How Sole Circles Work

How Sole Circles Work

Sole Circles are how our global community of women in midlife and beyond connect locally for in-person Rambles.

We currently have Sole Circles in 110+ cities across 6 countries, and you can join as many as you like — whether you’re at home or traveling.

Our Sole Circles are member-led, which means the members themselves organize the Rambles. While most Rambles are walks, they can be any activity you enjoy.

Each Sole Circle is hosted in WhatsApp and includes two groups:

The Chatting Group (black logo) — for planning logistics, sharing Ramble photos, and brainstorming ideas.

The Rambling Group (colored logo) — for posting and signing up for Rambles.

Ramble organizers use our Ramble Announcement Guidelines to create announcements that include all the details others need to decide if they’d like to join.

Members sign up for Rambles directly in the Rambling Group using our simple copy-paste-sign-up system.

Sole Circles are lively and active communities! You can expect lots of notifications — sometimes at odd hours — as our moderators are located around the world.

We encourage you to adjust your WhatsApp notification settings to your own preferences.

Our Rambler Care Crew and Ranglers check in daily to admit new members and answer questions.

Reading the FAQ section below will help you get the most out of your Sole Circle experience.

And always remember our motto . . . everywhere is in Rambling distance with Sole Sisters.

FAQs

Sole Circles welcome women of all abilities and fitness levels.

While most Rambles are walks or hikes, any member is welcome to organize a Ramble around an activity they love.

We've had Rambles for experienced scuba divers, women recovering from injuries, and even members who use wheelchairs.

When a Sole Sister organizes a Ramble, she creates a Ramble Announcement outlining the activity, fitness level, skills, and equipment required.

This allows each Rambler to decide whether it's the right fit for her.

Sole Circles are free to join and participate in!

If being part of your Sole Circle brings joy, friendship, or inspiration into your life, you can choose to support us through an optional paid membership.

Your support helps us keep this beautiful community growing and thriving and helps women around the world find friendship and connection — that’s why we say we’re Rambler Powered!

We offer a few flexible membership options — monthly, annual, or one-time — so you can choose what feels right for you.

Sole Circle members organize the Rambles — and any member can step up to organize one!

When an organizer plans a Ramble, she posts a Ramble Announcement in the Sole Circle with all the details others need to decide if they’d like to join.

Multiple Rambles can be posted at the same time, and the most active Sole Circles often have many Rambles posted at any given time.

Sole Circles are open to all who identify as women in midlife and beyond. Most of our Ramblers are between the ages of 45 and 75.

Most of our Rambles are walks or hikes, but Sole Circle members can create a Ramble around any activity they enjoy.

Our Rambles have included all kinds of adventures — seasonal celebrations, book exchanges, yoga classes, climbing wall visits, local restaurant outings, bocce ball games, picnics, salsa and olive oil tastings, pool parties, concerts (with dancing!), happy hours, cold-water swims, Canasta and pickleball games, craft workshops, winery tours, pottery and art gallery visits and farm trips.

If you can dream it, you can Ramble it!

We host our Sole Circles in WhatsApp Groups. You must download and use WhatsApp to join a Sole Circle and participate in Rambles.

We admit new Ramblers to our WhatsApp groups daily, so hang tight after you click the join link, and we will admit you soon.

Please note that you cannot see the messages posted in the WhatsApp groups before you arrived, but a moderator will repost upcoming Rambles soon!

When a Sole Sister decides to organize a Ramble, she writes and posts a Ramble Announcement in her Sole Circle Rambling Group (colored logo) on WhatsApp.

Leaders can use our Ramble Announcement Guidelines to make sure they include all the details their Sole Sisters need to decide whether to sign up and join the Ramble.

You can choose to limit the number of people who can sign up for your Ramble for safety reasons or any other personal preference.

If you decide to set a limit, please note this clearly in your Ramble Announcement. You can also include a waitlist in case anyone cancels and additional spots become available.

You can sign up for a Ramble in your Rambling Sole Circle (the group with the colored logo).

To sign up, find the latest Ramble Announcement, copy it, paste it into the WhatsApp message box, add your name and phone number to the list, and then send.

Be sure to sign up using your first and last name so it’s clear who’s joining.

Sole Circle moderators visit each Sole Circle WhatsApp group daily to delete duplicate Ramble Announcements.

We do this because Ramblers sign up for Rambles by copying the announcement, pasting it back into the chat, adding their name to the list, and sending it again — which means the same Ramble can appear multiple times in the thread.

If we didn’t remove the duplicates, it would quickly become confusing to find the most up-to-date Ramble Announcements.

Sole Circle moderators visit each WhatsApp group daily to remove duplicate Ramble Announcements.

Because Ramblers sign up by copying the announcement, pasting it back into the chat, adding their name, and sending it again, the same Ramble often appears multiple times.

Deleting duplicates keeps the chat organized and makes it easy for everyone to find the latest Ramble Announcements.

If you've signed up for a Ramble but need to cancel, use the sign up system in reverse to remove your name from the Ramble Announcement.

Copy the announcement, paste it in the message box, remove your name and send.

If it is last minute cancellation, please private message the Ramble leader!

Ramblers can join as many Sole Circles as they wish while at home and while traveling.

Yes, at this time you must download and use WhatsApp to participate in Sole Circles.

Our Sole Circles can get busy, so please adjust your WhatsApp notifications as needed. As a global community, you may receive messages at odd hours.

You can mute notifications for individual groups and still view the posts.

You can also archive WhatsApp groups to avoid notifications entirely and check them at your convenience.

You can also clear chats after reading to make it easier to catch up on previous messages.

We love our furry friends, and many Sole Circles host Rambles where dogs are welcome!

However, dogs may only attend a Ramble at the discretion of the Ramble Leader.

Many Ramble Organizers prefer that dogs do not attend for safety reasons — especially on narrow trails where dogs can get underfoot — or out of consideration for other Ramblers who may be uncomfortable around animals.

Before bringing your dog, always check the Ramble Announcement to see if dogs are invited, or confirm directly with the Ramble Leader.

If you’re leading a Ramble and dogs are welcome, be sure to include that information in your Announcement.

Please also follow local leash laws and mention whether dogs should be leashed during your Ramble.

In most cases, keeping dogs on a leash is safest, but if you’re planning a leash-free outing (like at a dog park), please make that clear so everyone can decide what’s right for them.

Sole Sister Ramblers is a global community that connects and empowers women in midlife and beyond. Our mission is to create a strong sense of community among women during this stage of life.

Women-only spaces offer a unique opportunity for friendship, support, and sisterhood — experiences that are often most meaningful when shared among women.

For these reasons, we do not allow men, children, or young adults to participate in Rambles organized within our Sole Circles.

That said, we hope the friendships and confidence built within our Sole Circles ripple outward — enriching every part of our Ramblers’ lives and the people they share them with.

Rules

Our Sole Circles are open to all born as or identify as women.

Our focus is women in midlife and beyond, and the women in this group are generally 45+. Our conversation topics and activities are focused on commonalities women in this age group share.

Please approach divisive, sensitive, or controversial topics with extra respect, care, and kindness. 

This is a welcoming and inclusive community. Please treat everyone with respect and kindness without judgment.

We encourage you to seek and embrace the magic that emerges from cultivating, renewing, and deepening female friendships in midlife and beyond.

We support and motivate each other's efforts to move our bodies more often while exploring the world with creativity and passion.

We share generously. We have lifetimes of experience, and we hope you'll share yours on your rambles. Ask for support or advice when you need it.

Safety Disclaimer

Please read and adhere to this disclaimer before you embark on a ramble.

I understand that every Rambler is responsible for her own personal safety while participating in a Ramble, including remaining with the group or alerting someone if leaving early or falling behind.

It is a good idea (especially for large Rambles) to designate a person as a "sweep" to remain at the back of the pack or to adhere to a buddy system.

I acknowledge that if I have a health issue, it is my responsibility to take appropriate steps to safeguard myself. 

I understand that there are inherent risks and that I participate at my own risk, accept these risks, and am responsible for my actions.

I understand that if I want insurance, I must insure myself.

I am responsible for getting the proper instruction and equipment for any activity I participate in.

I assume responsibility for injuries to myself.

I understand that the Sole Sister Ramblers does not recognize any liability for injury or damage caused to a third party during a Ramble.

I understand that if any participant, including myself, helps others, for example, by advising a route or reading a map, that does not incur or imply any responsibility on that participant.

Questions?

Let's Chat!

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