"There's no set way to explore the outdoors." That's the message from Zahrah Mahmood, a 34-year-old Muslim mother from Glasgow, breaking down barriers on the trails and opening the door for others to do the same.
Zahrah, who's known on social media as the 'Hillwalking Hijabi', is the focus of the latest short film in the Berghaus Ascension series. The documentary details her mission to nurture community and unite hikers who feel excluded from traditional outdoor exploration narratives.
The Ascension short film premiers on Youtube on May 16. For now, you can enjoy a sneak peek below.
Zahrah established her social media presence to unite and inspire people who feel like hiking and outdoor exploration isn't for them. As a Muslim woman, she's no stranger to funny looks in the wilderness, but is nevertheless determined to enjoy the trails.
She documents her hiking and hillwalking expeditions via Instagram, offering advice and recommendations for fellow trekkers.
"I do feel like I get a lot of stares, or I'm the only person with a hijab that I see. It was my older sister that said, "So what, just lean into it, you're the hillwalking hijab."
Zahrah's especially keen to show that hiking can be compatible with life as a mother.
“I’m at a stage of my life where I’m trying to balance general life, family, and adventure, and I’m so proud to represent the idea that there’s no one set way to explore the outdoors," she explains.
In 2023, Zahrah worked with Berghaus to create a specially adapted hiking hijab. The Berghaus hijab is a lightweight option for taking on the trails, designed to maximize breathability and comfort on warm days in the wilderness.
"I feel so grateful to have the support of Berghaus in telling this story and sharing my personal journey through initiatives like the Ascension Series. I hope that the new film inspires more people to take their first step into the outdoors, no matter where it is that they are starting from."
Last year, Advnture hiking expert Julia Clarke caught up with the founder of the world's largest online community for Muslim hikers, Haroon Mota, to find out about the issues Muslims face on the trails.
“Ethnic minority communities usually have a lack of awareness and confidence in outdoors spaces, and that’s primarily because they don’t have the outdoors embedded in their cultural lifestyle norms," said Mota, who explained that a lack of representation was also stopping Muslims from getting outdoors.
Like Zarah, he praised the benefits of community for helping Muslim men and women get out of their comfort zone and into the wilderness.
"There’s a lot of power in community, and that’s what we’re seeing. People don’t just want to get outside, they want to connect with others.”
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