From no interest to can’t get enough!
- Fully Qualified and Insured Mountain Leader
- NNAS Bronze & Silver Provider / Course Director
- Trained to ITC Level 3 Award in Outdoor First Aid
- DBS checked
- Search Technician with Yorkshire Search and Rescue
- 8+ years with Spanish Highs Mountain Guides
Early Years
It might come as a surprise but in my younger years I didn't enjoy the mountains. Dad has always been a keen mountaineer, travelled all over the world and climbed in some amazing places. Mont Blanc (22 ascents), Aconcagua, Kamchatka, Canada and the Patagonian Icecap just to name a few. He also wrote the Cicerone guidebook to the Sierra Nevada. In 2000 he settled in Spain's Sierra Nevada and over the 20+ years built up Spanish Highs, Mountain Guides.
Going back to the younger years, we would spend weekends and school holidays in the Lake District at my Grandparents house, up in Scotland skiing (I loved my skis, snow was my thing!) or if we felt a pinch of madness, we would eschew all common sense and embark on those long car trips to the Alps. It must have been a stressful car journey for the parents that's all I can say! Looking back my sister and I had a very lucky childhood, even if at the time we didn't appreciate it. Walking, mountaineering, skiing and the mountains were always part of family life, even my Grandad completed all 214 Wainwrights after retirement and many of the Munros.
Into year 2000s
In 2004 I followed my Dad out to Spain and spent the best part of 10 years. Met my partner at the time and over the course of the decade became quite proficient in the local lingo. I mean, who needs English when you're surrounded by flamenco and tapas, right?! In 2012, I found myself pondering the direction of my life. At that time I was working in marketing for a holiday rental company in Denmark and had the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge about the online world. However, deep down, a sense of restlessness started to surface, urging me to seek something more purposeful in my journey.
Fast Forward to 2015
Moving back to the UK has been the best decision for me. I've completely fallen back in love with the beautiful countryside and green lands we call home. Believe it or not, have even come to enjoy the rain!
In 2015, Dad started to slowly take a step back from the office side of things at Spanish Highs, and that's when I decided to join him. It's funny how things turned out and I became quite the office mountaineer! Little did I know at the time that the next 7 years would be filled with incredible experiences and surprises.
Being surrounded by some of Spain's most talented mountain guides has been a great helps in my journey. The knowledge and wisdom that they have shared with me has been very rewarding. Even to this day, they continue to surprise me with their expertise. I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to learn from them and grow in this field.
Venturing back into the mountains in all my spare time, starting with the beauty of the Peak District. With each excursion, my confidence grew and soon found myself longing to explore even more challenging routes in the Lakes, Wales, Highlands and the wilds of the Cairngorms. Those wild camping weekends were invigorating and quickly sparked a fire within me. Yearning to spend less time in the office and more time as a mountain leader. It was like a midlife epiphany! Realising that if I wanted to make this dream a reality, there was no better time than now. It was time to seize the moment and dive headfirst into this exciting new chapter of life!
And here we are, offering the opportunity to make a difference in someone's life, be it a little boost of confidence while exploring our hills, teaching navigation or being someones hiking partner for the day. There's something special about getting away from the hustle and bustle of urban life and seeing peoples' faces when we're hiking through the mountains and valleys, surrounded by the breathtaking and ever-changing scenery.
So on that note I will stop waffling on and look forward to seeing you in the mountains!
