Sarah Stirling

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adventure writer & editor

what I do

Hello! Thanks for visiting my website. I’ve been a freelance writer for over 20 years, specialising in the intersection between adventure, nature and living lightly. Over the years a wide range of publications have published my work, including The Observer, The Telegraph, Lonely Planet books, Dorling Kindersley books and most British outdoor magazines. For five years, I was Gear and Features Editor of UKClimbing & UKHillwalking, Britain’s most popular outdoor website. For ten years, I was Assistant Editor of the UK’s most widely read outdoor magazine, Summit. My book Rewild Your Life was published in April ’21.

The places I’ve lived track my passion for mountain running and cold water swimming: a cosy old farmhouse by the pristine Pembrokeshire coast (2008-12); a rickety chalet high on a mountainside overlooking Mont Blanc (2012-16); a damp miner’s cottage deep in the wet, Welsh wild swimming heaven of Snowdonia (2016-2020); and most recently a housebus and a tiny house parked amidst the rivers, lakes and mountains of Wanaka, New Zealand (2020-24).

The curious can find out more about me in this Summit magazine interview, this video interview which featured in The Nature Summit 2023, and this Why in the World podcast interview.

what I offer

Primarily an outdoor storyteller, I particularly enjoy exploring cultures and landscapes, delving into topical environmental issues and highlighting the lives of inspiring people. I would love to hear from you if you are the commissioning editor of an outdoor magazine or book company. A perfectionist editor and writer, I work hard to earn the testimonials you’ll see below.

how it all started

I’m often asked how I got into writing, so here goes. I’ve been writing adventure stories for as long as I can remember (see book cover image above!). I wasn’t sure if I would be able to make a living from it but decided I had to give it a try. While working hard to graduate with a first-class English degree I also wrote a local history book during the university holidays and these two things really helped to mark me out when I began pitching article ideas to outdoor magazines.

To begin with, to make ends meet, I also worked as a skiing and climbing instructor part-time. After a couple of years, penning regular articles led to several freelance editorial roles, such as Short Breaks Editor of Adventure Travel magazine and Gear Editor of The Outdoor Adventure Guide. These regular gigs gave me the security to take the leap and quit instructing. Over the years I’ve always had side gigs like this, so I don’t have to spend all my time pitching individual articles. All this sounds quite fancy so a dose of honesty to finish with: my work is definitely a ‘lifestyle career’, by which I mean I love it so much that work and life are a blur, but I don’t imagine it will ever make me rich!

portfolio

ADVENTURES

Inside the Scottish skiing revival

What is a Celtic Rainforest?

Swimming in Snowdonia in winter

FEATURES

As animal welfare charities campaign for down to be banned, I find out the facts behind the fluff

Once, Britain heaved with outdoor gear factories. What is still made here and is it any good?

The history of British female climbers is one of rebels and disrupters, trailblazers and game-changers

INTERVIEWS

Danny MacAskill

Robert Macfarlane

Ant Middleton

testimonials

Hi Sarah, I hope you're well. I enjoyed reading your swimming piece for Great Outdoors, Swimming in the Blintering Dimmity. I'd be very happy to receive any story ideas from you going forwards if that appeals.
Email from the Head of Travel at the Guardian
Reading your article in TGO just now and sought you out on Instagram because it's so good - beautiful writing, thank you!
Email from a reader
"I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the articles by Sarah Stirling in the latest edition of Summit. I found them interesting and funny and caused me to read articles on topics that wouldn't usually interest me. Thank you. Rebecca"
Email to the Summit magazine office from a reader
"Wow, thanks Sarah. That’s one of the best things I’ve read in this role so far. Thank you for making it so good at such short notice"
Carey Davies, Editor of TGO magazine
"Everyone in the office just loved your New Zealand destination feature! Can we persuade you to write up your other idea for next issue?"
Natalie Hoare, Editor of Walk magazine
"I have just finished reading Swansea and I enjoyed it SO much – I could imagine every step of your route and enjoyed it all – more than anything it really made me WANT to go and try it out. You are more than welcome to do another city any time the fancy takes you"
Nicholas Rudd-Jones, publisher of Urban Rambles
"I'm really pleased with the way we all worked at Friedrichshafen [Europe’s main outdoor gear trade show]. I think we have become a very well-oiled machine now when it comes to dealing with these things. A lot of that is thanks to your excellent planning pre-show, great work at the show and solid follow-up work"
Alan James, MD of UKClimbing.com — I was full-time Gear and Features Editor from 2009-2013
"I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your article on Rutland, in the forthcoming issue of Beautiful Britain. I know Rutland and south Leicestershire very well (was born there), and your piece brought back lots of memories. More than that, though, I find your style of writing, your ‘voice’ if you like, very engaging and a far cry from the general run-of-the-mill commissioned hack stuff. I can’t wait to read more"
Sub editor of Beautiful Britain magazine
"How refreshing to see a bold, well-researched piece on a controversial subject. I was very impressed by the way you found a number of real-life case-studies and by the thoughtful way in which you put your argument across. There’s a great need for high-quality, thought-provoking pieces like this, so bravo"
Email from a reader about my article, Mountaineering Mums
"This is lovely Sarah, really. Thank you so much for coming up trumps. It’s great – doesn’t need touching, and is beautiful … a joy for many, many reasons!"
David Lintern, Editor of Outdoor Enthusiast magazine
"Sarah Stirling is intelligent, thoughtful, easy to work with and gets things done"
Nicholas Rudd-Jones, Publisher of Local Living magazines
"Excellent article on down trade in Summit mag from Sarah Stirling. The BMC doing what it does best, supporting and caring for us climbers"
Vertebrate Publishing, commenting on Twitter
"Damn, you’re good! All looks spot on, cheers"
Alex Messenger on my work as Assistant Editor of BMC Summit magazine
"Your piece on the Faroes was a marvel! A fantastic piece of observation and travelogue – loved the story, loved the way you set place and the people. Thanks indeed"
Dickie, Publisher of The Outdoor Adventure Guide

follow the journey

Click below to follow me on outdoor challenges and adventures, such as swimming in 100 Snowdonian lakes, biking Patagonia’s remote westernmost road, the 1200km Carretera Austral, or renovating a housebus. Instagram is essentially my blog, so there aren’t many posts in my website blog, below.