final words of advice
"You can do hard things and still have fun while you're doing it. Who cares what people think of you? This is your life. Don't be afraid."
 
Social Media
Instagram: @SilverMTNGoat

Helen Watson is a traveller, writer, and conservationist based in the Scottish Highlands. Born in Scotland and raised in Switzerland, she has always been drawn to adventures that are both physically and culturally challenging.
In 2009, shortly after completing her PhD, Helen and her husband Ed set off on an extraordinary bicycle journey from Scotland to China. Over the course of a year, they cycled 15,000 kilometres across Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and China, following sections of the ancient Silk Road and relying on paper maps, curiosity, and the kindness of strangers.
The journey took them through countries including Syria, Iran, and the Central Asian 'Stans', where they experienced incredible hospitality and forged meaningful connections with people from vastly different cultures and backgrounds. The trip would later inspire Helen's first book, Tea and Grit: A Bicycle Journey along the Silk Road, published in January 2026.
In this episode, Helen shares the spark behind the adventure, the logistics of planning a long-distance cycle journey, and the realities of life on the road. We discuss what it means to become comfortable with discomfort, the privileges and challenges of travelling as a woman, and how her experiences in Syria took on a new significance in the years that followed during the refugee crisis.
Helen also reflects on the importance of storytelling, why she felt compelled to write her book, and the lessons she has learned from a life shaped by travel, endurance, and human connection.
Listen to this episode to hear about cycling 15,000km along the Silk Road, the generosity of people across cultures, and why stepping just outside your comfort zone can lead to the most transformative adventures.
***
 New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.
 Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.
 Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x
***
Show notes
Being based in the Scotland Highlands
2009/2010 - cycling from Scotland to China
Being born in Scotland and moving to Switzerland at 5 years old
Going to St. Andrews for University 
Speaking; English, Swiss-German and German 
Growing up in Switzerland and spending time in the outdoors
Growing up with a lot of cultures 
Wanting to take on this adventure and where the spark came from
Being interested in long distance journeys
Being inspired by Ffyona Campbell 
Walking some long trails in New Zealand 
Meeting her husband Ed at University 
Wanting to do a longer trip after marriage 
Heading off after she fished her PhD
Studying genetics of the red deer in Scotland 
Applying the lessons learned from studying for her PhD to planning the cycle ride
Learning endurance from her PhD
The logistics of getting visa's
Not wanting to set a specific route in advance 
Using paper maps and making route decisions as they went 
Making some radical route decisions and deciding to go to Syria 
Why it was one of the best decisions she's made (apart from marrying Ed!)
The route - Scotland - Newcastle - Holland - Germany - France - Switzerland, Austria, Hungry, Serbia, Croatia, Albania, Greece, Syria, Turkey, Iran, the Stans…to China 
Spending 2 months cycling around China
The reality of what it was like being on the road
Loving the experience most of the time!
Meeting different people and experiencing hospitality in different countries
Getting to the deeper levels of connection with people 
Becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable in awkward social situations 
The privilege of being a woman while travelling with her male partner 
Getting to experience the best of both worlds
What being a feminist means 
The amazing women who are fighting against oppression around the world 
Gender roles while travelling as a couple
Having a love for writing 
Keeping a journal to document the journey 
Feeling depressed with what happened in Syria
Doing volunteer work related to refugees 
Wanting to tell the story of the people she met
The Arab Spring and the refugee crises 
Community Refugee Sponsorship
The book being released in January 2026 - Tea and Grit: A Bicycle Journey along the Silk Road
The point she wanted to make with the book
Wanting to go on the same trip again 
How to connect with Helen 
Final words of advice and wisdom for other women who want to take on an adventure or challenge 
Start with something that is a little bit outside your comfort zone and build up 
Break it down  
 
Social Media
Website: www.helenwatsonwriting.com 
Instagram: @helenwatsonwriter 
The Book: Tea and Grit: A Bicycle Journey along the Silk Road

Gaby Dijkstra is an outdoor enthusiast, solo traveller, and researcher with a passion for remote mountain environments. Whether climbing, skiing, or paragliding, she feels most at home in the mountains and has travelled to all seven continents, breaking barriers as a solo female adventurer.
After years of working in education and girl empowerment projects, Gaby became increasingly curious about the construct of gender and how societal expectations shape our behaviours, opportunities, and experiences. This curiosity ultimately led her to pursue a PhD at Rotterdam School of Management, designing her own research project to investigate the role of gender in extreme environments.
In 2024, Gaby spent 191 days in the Himalayas, including 132 days living on the mountains, conducting fieldwork during a full climbing season in Nepal. Her research explored the role of gender in the extreme mountaineering industry, particularly among the people who work and operate in these challenging environments.
Along the way, she joined a commercial expedition to climb Ama Dablam, visited the Khumbu Icefall and the Manaslu region, and was invited to take part in an exclusive winter expedition to Annapurna I. Through interviews, observations, and lived experience, Gaby gathered what she describes as "a mountain of data" on how gender norms continue to shape the culture of mountaineering.
In this episode, Gaby shares what she learned from her time in the Himalayas, why the traditional heroic narrative of mountaineering can be harmful to both men and women, and how understanding gender as a social construct can help us rethink leadership, decision-making, and belonging in extreme environments.
Listen to this episode to learn about conducting a PhD in one of the world's most challenging landscapes, the hidden gender dynamics within the mountaineering industry, and why talking to other women and pursuing your curiosities can open doors to entirely new adventures.
***
 New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.
 Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.
 Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x
***
Show notes
Living in Amsterdam, Netherlands
37, freelancer and researcher 
Having a background in sports management 
Using sports to help society tackle challenges
PhD at Rotterdam School of Management 
Designing her own study project - the role of gender in extreme environments 
Gender as a social construct 
How social constructs can limit us in who we are and how we behave
What is appropriate behaviour for societies gender expectations 
Study something that is interesting for you
Looking at gender and not understanding the construct 
Loving all types of outdoor sports. 
Being most happy when in the mountains 
Where are all the women - always being surrounded by men
Starting to work in leadership project. Girl empowerment projects.
Introducing girls to sports 
Getting frustrated and wanting to learn more about the construct of gender 
Wanting to know how this plays out in extreme environments 
If there are no obstacles - where would you like to go for your PhD?
Wanting to go back to the Himalayas 
191 days in the field, spending 132 days on a mountain
Conducting fieldwork in the mountains of Nepal for a full climbing season 
Looking at the role of gender in the climbing industry - especially for people working in the mountains
Studying only from the Nepal side
Taking part in a commercial climbing expedition - climbing Ama Dablam (6,812 metres (22,349 ft))
Doing a participant observation study - What it means to be a client in the industry 
Being invited to join an exclusive winter expedition - visiting Annapurna I
Visiting the Manaslu Region
Vistiting Mt. Everest and the Khumbu icefalls 
Speaking with women climbing and working 
The lessons and learning from the research - having "a mountain of data!"
Her PnD based on three articles 
The first article based on doing a discourse analysis based on 100 years of expedition reports - looking at gender norms and how they can be identified 
The 2nd and 3rd articles based on her experience 
Looking at the theory of sense making, decision making 
Not looking at the different between men and women
The heroic sense of mountaineering  - the summit above all else….
The traditional norms and how it can harm both men and women
Women being extra tough on other women
How to connect with Gaby to find out more about her work 
Wanting to be outside rather than on social media
Words of advice for other women who want to purse their interests 
Talk to other women 
 
Social Media
Website: www.sportsleadership.nl 
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/gabydijkstra

Holly Budge is a global keynote speaker on risk, innovation, and human potential, operating at the intersection of conservation, science, and bold ideas. As an Everest summiteer and the first woman to skydive Everest, she now focuses less on surviving extremes and more on solving the complex conservation challenges shaping our future. 
As founder of international NGO How Many Elephants and World Female Ranger Week, Holly explores how nature, technology, and innovation can work together to design smarter systems, from using bees as bio-engineers to reduce human-elephant conflict in Africa, to empowering women as front-line wildlife rangers. Her work has reached over 500 million people globally, been featured in Forbes, and praised by Sir David Attenborough.
In this episode, Holly shares powerful insights from her journey between extreme adventure and global conservation work, including how her definition of risk and purpose has evolved over time.
We dive into the real-world impact of wildlife conservation projects, from elephant corridors and bee-based deterrents to the rise of female ranger teams protecting some of the world's most vulnerable ecosystems.
Listen to this episode to hear how adventure can become a force for global change, why women are reshaping the future of conservation, and what it takes to turn bold ideas into real-world impact at scale.
***
 New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.
 Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.
 Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x
***
Show notes
Who is Holly
Being an adventurer and passionate conservationist 
Founder of How Many Elephants, Wildlife Positive Travel and World Female Ranger Week
First speaking to Holly March 26th 2019 on the Tough Girl Podcast  
Recap on what was discussed on that episode 
Deciding to move to New Zealand in 2019
Training for the Coast to Coast Race 
Learning how to kayak especially for this race 
Getting over her fear of fast moving water
Doing a training course and getting to a Grade 2 whitewater certification
Doing the challenge solo and being supported by her mum at the checkpoints
Working on her charity - How Many Elephants 
How have things changed for the elephants over the years 
How poaching numbers have come down 
Human elephant conflict and how it has increased over the years
Partnering with an NGO in Tanzania 
Elephants being scared off bees and creating elephant corridors 
Dr Lucy King 
Why it works differently in Asia 
How her definition of adventure has changed over the years
Heading out with armed rangers
Creating world female ranger week in 2021 and how it's gotten bigger and bigger every year
Reaching over 500 million people!!
The importance of women in these roles
Why it matters that women are involved 
The Black Mambas - the all female anti -poaching team 
Women are proving to be way less corruptible than men
June 23rd - 30th - world female ranger week - same week - every year
How it has evolved to - Women in conservative 
Amanda Dungeon - Ambassador - world female ranger week
Listen to Amanda on the Tough Girl Podcast
The goal of getting the untold stories out there
Connecting donors and their money to the right projects 
Conservation without funding is just conversation 
Needing to be able to track and measure the money and the impact
Making her money via speaking events at corporates and conferences 
Looking at sustainable tourism - with Wildlife Positive Travel 
Why every year is different
Moving into a camper van and planning to drive to New Zealand
How does it work with her husband?
Training for the Montane Arctic Spine Race (290 miles) 
Cold weather experience and training 
Training with Chat GBP
How to connect with Holly on social media
Putting herself into more uncomfortable situations
Final words of advice and wisdom for other women who want to get outside their comfort zone
Think Tall - Start Small
Get prepared 
Win or Learn
Smile through the pain
A positive mindset is a resilient mindset
 
Social Media
Holly Budge
Website: www.hollybudge.com
Instagram: @hollybudge
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/hollybudge

Wildlife Positive Travel
Website: www.wildlifepositivetravel.com
Instagram: @wildlifepositivetravel
How Many Elephants
Website: howmanyelephants.org
Instagram: @howmanyelephants
World Female Ranger Week
Website: www.worldfemalerangerweek.org
Instagram: @worldfemalerangerweek