Climber and Walker - a thousand routes with partners of average 2 pitches, many approachable yet full day mountains. A wild guess but I have been a consumate hobby climber making trips with many different partners to many venues. In the long run this also has also included people recently met, sharing of the broad appreciation of the art and pleasure in a climbing or hillwalking day out. This is quite natural really as you meet people who you did not ply the sport to as an automatic good aim. There are as many ways to enjoy the outdoors as there are people and you can do your own thing, enjoy the fresh air as well as take on the obvious long and difficult challenges.
Climbing instructor - 2 and half years full time over 4 sites and several years of other related work, for instance promoting walks and climbs from a hostel assistant job. With 4 full time months over 2 winters at a childrens climbing wall I have been responsible for supervising what I took on weekly in a company environment as the competent and friendly tutor. Sometimes too having the full responsibility for the whole climbing activity of each young client though not the charge of the business practice. I have experience and achievements balancing saftey aspects which are paramount in UK outdoor pursuits and in a European setting. I think a sense of accomplishment is the end result and not the aim which is method and awareness. I have shyed away from what I considered the fairground attraction variety of professional climbing but was perhaps erroneous. Nature and nuture have been at the heart of my belief that success and excitement is automatic. I was involved in the reasons to have activities for development alongside education in seasonal jobs. As a client, if you choose to go walking with me I get fully involved, knowing some tools for the outdoors is valuable and stretches expectations and aims. The environment is a natural thing but to be prepared makes new journeys using a map and compass personally plannable. Alot of outdoor activites like cycle and mountain trekking need to be done at the correct level for yoursel, this being worked out by training and preparation.
So, are you an aspiringhillwalker to mountaineer? - According to pacing yourself and choosing the right target for your walk you can achieve great goals and find amazing places. By knowing the weather or time as guides instead of limits I have gone to a year with many amazing 40 mile plus walks. If you accept carrying what you need on your back as a common practice, your days of choice will get you away from it and easily involved in the popularity of the tradition.
I am only the basic qualified UK mountain walking leader (summer). I have as a formal skill some winter training, but without alot of experience for more serious environments. Apart from the snow and ice risks with climbing and walking and much of that time out solo and getting back happily I have very good awareness of the mountain landscapes. Very practically prepared and rehearsed navigating and continual good practice carrying safety equipment to be independent. Skills with a map and compass and modern campcraft have rewarded me with the gift that valuable wilderness access the UK and elsewhere can bring. You can link between locations both wild and relatively untouched the most absurdly beautiful places.
Competences
Experienced with months alone in the UK living between campsites. Many long days across the mountains in Europe self supported with same sort of equipment (note 2). Training and preparation I can and will undertake. I am dedicated to having the correct ammount of both to enjoy these achieve goals by experience telling me the learning and practice was the key to the freedom.
