Zoe Langley-Wathen is a writer, speaker, and adventure seeker who has spent over a decade inspiring others to embrace the outdoors. From solo-walking the South West Coast Path in 2011 to becoming the first woman to walk the Wales Coast Path in 2012, Zoe has continually pushed her boundaries—while navigating the realities of midlife, imposter syndrome, and solo adventures.
In this episode of the Tough Girl Podcast, Zoe shares the journey behind her latest book, 630 Miles Braver: Mid-lifing on the South West Coast Path, which chronicles her transformative experience walking the iconic trail. She opens up about the challenges of writing, the joy of creative expression, and why she’s passionate about encouraging midlife women to step outside their comfort zones.
We also dive into her upcoming coastline walk of mainland Great Britain, the logistics of planning such a mammoth adventure, and her mission to prove that adventure has no age limit.
Tune in to hear Zoe’s incredible story, her insights on bravery, and her advice on making adventure a lifelong pursuit.
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Listen to Zoe on previous episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast
Nov 7, 2017 - Zoe Langley-Wathen - Walking Adventures include the South West Coastal Path, Wales Coast Path
Aug 29, 2019 - Zoe Langley-Wathen - Her love for long distance walking, #100mappydays & Head Right Out
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Show notes
- Writer, speaker and adventure seeker
- Walking the SWCP solo in 2011
- Becoming the first woman to walk the Wales Coast Path in 2012
- Peri-menopause!
- From living in a house in Dorset to living on a narrow boat
- Living in Somerset and loving life and adventures
- Knowing Zoe since 2015
- Women’s Adventure Expo in Bristol
- Speaking to Zoe in 2017 on the Tough Girl Podcast
- Starting her own podcast in 2021- Headrighout
- Speaking to midlife women who are pushing their comfort zone in the outdoors
- Wanting to promote adventure for midlife women
- What happened in 2020 and 2021
- The covid years….
- Glamping in an empty house for 4 months
- The Yes Tribe
- Saying yes to the book!
- Being inspired by The Salt Path
- 5,000 word chapter..
- Seeing her words and drawings in print
- Being a creative person and loving the creative process
- The biggest book of YES!
- Her writing journey and putting her story down on paper
- Book: 630 Miles Braver - midlifing on the South West Coast Path
- Writing every morning
- Connecting with the London writers salon
- Discussing the book with Mike and reliving the memories
- Book get published on the 15th April
- 25th April 2025 - The Salt Path movie goes live in the UK
- Walking from her home in Somerset to Cornwall
- Saltlines Performance
- Going walking solo again in 2024 (after 10 years)
- Re routing over Dartmoor, crossing flooded rivers and challenging walking!
- Making new friends and being invited to a wedding!
- The next adventure…..
- Wanting to walk the coast of mainland Great Britain
- 1st October 2025…..
- The route and the plan
- Walking anticlockwise from Poole Harbour to Brighton to London
- The rules…
- Daily distances… going for lower millage days
- Costs and estimated budget needed for the 2 of them over the 2 years 4 months
- Renting the house out and paying for the challenge
- The challenge of Scotland
- King Charles 3rd Coastal Path
- Snow or midgets - what’s the best time of year to be in Scotland
- The right to roam in Scotland
- John O’Groats Trail
- The inlets in Western Scotland…
- Figuring it out when you get there
- Don’t let the fear of the unknown stop you from enjoying the adventure
- Raising funds for Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance
- Raising awareness about the positive benefits of adventure for any age
- Working as an Ambassador for Adventure Mind
- Registering for a Guinness World Record
- How to connect with Zoe & Mike while they are on their adventures
- Final words of wisdom and advice
- Bravery and taking on new challenges
- The power of discovering that adventure has no age limit
- Finding ways to step outside your comfort zone
- Reading and listening to other people doing similar things
- The power of writing things down
- What do you want to do and how do you feel about it
- Keep a diary and a record of what you’ve done
- Reflect back on the journey, what would you do again, what would you do differently?
Social Media
Website www.headrightout.com
Instagram @headrightout
Facebook @headrightout
Head Right Out Podcast
Book: 630 Miles Braver: Midlifing on the South West Coast Path
Book: Biggest Book of Yes: 49 Short Adventure Stories (The Big Book of Yes 3)