A socio-cultural study of the HF Holidays walk-leader: an examination of walking and walk-leading histories, narratives and practices through guided hillwalking interviews

Morocza, N (2026) A socio-cultural study of the HF Holidays walk-leader: an examination of walking and walk-leading histories, narratives and practices through guided hillwalking interviews. Doctoral thesis, Liverpool John Moores University.

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Abstract

Hillwalking is a popular recreational activity in the UK, however, participation in hillwalking and walk-leading is not equitable. This qualitative inquiry supported by HF Holidays aimed to explore the various factors that contributed to sustained engagement in walking and volunteer walk-leading. Specifically, this research aimed to understand how the interplay between personal characteristics and attitudes, and social and cultural influences, facilitated engagement and contributed to the construction of meanings around walking and walk-leading.

Seventeen HF Holidays volunteer walk-leaders (N= 2 women, 15 men, mean age: 61.3 years) were interviewed using a novel method of researcher-led guided hillwalking interviews. The interview data was analysed using a constructivist grounded theory informed framework, which also included a methodological analysis to explore the benefits and limitations of the guided hillwalking interview method.

Findings highlighted influences across the life course, including family and social networks and outdoor educational institutions that contributed to the development of cultural capital and habitus related to walking and outdoor activities. The results highlighted shared motivations such as learning and interest in countryside information, history and culture. Participants’ ageing narratives aligned with discourses of successful and harmonious ageing, demonstrating health and physical literacy, and resilience. Similarities were also identified between participants’ narratives and historical discourses of outdoor education and mountaineering, further reflecting cultural capital.

Walk-leading practices were shaped by personal characteristics and attitudes and aligned with outdoor leadership and tour-guiding principles. The guided hillwalking interview enabled exploration of walking and walk-leading discourses, practices and landscape meanings through embodied narratives. Methodological analysis revealed the varying roles participant and researcher enacted in situ and associated behaviours consistent with walking and walk-leading conventions. Overall, the study provides a comprehensive account of the interconnected factors influencing walking and walk-leading engagement, practices and narratives, including personal attributes and attitudes, biographies, social influences, and cultural narratives linked to the UK hillwalking and HF Holidays’ culture.

The results highlight the importance of studying outdoor recreation and tourism (and walking and walk-leading) narratives and practices within their socio-cultural and historical context. This study provides new theoretical insights to the outdoor recreation, tourism and leadership fields and draws attention to the need to implement initiatives that can address existing structural inequalities and support access for outdoor participation over the life course.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Guided hillwalking interviews; Volunteer walk-leaders; Walking narratives and practices; Walk-leading attitudes and practices; Access to outdoor activity participation; Walking cultural capital and habitus
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HT Communities. Classes. Races G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > G Geography (General) > G149 Travel. Voyages and travels (General) > G154.9 Travel and state. Tourism G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > G Geography (General) > G149 Travel. Voyages and travels (General)
Divisions:	Sport and Exercise Sciences
Date of acceptance:	1 May 2026
Date of first compliant Open Access:	26 May 2026
Date Deposited:	26 May 2026 14:16
Last Modified:	26 May 2026 14:16
DOI or ID number:	10.24377/LJMU.t.00028543
Supervisors:	Boddy, L, Thomas, L, Mahon, E and Porcellato, L
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/28543

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