The Outdoor Connection 2025

30 Apr

From the 25th to the 27th April, we gathered at YHA Castleton for The Outdoor Connection 2025. An amazing weekend, bringing together the experts and community leaders who are shaping the future of an inclusive, accessible and representative UK outdoors.

With community leaders facilitating sessions and sharing their expertise, we ran six workshop sessions, three networking activities, five activities and additional one-to-one sessions across the weekend.

We have a range of resources, insights, celebrations, reflections and stories to share from the event - look out for them over the coming weeks! But for now, we just want to say a huge thank you to all of the attendees and facilitators for bringing your energy, openness, knowledge and curiosity. Thank you also to the fantastic team at YHA Castleton for looking after us over the weekend and to all those who supported the event and made it happen!

The Outdoor Connection is run in partnership between All The Elements and YHA Outdoor Citizens. This years event was supported by Sport England, Cotswold Outdoor, Pilgrim Trust, Natural England, Komoot, Landscape Wales, and Campaign for National Parks.

The Outdoor Connection 2025 in Photos

Sometimes photos say it better than words ever could. Here’s a snapshot of the event in pictures captured by photographer Veronica Melkonian.

A chatty laughing table of people including a woman and two white men look towards a large piece of paper.

Two people sit together in conversation they are small in the frame with the large stone YHA buildings behind them and sheep and lambs in the field nearby. It looks quiet and reflective

A black woman with a hijab and a white presenting woman stand together with woven willow hoops - one laughs at the other as she tries it on as a crown

A person with two woven willow hoops in front of their face

A black woman and  a woman from mixed Mexican ancestry, with white skin and greying dark hair sit together on a wooden table they are both smiling at something out of shot.

A group of roughly 60 incredible outdoor leaders from a range of genders, ethnicities, body types, ages and backgrounds stand together with their arms outstretched and huge grins on their faces!

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Two people leaving the event suitcases in hand. They walk down a road lined with trees and green with rich grass.

A white man with grey hair and a brown woman with brown hair sit together both pointing at a map

Three muslim women in Hijabs take a selfie!

What is The Outdoor Connection?

The Outdoor Connection is a face-to-face event bringing together community groups and organisations, system partners and brands who are working to support access to nature and the outdoors.

Find out more