About Me

After a very young start being dragged up mountains in the Lakes by my elder brothers, I somehow managed not to be put off and went straight from school into outdoor centre work in Speyside, Scotland.
There I was trained to instruct mountain based skills, climbing, field studies, management training, kayaking and canoeing. Back in the old days when there was snow, I also did several seasons as a ski instructor, working at Cairngorm, the Lecht and Glencoe.
From there I moved to North Wales and worked in an independent outdoor gear shop that operated as a guiding agency, so I kept my hand in and added mine exploration and dry slope ski instruction to my repertoire.
In the early 90s I came back to the Lakes, and under the threat of (early!) middle age spread I have in the last few years got myself more involved in mountaineering again, leading treks in Britain, Europe and Morocco, as well as teaching mountain skills for various organisations, schools and individuals.
Over the years I've picked up the Ski Party Leader, Summer Mountain Leader, Single Pitch Award, Trail Cycle Leader and I’m an Aspirant International Mountain Leader. I am an Accredited Expedition Assessor for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme and have completed the Winter Mountain Leader Training. I'm a member of the Mountain Leader Training Association, the British Association of International Mountain Leaders, the Royal Scottish Geographical Society and I'm an Associate Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation. After jaunts with rescue teams in Scotland and Wales, I am again an active member of Mountain Rescue in the Lake District. I have of course been thoroughly trained and qualified in First Aid throughout my career, and regularly cleared through the Criminal Records Bureau.

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