Girls 'pushing their limits' with outdoor project

Girls and young women aged between 12 and 17 can take part in the activities

A group of girls from Devon say they have learnt to "push their limits" after taking part in a new project to embrace the outdoors.

Dartmoor National Park set up the scheme Girls Do Dartmoor for young women aged 12 to 17 to build communication skills and confidence.

Across a six week programme a group of young women are introduced to different parts of Dartmoor and are supported to take part in physical activities, outdoor challenges and skill building sessions.

Kats Koster-Shadbolt, community engagement ranger for the park, started the project and said once they are outside "they feel better in themselves, they get to run around, be silly, and play."

Activities like abseiling are part of the sessions young girls and women can take part in

The most recent group of girls to complete the sessions were Year 8 and Year 9 students from South Dartmoor Community College.

Kelsie, 13, said: "I think [other girls] would get a big confident boost [from taking part], and learn how to socialise more with people, and it's showing that girls can do this stuff too, not just boys."

"I've learnt to push my limits and try new things, I've found an inner bravery in myself, and I was a bit anti-social before, but this has been really helpful to me and I am opening up more," 13-year-old Kayla added.

Martha, 13, said she felt she would be "a lot more brave outdoors" after the sessions.

The abseil was a lesson in helping the girls push their limits

School staff said they had also noticed a change in their students.

Safeguarding lead Tamara Dixon said she had seen the girls "thrive".

"From starting off saying "I can't do this" to doing abseiling down rocks, the new social skills, learning from each other, they've adapted to what they can do, knowing their limits as well," she added.