Becky's mission to skate the Wild Atlantic Way
If you spot a woman skating solo along the West Coast of Ireland with a backpack bigger than she is, a tin whistle tucked under her arm, and a smile that says “bring it on,” you’ve just crossed paths with Becky Gilmour — a force of nature on a mission.
Becky is skating all 2,700KM of the Wild Atlantic Way, carrying her own gear, camping along the way, and climbing the equivalent of three Mount Everest's in elevation. But this isn’t just a physical challenge. It’s a deeply personal journey in memory of friends she’s lost to suicide, and a bold, rolling statement to raise awareness — and funds — for mental health support.
We were lucky enough to chat to the girl behind the scenes, and here is what Becky had to say:
1. Tell us a little about what you’re doing?
Hi I’m Becky! I’m skateboarding the West Coast of Ireland (2700KM or so) for suicide awareness and raising money for Samaritans. It’s also almost 3x the elevation of Mt Everest due to the hills and I’m carrying my own gear most of the time & camping. As I go, I’ll be painting a mural in every country relating to mental health awareness.
2. Is there a deeper purpose / bigger meaning being your adventure?
I originally planned to do this trip for myself to process the loss of a friend to suicide. We used to skate together on the coast, and these were some of my favourite memories with him. He was also the second person I’d lost this way, and as time got closer to starting the trip I realised half the problem is how little suicide is talked about, and the lack of support and resources we have. So, I thought I’d try my best to open up about my own experiences and be part of the conversation, while raising money for Samaritans. €10 or so funds one call with Samaritans, and as much as I can’t bring back people I’ve lost, I’d like help make a better future for those struggling.
Becky's Samaritans Just Giving Page Here!
I’ve also had a lot of challenges with my own mental health & trauma in the past, and I understand what it’s like to be in a place where there seems like no way forward. I’m doing much better now, and I want to use my experiences to share a little hope with those who might struggle in similar ways.
3. Talk to us about solo adventuring in Ireland. How are you finding it?
Oh it’s even better than I expected! I was born here but couldn’t remember much of the culture, but I’ve been so well looked after - from people offering beds and food and even to shuttle my backpack here and there. I never feel like I’m all that stuck because there are good people everywhere who are willing to lend a hand.
It is still always important to stay safe and careful though- as a woman alone there can also be a few risks unfortunately. So I still won’t disclose my exact locations, and I’ll be careful where I choose to stay on top of taking all the precautions I can. But instead of letting it hold me back, I’ve been learning how to travel alone safely and confidently so I can keep doing what I love.
4. What’s the most unexpected or hilarious thing that’s ever happened to you so far?
I think my most chaotic day was between Bere and dursey island. I went for a “quick walk” before skating and accidentally ended up on a much longer hike than planned. I left my bag in a bush because I didn’t want to carry it, but in the thick fog I forgot where I set it and ended up a little lost and starting my day with a 10k hike.
Once I found my gear, I took off and ended up having my biggest slam and getting quite scratched up. Someone had given me a first aid kit just the day before and I kept it because I thought it would make a nice purse… so I was quite lucky!
I then got off the island and realised the cable car on Dursey ran until 7pm, so I decided to try and make it (around 40KM, which was my biggest skate yet).
I arrived with five minutes to spare, and as soon as I stepped foot on the island my phone started to glitch and then completely stopped working.
So the next day I hitchhiked from Dursey island to Killarney to repair it, and back again. It was all a bit wild, but one of my favourite days. A lot of ups and downs and a lot of fun.
5. And what’s been your biggest challenge?
My biggest challenges probably come with multiple days of rain. I’m sleeping in a bivouac and with condensation and rain and nowhere to dry it, it can be a little tricky to stay dry. So far I’ve managed though!
A second one would just be that I’m often sleeping with one eye open. Now, I’m getting used to it but if I’m camping near somewhere a bit more populated, I feel quite aware that I’m a woman alone and I’m very careful that no one knows where I’m camping. I have had a few men press with questions of “are you alone” and “where are you sleeping” (and even if they are of pure intention it does put me on edge.) In my first week of the trip I barely slept while getting used to it, which is really tough after a long day of skating!
6. Tell us about a moment in nature that changed you.
I skated through a storm when making my way from kenmare to the end of the peninsula one evening. The roads were empty, I was soaked through, my board was splashing up waves of water and it was pouring off my helmet.
And it was one of my favourite experiences. Just me, by myself out in the wild pushing through hills. It’s a stark reminder that there is no “bad weather” but simply negative mindsets. Rain brings a lot of life, despite being uncomfortable at times, and accepting it and appreciating how the weather changes, allows me to appreciate the ups and downs and tougher weather in my own life.
The next day the water had wrecked a lot of my stuff and my phone actually broke a second time from the water damage (my case was waterproof but didn’t work.) But I met some amazing people at a caravan site who looked after me until I got everything sorted.
The rain reminds me to push on and learn to accept that there can be something joyful and wild to be found in the storms too. There have always been people around who are willing to lend an hand when I reach out and ask, and the storms simply make the sunny days feel even warmer.
7. Is there anything in your adventure bag that might surprise us?
I have a tin whistle and a gumshield! My plan was that if I ever ran low on money, I’d try busking for a laugh. (I know one song so thankfully it hasn’t come to that!) but I really love music and it’s the easiest instrument I could find to carry.
I also used to do a lot of boxing & self defence so I’ve have carried my gum shield while backpacking for a few years now in case I find a gym in can stop in to. So that’s a unique one, but it’s light and easy to carry.
8. What would you say to a woman who feels nervous about going on a solo adventure for the first time?
I’d say go for it! But ease your way in- it might be scary at the start but it gets better- so be kind to yourself, keep it as fun as you can and make it a positive experience: even if that means baby steps.
I’m recovering from PTSD but struggled with this a lot when I started travelling a few years ago, so for me it was so important to make sure I did things that were a little scary, but always kept it safe and fun.
Go somewhere you’ve been before with friends for your first trip. That way you have an idea what you’re going into. Make sure you’ve signal to ring someone if you want to talk to a friend for reassurance. And, you could also make it somewhere local! You can have an adventure anywhere: literally start with camping in your back garden, or visit a hostel down the street.
It’s so okay and natural to feel nervous on your first trips, or even after a few while you learn to live outside of your comfort zone more. But, the more you do it, the less scary it becomes and the more you learn to love it. It’s worth it to keep getting out there!
And for camping- I’d say that open spaces and camping when there is less wind is a good start- I.e fields, somewhere with short grass etc. When there is wind, everything moves. And if you camp in a forest you’ll hear the little animals at night. If you’re nervous it can start to sound like people roaming about. So a game changer for me was finding quiet places in the wild.
9. It you have one, do you have a book, podcast or quote you want to recommend?
I’d love to share the quote I’m using for a mural if that’s okay! It’s been quite a summary of life on the road and it’s kept me going a lot recently. I wrote this myself a few years ago when I had a bit of a mental dip and it stayed close to me.
“You can’t stop the sun from setting, but you can trust that it will come back.”
No matter the challenge, physical or mental, everything is temporary. Good days come back around. We just have to hold on, and it’s worth it to soak up the sunshine again.
Even if you feel like you’ve been sitting in the dark for quite some time, it just means the sun is going to feel absolutely incredible when it returns- and it will. So hold on, keep going and remember you aren’t alone while you’re waiting for the sun to come back.
