TGO Reader Awards 2024: Voting open

A sociable evening on A’Mhaighdean. Credit: James Roddie

The Great Outdoors Reader Awards are the UK’s democratic celebration of the best of outdoor culture.

Twelve years ago, we launched our first annual Reader Awards. They’ve established a reputation as the UK’s biggest democratic celebration of the people, places and businesses that make our outdoor lives better. Once again, The Reader Awards are open across 15 categories including the Open Outdoors award, pub of the year, campaigner of the year, brand of the year, and many more.

What makes these Reader Awards different – and gives extra kudos to the winners – is that it’s you, the outdoorgoing public, who decide the results. Only your nominees make it onto the shortlist, and only those who win most of your votes walk away with a top accolade. In a slight change from previous years, the nominee with the most votes in each category will receive a Winner award, while the nominees with the second and third most votes will both receive a Commended accolade.

Taking in Lake District views. Credit: Jessie Leong.

From talented authors and tireless campaigners to charming campsites and cosy pubs, the shortlists in these 15 categories represent the most inspirational personalities, organisations and businesses in the outdoor world.

Ultimately, only three in each category can win, but being shortlisted is an achievement in itself, and we encourage you to take some time to find out about the nominees you may not be familiar with. Links or brief descriptions are provided for each category to help you discover more about them.

Happy voting!

Click here to vote for your Reader Awards winners and please share the link so others may have their say, too.

Bothy-bound in the Grey Corries with Ioan Andean.

Bothy-bound among the Grey Corries. Credit: Jessie Leong.

Reader Awards 2024: the shortlist

Walkers’ pub of the year

Your favourite place for a post-walk pint or quality pub grub.

Walkers’ cafe or restaurant of the year

Anywhere with sit-down dining, from chippies upwards.

Hostel or bunkhouse of the year

Casual accommodation catering for muddy boots.

Campsite of the year

Celebrate excellent locations, friendly staff and great facilities.

Walkers’ app of the year

Anything you use on your mobile device to aid your outdoor adventures.

Outdoor personality of the year

Who inspired you in 2023 and whose adventures can’t you wait to follow in 2024?

Anne Butler – newly-elected President of Mountaineering Scotland and the first woman to compleate two Full House rounds
Aneela McKenna – Chair of British Cycling’s D&I Advisory Group and founder of Mòr Diversity who works with the outdoor community toward embracing equity
Ben Fogle – award winning Broadcaster and adventurer who publicly campaigns for the protection and preservation of wildlife globally as well as raising awareness on climate change
Emma Schroeder – writer and illustrator (as well as TGO’s funniest regular columnist) who recently walked the entire coast of Britain
Elaine Ryrie – otherwise known as Fat Ass Lass Adventuring, cancer survivoe Elaine describes herself as “a plus-sized person trying to show they can still have fun in the outdoors”
Hamza Yassin – wildlife cameraman, presenter and birder, known for his role as Ranger Hamza on the children’s television channel CBeebies and his work on Countryfile and Animal Park
Jamie Aarons – Californian living in Scotland who set a new world record for the fastest self-propelled Munro round
Joshua Adeyemi – founder of Black Scottish Adventurers, Josh works to improve representation within the walking community and share the joy of climbing Munros
Juls Stodel – in completing her Big Bothy Walk, Juls has shared the beauty of British bothies with the masses and raised awareness for the Mountain Bothies Association
Emily Taylor – otherwise known as Trigs and Teeth, this Hill and Moorland leader can be found trig bagging, swimming outdoors and guiding groups in her Peak District home

Outdoor book or writer of the year

Guidebooks, memoirs, novels, photographic books and more.

Cook Out by ‘The Fell Foodie’ Harrison Ward
Ghosts in the Hedgerow by Tom Moorhouse
The Hidden Fires: A Cairngorms Journey with Nan Shepherd by Merryn Glover
In Her Nature: How Women Break Boundaries in the Great Outdoors by Rachel Hewitt
Local by Alistair Humphries
The Mountain Leader – a practical manual by Mike Raine
Other Ways to Win by Lee Craigie
The Outdoors Fix by Liv Bolton
Scottish Wild Country Backpacking by David Lintern, Stefan Durkacz, Peter Edwards
Wild History: Journeys into Lost Scotland by James Crawford

Outdoor film or filmmaker of the year

On the big screen or on YouTube, adventure films that help you connect with the outdoors.

A Winter Bob directed by Fin Pomeroy – a film capturing Elsey Davis’s midwinter Bob Graham round record attempt
Grizzly Gaz – YouTuber on a journey into local history and folklore, wild camping along the way with his French Bulldog, Fendy
Jessie Leong – Sheffield-based outdoor filmmaker whose recent award-winning films documents crack climbing in the Peak District and fell running
On the Adventure Trails – a couple of adventure-loving Scots making the most of the adventure playground on their doorstep
Paul Messner – YouTuber documenting his camping trips, backpacking gear and gear reviews from the UK’s great outdoors
Red Needle by Dom Bush & Simon Sylvester – a film following ultra-runner Sarah Gerrish as she trained for the Trail des Aiguilles Rouges while battling surgical menopause
Scotland’s Mountains – Munro and Corbett bagger filming his hiking, climbing, mountaineering, and wild camping adventures in Scotland
Terry Abraham – spotlighting the Lake District and mountains beyond with beautifully shot self-taught award-winning videography
Walk With Wallace – light-hearted, informative real-life adventure films and gear reviews from wild camps in Scotland and beyond
Wildbeare – “lone parent and a lone wolf” Claire champions everyone’s inalienable right to roam responsibly in the wild places and sleep under the stars

Campaigner of the year

Inspiring campaigns that matter to walkers and the individuals who champion them.

Access the Dales – a non-profit organisation making the Yorkshire Dales National Park more accessible to people with disabilities, creating places to borrow mobility scooters
Beca Trebilcock – otherwise known as Muddy Bootlaces, Beca halted her ‘Long Walk Home’ on JOGLE to bring the Save Dartmoor campaign to a wide audience
Chris Packham – renowned wildlife campaigner and broadcaster dedicated to preserving wild spaces and its inhabitants
Matt Staniek – an ecologist on a mission to protect Lake Windermere, Matt started the ‘Save Windermere’ campaign to stop sewage pollution
Right to Roam – campaigning to Save Dartmoor wild camping rights and for a default right of access akin to Scotland for England and Wales
It’s Up To Us – a campaign by Mountaineering Scotland and the Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland (OATS) to fund the repair and maintenance of upland paths
The Ramblers – Britain’s leading walking charity opening the way for walkers, advocating wellbeing outdoors and remapping forgotten paths
Trash Free Trails – protecting trails and wild places from litter and connecting people with nature through purposeful adventure
Sophie Powers – ultra-runner campaigning for gender equality in the trail and fell running communities through the SheRaces campaign
The Stars Are for Everyone – an organisation initially formed to support the right to wild camp on Dartmoor now with sights on better, extended access for all

The Open Outdoors award

Recognising individuals or groups who have inspired people to head into the outdoors, widened participation, improved outdoor education, or encouraged diversity.

Adventure Singles – a Facebook group of 16,000 UK-based “like-minded outdoorsy singles” enabling connection through adventure
Anita Kerwin-Nye – as the
AKA CIC – a grassroots Nottingham-based non-profit organisation founded by three friends determined to bring health and oneness to their community through facilitating transport and kit for adventure
The British Exploring Society – a UK-based youth development charity based providing young people with an intense and lasting experience of self-discovery in wilderness environments
Every Body Outdoors – Community fighting for clothing, gear and representation for plus size bodies in the outdoor movement
Girls on Hills – tthe UK’s only guided trail, fell and skyrunning company, designed specifically for women, and based in the Scottish Highlands
Haroon Mota – Marathon runner and founder of both Muslim Hikers and the Active Inclusion Network, championing diversity outdoors
Heather Dunnell – founder of the 25,000-strong Scottish Women’s Walking Group organising time outdoors for groups of ramblers, hill walkers, long distance walkers, Munro baggers and mountaineers
Siobhan Daniels – otherwise known as The Retirement Rebel, Siobhan is leading her own retirement adventure rebellion, motivated by positive ageing
The Scout Association – organisation actively engaging and supporting young people in their personal development both in and out of doors

The Extra Mile award

Outstanding voluntary effort for the benefit of the outdoors or charitable causes.

Britain’s Mountain Rescue teams (England, Wales, Scotland, plus Independent Scottish Mountain Rescue) – volunteers who are on call, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in any weather
Cave Rescue Organisation – based in Clapham in North Yorkshire, the team provides the cave and mountain rescue service in the Three Peaks area of the Yorkshire Dales
Fran Pearson of KitSquad – the founder of UK-based scheme providing second-hand adventure gear to low-income individuals to boost accessibility in the outdoors
Leanne Dempsey – volunteer woodland group leader based in Lancashire working with the Woodland Trust to preserve our green spaces and share a love of nature
Mountain Bothies Association volunteers – unpaid work parties maintaining simple shelters in remote country “for the use and benefit of all who love wild and lonely places”
Neil Reid – the retired wanderer whose love of the Cairngorms drives him to tirelessly raise awareness for ecological and social issues across the park

Independent retailer of the year

Retailers who operate independently with five or fewer stores.

Arran Active (Brodick)
Cairngorm Mountain Sports (Aviemore)
Castleberg Sports (Settle)
Catstycam (Glenridding)
Craigdon Mountain Sports (three stores in Scotland)
LD Mountain Centre (Newcastle)
Needle Sports (Keswick)
Outside (Hathersage)
Up and Under (Cardiff)
Whalley Warm and Dry

Chain retailer of the year

Outdoor retailers with six or more stores.

Online retailer of the year

Your favourite places to buy gear, maps and books online.

Outdoor clothing or equipment brand of the year

Gear brands with consistently high-quality, good-value kit or with commendable customer service.

*Voting closes on January 29

Two female hikers on top of the mountains

On Ben A’an. Credit: Shutterstock

There are two parts to The Great Outdoors Awards. This article announces the shortlist for the Reader Awards, which have been nominated by our readers and the outdoor public at large across 15 categories.

The other part of The Great Outdoors Awards is the Gear of the Year awards which recognises the best and most innovative outdoor gear as selected by expert judges.

Read on: Discover more about previous TGO Reader Award winners