Oldest and largest LGBTQ+ outdoors group celebrates almost 50 years of inclusion

The club has outdoor groups across the country for LGBTQ+ people.

Founded in 1974, the Gay Outdoor Club is the oldest and largest outdoors club in the UK for members of the LGBTQ+ community.

It has groups right across the UK and is celebrating almost 50 years of inclusion.

Club groups take part in activities like walking, but some also specialise in things like climbing. And the group is about more than just getting outdoors, for many it is also about friendship and meeting others.

Allyson Evans, a member of the South Wales and West branch of the club, told ITV1 Wales' Coast & Country programme: "I think it's really important for LGBT people just to meet up together, especially for people who are just coming out, you know, for them to join other LGBT people.

"We've got a few new members...so it's nice that they obviously feel comfortable in the group just chatting away.

"You know, you still hear of things in the news, which are awful, concerning LGBT hate crime and things, so it's just nice to have a nice safe space for LGBT people to meet up."

The group has been running walking trips like this for almost 50 years.

When the Gay Outdoor Club first started, it only had five members. That’s grown to 2,000.   

Stephen and his husband Neil have been Club members for 30 years and told Coast & Country: "It's like being part of a team, a support network and you get a chance to go out and walk with our friends and see places we wouldn't normally see as well.

"It's healthy, it's friendly and when you're walking along lovely landscapes it's also really easy to chat and talk about things, so I think a lot of people have found that it has become really important for them to come along."

You can see more on Coast & Country on Friday at 7pm on ITV Cymru Wales.

Catch up with all of the episodes so far here.