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About paul

PictureSolo summiting of Barre des Ecrins 4103m
About me
I was born and grew up in Enniskillen, N. Ireland moving to Edinburgh at the age of 18 to do a bachelor degree in Business Studies which I graduated with honours four years later. Whilst on this course I had a very brief spell working in the financial services sector as part of a sandwich placement which I cut short and returned to a regular 3rd year, quickly confirming that office work was not for me. I started a small business delivering draught beer services as a means of escaping an office bound fate and providing some 'perks of the job' at the same time.

After completing the Bachelors degree I embarked on a Masters degree in International Event and Festival Management and worked in numerous festivals and events following my graduation, whilst this was enjoyable I was still running my business part time. I started getting out into the outdoors, mainly hill walking and really enjoyed it so my career direction took another turn. 

Over the next few years I was to return to education a couple of times to participate in more vocational based outdoor leadership and adventure courses in Perth and Fort William respectively, gaining invaluable experience and importantly professional qualifications. I have also been involved with the Air Cadet youth organisation as a cadet myself in my youth and as a volunteer instructor for a number of years, where I taught and delivered adventure training experiences and the DofE award scheme to cadets.

In 2014/15 I was a member of the Glenmore Lodge Instructor Development Scheme team aka 'Nightwatch', which is a much coveted position in the outdoors with unrivalled access to courses and some of the best instructors in the UK, living and working in the National Outdoor Centre in the heart of the Cairngorms. Since then I have been working with a number of local authorities 
delivering their residential outdoor education programmes, freelancing with a number of other high quality private sector outdoor providers, whilst I have been increasingly been moving into guiding clients around the best of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland on foot, boat and bike.

As a self-confessed 'eternal student' I am always keen to learn and develop myself personally and professionally and below is a list of my current outdoors qualifications and training to date, however I see it as a 'work in progress' as there is always more to learn. With a solid range of qualifications in all of the disciplines I am interested in; I have switched focus from 'ticket chasing' (as the quest for outdoor qualifications is referred to), to developing the depth and breadth of knowledge of the natural cultural and historical environments I work in to enhance others time there to enable me to interpret the landscapes we traverse.

I love to travel and have increasingly been indulging this passion, typically spend a couple of months travelling the mountainous regions in Europe in my campervan and a further afield trip each year to more exotic locations. I have been lucky to have undertaken some amazing expeditions to Norway, India, Tanzania & Kenya, Morocco and Nepal amongst others, but the Alps remains a strong draw year after year.

I would describe myself as a mountaineer at heart, but I would find it really difficult to choose between any of the outdoor sports as they bring different things to the table. They all offer the possibility of the perfect day given the right people, conditions and location. A picture is worth a thousand words, so I have some images of me doing the things that make me get up in the morning at the bottom of the page.

Outdoor Qualifications & Awards
  • International Mountain Leader
  • Winter Mountain Leader
  • Summer Mountain Leader
  • Basic Expedition Leader (Level 3)
  • Alpine Ski Leader
  • Single Pitch Award (now Rock Climbing Instructor)
  • Climbing Wall Award (inc. Abseil) (now Climbing Wall Instructor)
  • Mountain Bike Leader
  • Velotech Gold Bike Mechanic
  • GNAS Archery Leader/Archery GB Instructor
  • Rescue3 Swift Water and Flood Rescue Technician
  • UKCC Level 2 Paddlesport Coach (2* Provider)
  • Open Canoe Coach (Moderate Water Endorsed)
  • Sea Kayak Coach (Moderate Water Endorsed)
  • Open Canoe Leader
  • Sea Kayak Leader
  • 3* White Water Kayak
  • Gold Level DofE Expedition Assessor
  • Outdoor First Aid
National Governing Body and Technical Training Courses
  • ​MTB Leader Level 3 Mountain Bike training
  • UKCC Level 3 Open Canoe Coach training
  • Advanced Sea Kayak Leader training
  • Advanced Open Canoe Leader training
  • White Water Kayak Leader training
  • Coastal Water Navigation and Tidal Planning
  • Open Water Navigation and Tidal Planning
  • Foundation Safety and Rescue Provider training
  • White Water Safety & Rescue
  • Strength and Conditioning for Outdoor Sports
  • Bushcraft training​
Guiding and Interpretation CPD training
  • Literature in the landscape
  • Jacobite history
  • Woodland interpretation
  • Mountain interpretation
  • Coastal interpretation
  • Interpreting the Geology of Scotland
  • Leave No Trace training

Quality instruction and guiding since 2012
Working in the sublime Scottish highlands and islands, we offer a variety of high quality hill, mountain, climbing and wilderness focused adventurous activities and training throughout Scotland.

UIMLA Union of International Mountain Leader Associations
Mountain Training
Scottish Canoe Association
Scottish Cycling
Snowsport Scotland
Leave No Trace
Click here for our Terms of Business
© Copyright 2012-2020
  • Home
  • Summer
    • Summer Private Guiding
    • Mountain Days >
      • Ben Nevis Guided Walking
    • Navigation Training
    • Duke of Edinburgh
    • Indoor Rock Climbing
    • Outdoor Rock Climbing
    • Wild Camping Expeditions
  • Winter
    • Winter Private Guiding
    • Mountain Days >
      • Ben Nevis Guided Winter Walking
      • Glencoe Guided Winter Walking
      • Nevis Guided Winter Walking
    • Winter Skills >
      • Glencoe Winter Skills (Chairlift Access)
      • Nevis Winter Skills (Gondola Access)
    • Winter Walking Kit List
  • Other Training
    • Recognised Navigation Awards
    • Bespoke Training
    • Challenge Events
  • About Us
    • Uncharted Adventures
    • UA Blog
    • About Paul >
      • About Paul
      • Freelance Work
      • Overseas Expeditions
    • Terms of Business
  • Contact Us
  • Book Online Now!
  • Covid-19 - Client Information
  • Uncharted Cycle Repairs
    • Book your bike in
    • How we work
    • Regular service menu
    • Typical Repair Menu
    • Contact us
    • About us
    • Find Us