- I am a qualified Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor, Winter Mountain Leader, and expedition guide with many years of experience in outdoor education. I run rock climbing and mountaineering coursers in Snowdonia, the Lake District, South West England, and Scotland.
- I am an expert climber, hiker, and mountaineer and have climbed extensively throughout the UK, Europe, and Asia, including 39 alpine-climbing, mountaineering, and hiking expeditions on different continents.
- The highlights include expeditions to Kyrgyzstan and Caucasus, alpine climbing up to ED, many climbs in the Dolomites, solo winter ascents of Tower Ridge III and Point Five Gully V in Scotland, traditional rock climbs up to E3 and sport climbs up to 7B. I took part in Durham Winter Bouldering Series for two seasons in 2013-2014 and won the fourth place in the finals and the first place in my age group.
- I have worked as a mountaineering instructor, climbing coach, mountain leader, and outdoor education tutor since 2010 at several climbing walls, outdoor centres, and companies around the UK, notably, YMCA Lakeside, Path to Adventure, Mountain Magic, RJ7 Expeditions, The Large Outdoors, Chris Ensoll, Mike Margeson, Scottish Outdoor Education Centres, Calvert Trust Kielder, Durham Climbing Centre, Sunderland Wall. In addition to climbing and mountaineering, my work involved delivering outdoor education programmes, personal development, team building, experiential learning sessions, and many other adventure activities such as abseiling, ghyll scrambling, king swing, crate stack, tree climbing, zip wire, high and low ropes, challenge and obstacle courses, archery, orienteering, bushcraft, bivouacs, group canoe, raft building to home education, school, scout, NCS, Prince’s Trust, college, university, social services and corporate groups, families, people with emotional, social, behavioural and learning difficulties.
- The list of my oversees expeditions includes an impressive 39 trips, probably among the highest numbers in the industry, notably Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, remote Subarctic Ural Mountains, Mt Elbrus, student expeditions to Mt Kilimanjaro, the Silk Route, jungle adventures, and wilderness horse trekking in Mongolia! As a commercial expedition leader, I have worked for World Challenge, Outlook Expeditions, Venture Force, and schools in the UK, US, NZ, and Australia. In this role I have gained valuable experience of team management, problem solving, budgeting, dealing with medical issues (including acute mountain sickness, dislocations, fractures, malaria), risk assessment and management, facilitation of experiential learning and personal development.
- I love the outdoors. Working in the outdoors is the best and most inspiring job in the world! Over the years I have worked hard to gain the Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor Award, the highest outdoor qualification, which allows me to teach, coach, mentor, and guide all aspects of rock climbing, scrambling, and mountaineering, as well as provide technical expertise in these areas.
- I enjoy teaching people to rock climb, guiding classic multi-pitch routes, leading expeditions and winter mountaineering adventures, and sharing my knowledge of these amazing activities with others. Snowdonia, South West England, and the Lake District are my favourite venues – not least because they have some of the most scenic and most easily accessible mountains and crags.
- I am passionate about the environment and promote sustainable enjoyment of the mountains. Safety is at the heart of everything I do to make sure you have a fantastic, memorable, and fun adventure. My knowledge and experience enable me to tailor activities to suit anyone regardless of ability, gender, race, and age. I believe in undiscovered potential in everyone and help people achieve things they never thought possible. I adapt my approach to your learning style and create a safe environment where you can achieve your goals. I also hold a PhD in Theology and Religion from Durham University. So, there is always something to talk about on the hill, in addition to climbing.
- I care passionately about high standards of instruction, guiding, and safety. I am a full member of the Association of Mountaineering Instructors (AMI) and keep up to date with industry best practices through attending the Association’s CPD courses, as well as outdoor and expedition first aid training.
- Most activities are delivered by me, but sometimes I employ other high-quality instructors that I know personally, so the best experience for my customers is guaranteed!
I hold the following UK outdoor qualifications:
- Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor (MCI, former MIA);
- Winter Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor Training (WMCI, former MIC);
- Climbing Wall Instructor (CWI);
- Summer Mountain Leader (ML);
- Rock Climbing Instructor (RCI);
- Winter Mountain Leader (WML);
- Foundation Coach Training;
- Development Coach Training;
- Water Safety Award RLSS;
- Advanced Water Safety and Rescue RLSS;
- Expedition First Aid;
- Mental Health First Aid;
- Child Protection;
- DBS.
Memberships: