About us

Our team of qualified mountain guides and leaders

After spending 20 years in the mountains of Scotland and elsewhere, Steven decided share his outdoor passion and began leading groups into his beloved hills. Our business was set up in 2007, and now, with a team of friendly freelance guides and instructors, we can take you on weekend hillwalks, technical mountain scrambles, navigation courses, and all-inclusive packages to beautiful remote corners of the country.

The people you see here all hold as a minimum the Mountain Leader Qualification and all are registered with the relevant Mountain Training Associations schemes. All are qualified to lead in summer and winter. In addition to mountain leading, some of our freelance team also have their Single Pitch Award, International Mountain Leader, Trail Bike Leader and Mountain Instructor Award qualifications. All of our team hold appropriate insurance to cover the activity they are leading and are freelance, some with their own business working here in the UK or abroad.

Steven Fallon

Likes : Downhill scree running, brocken spectres
Dislikes : People who don't say hello on the hills, midges

Steven has been hill-walking for over 20 years in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK and Europe. In 2003 he 'compleated' his 11th Munro round (all the peaks in Scotland over 3,000ft - there are currently 282), therefore taking the record for the most rounds. By 2019 this passion for the peaks had seen him tick off 16 Munro rounds and in 2013 he finally got around to compleating his Corbetts (hills in Scotland 2500-3000ft).

In 2006 he took up hill-racing, competing with others who love the challenge of running the hills. This led not only to winning several races and mountain marathons outright, but also to writing the Pocket Mountain's guide book "Classic Hill Runs and Races in Scotland".

Steven is summer and winter ML qualified and carries out all the back-office admin and events' organisation. You'll occasionally find him on a guided events when help is needed !

Richard Kermode

Likes : Natural world, wild camping, mountain biking, whisky
Dislikes : Pollution, cooked mushrooms, punctures !

Richard has been hillwalking and exploring wild places in the Scottish Highlands for over 20 years. It was an interest in mountains and the natural world that lead him to study Geology and Physical Geography before becoming a hillwalking guide.

Qualified to Winter and International Mountain Leader standard, Richard is now working towards his Mountain Bike Leader qualifications. Most of his time is spent outdoors and loves taking people on adventures whether its a multi-day journey through wild mountains or an easier walk looking for wildlife.

Richard also works with youth groups and has lead expeditions in the UK, Africa, South America and India, but his favourite place is the Northwest Highlands of Scotland or everything west of the Moine Thrust! He is often found relaxing in wild and beautiful places with a book.

Alistair Ewen

Likes : Beach-combing, running in the hills
Dislikes : Bulldozed estate tracks and dehydrated food

Al Ewen has been exploring the mountains and wild places of Scotland for 25 years. Having grown up in Shetland and Orkney he's a keen fan of Scottish islands and northern parts of Scandinavia like Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Svalbard where he first began working as a mountain leader in 1993.

Al is a qualified as a Mountain Leader to Summer, Winter and International standard.

Al is also a hill runner competing in races across Scotland, his favourite race being the Ben Venue Hill Race which takes place in October.

John Walker

Likes : Climbing long mountain routes, the Alps, touring on his motorbike
Dislikes : Melons, cotton wool, cold hands

After many years touring through mountainous regions on his motorbike, John thought it would be even better to get among them, so he and his wife Tracey bought walking boots in Chamonix 20 years ago, and was immediately hooked.

The intervening years has seen a round-and-a-half of the Munros, the achievement of the Summer and Winter Mountain Leader Awards, walking and climbing trips all over the UK, the Alps, Pyrenees, Dolomites, Sierra Nevada, Carpathians and Africa.

John is particularly passionate about the Scottish mountains, and enjoys taking people to new places and helping them to share the experiences that fire him.

When not in the hills, he enjoys cycling, motorcycling and the odd dram !

Ken Applegate

Likes : moving fast in the Alps, Scottish winter climbing, warm rock climbing
Dislikes : crowds, rain and long drives (of which he does far too many!)

Ken has spent more than 10 years climbing, trekking and ski touring throughout the UK, Europe and further afield. He's as happy bouldering on the sandstone boulders of Fontainbleau, France as he is climbing a committing and technical route in the Alps or guiding a classic ice climb on the North Face of Ben Nevis.

As an independent team, Ken and his then partner, summited the majestic AmaDablam 6,856m, in Nepal in Nov 2014.

Ken holds the Mountaineering Instructor Certificate and the International Mountain Leader and lives in Fort William with Hannah. They also spend part of the year guiding in the Spanish Pyrenees.

Ken leads our Skye Cuillin Munros events which take place in May and September.

David Buckett

Likes : mountaineering, tea and rugby
Dislikes : midges and people climbing above me in winter

David moved up to scotland about 10 years ago after studying geography at Portsmouth. Now a qualified winter mountain leader and with the mountain instructor award, he has spent his time, climbing, scrambing, walking and running around the mountains of Scotland ever since.

David has a keen interest in the geology and botany of the Highlands and is keen to learn new plants and get stuck into the rock.

David has climbed and walked in France, Spain, Turkey, Indonesia, Tanzania and Ladakh including Mt Kimanjaro, Mt Blanc and Stok Kangri.

He considers the mountains his natural habitat !

Andy Cloquet

Likes : Andy and his shadow are Gemini and because he likes food he often eats for two !

Andy's father was an Alpine photographer in the 1950's and an uncle was an Multi-Activity Instructor in North Wales. At school two superb teachers nurtured his love of outdoor pursuits by taking small groups onto Dartmoor in late winter, living under (real) canvas whilst climbing and walking (without adults) across the bleak moors. The legacy of his early years continues.

Andy's early steps in the Outdoor industry were on Drake's Island last Century where he learnt his trade through some eye-watering experiences. For the past 25 years he's been a teacher of English in Scotland and freelance MIC. He's a former Training Officer in Mountain Rescue Scotland (currently, he just tries to do as he's told): he has climbed throughout the Western Alps & now enjoys working with Steven and other similarly excellent companies in the World's most beautiful classroom: our great outdoors.

John King

Likes : Ridge walking, a good single malt
Dislikes : Midges, loose rock, industrial developments in the hills

Growing up in and around Glasgow, John first developed his love of the outdoors at an early age in the Southern Highlands. Since then he has taken every opportunity to get out into the hills, exploring many of the wilder and more remote corners of the Highlands, in all seasons, and has built up an intimate knowledge of the Scottish hills and glens as well as a keen interest in the ecology, geology and history of the natural environment.

He completed the Munros in 2013 (and is currently well on his way to a second round), has visited many Corbetts and Grahams, and in recent years has also explored many of the UK's other significant peaks. John also enjoys getting his hands on rock and has completed many of the UK's classic scrambles and is a keen rock climber.

John is passionate about passing on his knowledge and skills, and sharing his enthusiasm for the hills with others. This led him to qualify as a Summer ML in May 2014. Since then he has gained the SPA award and completed his Winter ML Assessment in January 2018.

Christine Menhennet

Likes : Airy mountain ridges, mountain flowers and a good scone.
Dislikes : Litter on the hill, passwords and dry scones

Christine grew up walking in the Lake District hills and then discovered Scotland! She enjoyed several decades of being a successful, competitive mountain runner and now, after 40 plus years of enjoying the hills of Scotland and elsewhere both running and walking, wants to share her passion and knowledge with others.

Having trekked extensively in Peru, Bolivia, Nepal, Corsica and the Pyrenees, she loves 'stravaiging'! Christine is a qualified Mountain Leader (Summer) and is currently working towards her Winter qualification.

Christine also sails on the West Coast of Scotland, but when not away in wild places of sea and summit, loves gardening both at home and in her local village of Old Kilpatrick.

Will Manners

Likes : Combining perfect conditions in the hills - with being there! Going light!
Dislikes : Traffic, crowds and wind turbines

Will has been involved in adventures through work and play for all his working life (35 years - gulp!). Coming from the south provided the opportunity to go north or south in order to climb and ski in the Alps as well as extensively in the UK. 17 years in the Army helped developed the passion further as did running outdoor centres for the military in both North Wales and Glencoe.

Will is at home walking, running, biking, skiing and climbing in the Highlands and further afield; there is obviously too much to do. Will has travelled; climbed / trekked / skied extensively in places including North and South America, Africa, Nepal, Norway, the Alps and South Georgia (the one in the south!). Add to that a passion for Ironman triathlon and hill running life is busy!

Will holds the Mountain Instructor's Certificate, is an International Mountain Leader, a Mountain Bike Leader, Nordic Ski Instructor and First Aid Trainer.

John Hepburn

Likes : Sunny days on the hills, biking with coffee stops
Dislikes : Midgies, no coffee stops

In his very early twenties, John saw an ad in the SYHA magazine which offered a weeks introduction to rock climbing on Skye. Turned out that May Skye was still in the grip of winter. With ice axe and crampons, onto the Cullin ridge the group went and John immmediately got the bug!

Since moving to Fort William in the late-eighties, John quickly learned he could combine his love for running and the mountains. He has competed in hill races in the UK and abroad, and was lucky enough to represent Scotland, racing in the Alps and a World Trophy event.

John has walked extensively throughout Scotland and further afield, including the Tour of Mont Blanc, the Haute route, Stubi Alps and trekking and climbing in the Dolomites.

Whether it's a short walk in Glen Nevis soaking up the views and learning about the local geology, plant and wildlife, or a big day on the Mamores, John loves sharing stories and having fun!

John also enjoys biking, is Summer Mountain Leader qualified and a member of the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team.