Our Staff

Qualified, experienced, expert instructors, who know the place like the back of their hand!

 

Guy | Founder

Guy is an experienced outdoor enthusiast spending all of his free time in the mountains. He has climbed and skied all over the world including the Alps, Greenland, Alaska, New Zealand, USA and Himalayas - including several first ascents in the Greater Ranges. He currently splits his time between the Alps and Sheffield. When not developing Pure Outdoor and The Pure Outdoor Foundation, Guy gets out most days, climbing, running, biking and skiing. He holds the Winter ML qualification and is a qualified Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor.

 

Jennifer | Finance

After a decade skiing and playing in the Alps, Jen returned to Sheffield and the Peak District where she now looks after the finances at Pure Outdoor. When she's not in the office chasing staff, Jen can be found chasing after the kids, finding adventures in the local woods and hills.

 

Gavin | Senior Instructor & Operations

Gavin believes that climbing holds the answer to many of life’s problems and is passionate about sharing his enthusiasm. He is at his happiest moving over rock in some quiet, undiscovered corner of the Peak District which is why, in addition to climbing, he teaches navigation skills year-round. In his role of Head of Operations, Gavin is often the first point of contact with Pure Outdoor and is generally believed to be unfailingly cheerful. However, he is not a morning person and it is wise to avoid him until after the first coffee of the day!

 

Oli | Senior Instructor & Climbing Wall

Oli is an experienced mountaineer. If he is not outside burning through his abundant energy, he is probably grumpy and best avoided. He has climbed in the USA, the Alps, Russia and Scandinavia. He regularly thinks nothing of a weekend blast south to the boulders of Fontainebleau. Having qualified as a teacher in 2008 he has a strong experience in developing and delivering quality courses and experiences. He instructs climbing and navigation throughout the year. His original background in engineering has underpinned the development of our own climbing wall at the Adventure Hub.

 

Stephen | Senior Instructor

An experienced mountain skills coach, road cycling guide, caver, climber and fell runner, Stephen instructs navigation and mountain skills year round and has led countless mountain challenges and expeditions throughout the UK and Europe. Always cheerful in the face of adversity, and with a taste for the epic, Stephen achieved a long-held ambition by completing the Bob Graham Round in June 2015 - loving every minute of it!

 

Charlie | Associate Instructor

Charlie has been an active and passionate climber and mountaineer for 17 years. In this time he's pursued all the different disciplines climbing has to offer, from ice climbing in the arctic circle, to adventurous traditional climbing in the middle east. And of course climbing extensively around the great British isles! Having completed a degree in Outdoor studies and Sport science, he qualified as a Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor (MCI), and now delivers a whole host of courses for Pure outdoor, from intro nav courses, through to self rescue courses for climbers.

 

Joe | Associate Instructor

Joe started climbing in 1990 and is a familiar face on the Peak District scene. A qualified teacher with 16 years experience, he spends most of the winter teaching in schools and the rest of the year working as a freelance instructor. Joe lives in Sheffield with his mad lurcher Billy

 

Emma | Associate Instructor

"Hello my name is Emma and I am an Associate Instructor here at Pure Outdoor. I am a Summer Mountain Leader and Course Director for the National Navigation Award Scheme (NNAS). I deliver navigation courses at Bronze, Silver and Gold Level. I am a qualified mental health first aider and I do a lot of work to support people to access the outdoors for wellbeing and recovery. I also mentor and coach trainees working towards their recognised outdoor qualifications. I love wild camping, exploring remote areas and wandering off the beaten path."

 

Ben | Associate Instructor

"Hi, I'm Ben - I absolutely love the outdoors and Rock climbing in particular. I have been working in the outdoor industry for the last 14 years and hold the Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor Award. I enjoy all types of climbing but Traditional climbing is still my favourite discipline with Gritstone and British Sea cliffs being particular favourite places to climb!"

 

Ruth | Associate Instructor

"I got into climbing through childhood holidays spent in North Wales and the Lakes. I have lived, worked and climbed in France, Spain and South America before settling in the Peak District. When I am not working in the outdoors I am outdoors running and climbing in my local area. I am BWY Yoga trained as well as holding the RCI and FRA qualifications, so I like to concentrate on the mental aspect of climbing as much as the physical. If I am outdoors, whatever the weather, I am happy!"

 

Phil | Associate Instructor

Phils' love of the outdoors and climbing started in the hills of Lancashire and Cumbria where he was brought up, before progressing on to Ice climbing in the Scottish hills and Norway, mountaineering and skiing in the Alps, Arctic and Himalayas and finally a love of big walling in Yosemite and rock climbing in the American desert. In a previous life he used to work at Glenmore Lodge and Plas y Brenin National Centres. He is a fully qualified IFMGA Guide and loves nothing better than climbing on the Gritstone edges in the Peak District where he now lives.

 

Jack | Associate Instructor

"Hi I’m Jack, my favourite place in the world to be is in the mountains either enjoying the feel of moving fast over dry summer rock or taking them in over the winter months. I love being able to work in the best office in the world and having the chance to be able to ignite other people’s passion for the outside world and give them the skills to enjoy them safely. I spend most of my free time either running or climbing in the mountains in the UK or around the world to feed my love for the outside world."

 

John | Associate Instructor

"Hi, I got introduced to all things outdoors through the Boys Brigade in N Ireland during the Troubles, and now live in Sheffield, the undiscovered gem of Yorkshire. I am a WMCI and AMI member. I have been working as a freelance AALS inspector for the North of England for the last five years."

 

Rachael | Associate Instructor

Rachael is an associate instructor at Pure Outdoor. Having graduated with a degree in Outdoor Education, qualifying as an RCI and ML(S), she is often found around the UK, from Southern sea cliffs to climbing Scottish winter routes. "I'm happy whatever the weather and my passion is sharing my knowledge and love of the outdoors!"

 

Neil | Associate Instructor

"I've been enjoying the wonders of traditional and sport climbing since the 80's. Moving to Sheffield in 87' to have all the fantastic outdoor activities of the Peak on my doorstep. I've climbed in Europe, USA and Australia, though my favourite areas are the grit of Derbyshire and Yorkshire, sea cliffs of Pembroke and mountain crags of Wales and the Lakes. Being able to pass on my experience to others is just marvellous"

* Neil fails to mention that when he's not being the stunt double for Matt Damon in 'Bourne Identity', he made the first of ascent of one of the world's hardest trad route of it's time, Equlibrium, E10 7a at Burbage!

 

Sam | Associate Instructor

"Hello my name is Sam, I am a super enthusiastic climber and mountaineer. I am equally as passionate teaching others to climb and there is no better place for it than the Peak District. I have climbed extensively in the UK in Summer and Winter and have been lucky enough to spend many years climbing and skiing in the Alps. When not working I am usually finding some dry rocks to climb. I especially enjoy the challenges of adventurous sea cliff climbs but when the British mountains are dry there is not a better a place to be!"

 

Pete M | Associate Instructor

Pete is a Mountain Bike Guide with over 16 years experience of working in the Outdoor Industry. With experiences stretching from Scotland to Nepal and Lesotho to Patagonia and cycling from the UK to New Zealand with his wife Alice as their honeymoon... Pete has an infectious enthusiasm for getting out and having adventures and even more so for inspiring and facilitating others to do the same. With an approach that couples his extensive experience, knowledge and skill-set with a down-to-earth pragmatism and humility; he firmly believes that the best way to inspire others through adventure.

 

Pete S | Associate Instructor

"I have been climbing and mountaineering since 2008, which has taken me all over the world on adventures to USA, Thailand and all over Europe. I love all aspects of the sport whether it be the mental and physical challenge, the amazing places it can take you or meeting fantastic likeminded people. I am a holder of the Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor Award. This enables me to pass my passion of climbing to others, so they can enjoy the adventure and challenge just as much as I do"

 

Tim | Associate Instructor

Tim has been teaching rock climbing for over 20 years. From absolute beginners to experienced climbers looking to improve, Tim has worked with them all. Mountaineering is a passion that has led him around the world both professionally and in his free time. Highlights include Patagonia, The Andes, the Nepalese Himalaya, The Atlas mountains, North America, much of Europe and the UK.

Tomo | Associate Instructor

A retired Army Officer that’s been wandering the trails, crags and mountains of the world for 30 years and leading folk on them for 20. A passionate environmentalist, with an inability to sit still, he runs the local branch of CPRE, is a volunteer countryside warden, takes quite a few pictures, and owns far too much outdoor gear. A long time ago he spent many months living in Millican Daltons cave in Borrowdale. He’s usually somewhere doing something all the time.

Adam | Associate Instructor

I'm Adam and love cycling of any type, I have been riding the Peak District trails and beyond for over 30 years, since I fell in love with MTB in the 1980s. I live in Sheffield and I'm happiest on my bike or helping clients develop their MTB skills and knowledge on the fantastic loops on Pure Outdoors doorstep. I'm a qualified British Cycling MTB Coach and Leader as well as a Cytech mechanic

Chris | Associate Instructor

Chris started climbing, caving and boating as a participant over 25 years ago whilst working with the Youth Service. Having an insanely contagious interest in the outdoors he decided to qualify as an instructor to share the joy and excitement.