We love climbing! Between us we have climbed all over the world but we call the Peak District our home and our local knowledge aids us in finding the best training venues and climbs for all our clients whatever their ability. We love what we do and our passion for climbing shines out on every course we run. All our staff are qualified climbing instructors and coaches, trained and assessed by Mountain Training and most importantly, very psyched!
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Stuart James Honick
aka, StuStuart is the 'jack of all trades'. He has climbed some of the worlds largest mountains and rock faces, bouldered, sport and trad climbed his way all over the world. 'Bigger is always better' however there is no style he doesn't love and has climbed some of the Peak Districts most iconic (& most terrifying) routes. He holds the highest qualifications for climbing instruction and coaching in the UK and has been teaching others to climb for over 14 years.
Qualifications
MCI / WML / ML / Dev Coach / RCI / CWDI
List of achievements:
- E7 Trad
- Matterhorn
- Frendo Spur
- Sport Climb 7c
Favourite Route: Great North Road - Millstone
Memberships / Associations:
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Nick Bentley
aka, GMNick has been climbing pretty much all of his life. Introduced to climbing at a young age he caught the bug early on and has been climbing ever since. Knowing instructing was in his heart he studied a BA Hons in outdoor leadership to develop his skills as a coach and instructor. Having spent most of his career as a freelance instructor he has joined The Peak Climbing School as one of the permanent staff. He has climbed extensively throughout the UK & Europe and has years of knowledge and experience teaching others how to enjoy the outdoors and is almost unrivalled. Advenure sits within the heart of everything he does and is not only an accomplished climbing instructor / coach but also one within the world of Paddle Sports.
Qualifications
RCDI / ML / RCI / CWI
List of achievements:
- Trad E2 5c
- Boulder V6
Favourite Route: Diedro USBA, 200m HVS - Peñón de Ifach
Memberships / Associations:
Phill Sparks
aka, PhillPhill ‘the Orange one’ Sparks is an accomplished climber who has climbed widely across the UK. He has instructed professionally for nearly 10 years and has been climbing for even longer. Phill has a keen interest in the technical aspects of the sport and is rarely found without a piece of equipment in hand. His collection of belay devices is unrivalled and when asked ‘where do you see yourself in 5 years?’, his answer is consistently ‘climbing’.
Qualifications
RCDI (trainee) / RCI / CWDI / CWI / Foundation Coach
List of achievements:
- Trad - HVS 5b
- Boulder V6
- First Ascent of Valkyrie VS 4c in all Orange Clothing.
Favourite Route: Crows Nest VS 4c - Birchen Edge
Memberships / Associations:
Matt Shepherd
aka, ShepMatt learnt to climb in the quarries of Lancashire from the age of 15 and once he started he was hooked! He studied Geography at University but was never far away from the crags of the Peak District, or North Wales. His climbing skills may have been honed on the Grit, but is equally (and frustratingly for the rest of us) as good on any rock type in the world. Matt has climbed all over Europe and has been instructing others in his darks arts at the School for a while now.
Qualifications
MCI / RCI / ML
List of achievements:
- Multiple E7 Trad routes
- Alpine ED3
- Boulder 8a, V12
- Sport Climb 8a
Favourite Route: Art Noveau - Roaches Skyline
Memberships / Associations:
Freelance RCI 1
aka,Freelance MCI 1
aka, 1Freelance RCI 2
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Joe Cresswell
aka, JoeJoe started his journey into the outdoors at a climbing wall near to his home in the Midlands, before joining a local mountaineering club whose members took him under their wings. After spending many weekends climbing, scrambling and backpacking over the mountains and hills of North Wales, the Peak District and Scotland he ventured abroad to climb in Spain and the French Alps, backpack across Corsica and New Zealand and trek in Nepal. He then decided he wanted to share his passion and experience of the outdoors with others, leading him into a career as a Summer Mountain Leader, Rock Climbing Instructor and Wilderness First Responder which has enabled him to pass on his knowledge to a wide range of individuals and groups from all manner of backgrounds and ages. Joe is continually looking to develop himself to be able to give everyone he works with the highest level of instruction and best experience possible, whilst being safe and having fun in the mountains!
Qualifications
ML / RCI / CWDI (Trained)
List of achievements:
- Trad E2 5c
- Boulder V6
Favourite Route: Long Tall Sally
Memberships / Associations:
Shaun Stephens
aka, ShaunBeginning in his native Cumbria Shaun was on the fells and crags from his earliest days. Climbing his first bit of rock in Borrowdale around the age of 12 on Brown slabs. Since then he has climbed all over Britain and Ireland, the alps, Scandinavia, South America Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Nepal.
Shauns slotted right into the team with an ethos all about the pure enjoyment of being outside on the hill at anytime of year demonstrated by him putting up new routes/bouldering problems both in the UK and the Pyrenees he loves all aspects/disciplines of climbing.
Qualifications
ML / RCI / MCI (training)
List of achievements:
- Trad E4
- Sport 7c
- Boulder 7c+
Favourite Route: Little brown jug, Bosigran (even though its not in the lakes)
Memberships / Associations: