I started walking and camping in the mountains at the age of 18, with many errors and many great experiences. We purchased our first gear from Millets in our local High Street. We previously used to doss about and sleep rough on our scooters, so this was the next stage of growing up . Although a few of us had a passion for the outdoors most were there for the beer and a good time. Our walks in the early days consisted of walking up to a lake, camping in the dark, finishing the walk in the morning and then quickly to the pub. Walks were literally straight up and down. However, the bug had truly bitten and as each of us did more, purchased more and better gear, so we continued. After a few years, two of us completed all the Nuttalls and were obsessed with getting them done - which only took 15 years! Our trips took us into very remote areas and many were done solo in awful weather. On top of this we camped and did a few in Scotland as we started the Munros but never completed them, including Ben Nevis via the CMD Arete, Ben Cruachan area for a few days, spent 3 days in the most horrendous weather in the Fisherfields doing A'Mhaighdean, Five Sisters etc, the usual suspects and tried to cram a few in on family holidays, mainly running up and down to save time including Ben More on Mull and Carruntoohil in Ireland.
At 50 I had more and more people asking if I could take them out and it became apparent that leading was very different to being with equals. I therefore, decided after 32 years of hill walking to get some training! I had been used by PYB as a guinea pig for climbing multi pitch work and winter MIC training so was well aware of the value of professional coaching. I did my ML training and realized in the micro nav I had much to learn! I have completed my ML training, several night nav evenings, steep ground terrain and contour master class. I spend as much time as I can in the mountains and have a huge motivation for sharing my passion with others.