“The personal is political”
Slogan from the feminist movement of the 1960s
My name is Mia, I’m a social worker (B.A.) and certified nature guide (luonto-ohjaaja). Riot trails is the result of this mix. My view on hiking and offering workshops is strongly influenced by my social work and feminist background as well as my skills as nature guide and own experiences as a solitary hiker.
I studied social work (B.A.) in Munich, Germany from 2014-2018 and worked there for several years as social worker mainly with refugees & girls*& women* ( for example: Bavarian Refugee Council & IMMA e.v. AEH).
After my first long distance hike through Latvia and Estonia in 2022 I moved in August 2022 to Rovaniemi and started my nature guide studies there (luonto-ohjaaja). I moved to Helsinki and graduated in December 2025 as nature guide at the Helsinki Vocational College and Adult Institute (Stadin Ammattiopisto).
I focused my nature-guide studies on guiding hikes and organized already as a student own workshops & hikes. Beside wilderness/hiking skills and knowledge the physical & mental benefits of nature and adventure education principles are pillars of my work.
Since December 2024 I work as personal assistance for disabled people & in 2026 I applied to the Finnish Supervisory Agency for the right to practise my profession as social worker from Germany also in Finland.
Why the project name “riot trails”?
Before a hike in spring 2024 I had a conversation with a friend on what was important for my own “body-liberation”.
While hiking I thought about it and the slogan “riot don’t diet” and the slogan “trails not scales” came to my mind.
The first one is exactly the understanding of the impact of patriarchal social structures on women’s bodies and the second is from a body-liberation hiking group called “fat girls hiking”, who emphasize the joys of experiencing your body while hiking.
It felt for me like a good mix of theory background and lived practice.
I felt like this was what was and is carrying me on this journey. Two pillars. Or two legs. My legs.
I took my pen and wrote “riot don’t diet” on the left one and “trails not scales” on the right shin.
I hiked in a dress so I could read those words while hiking and I read “riot trails”.
And I thought this could be the project name.
The project also combines theory and practice.
An interplay of feminist theory and lived experience”.
And if you take it literally “riot trails” could also stand for the DIY-hiking trails out of your own door to nearby nature, instead of focusing on Lapland or national parks.
You can click on the different pictures, to get and idea how solitary hiking and feminism resembles with each other.
feminist solitary hiking project 