Qualifications:

  • International Mountain Leader
  • Summer Mountain Leader 
  • Winter Mountain Leader trained
  • Rock Climbing Instructor
  • BCU Level 2 Coach
  • Dofe Assessor
  • WEMSI Wilderness First Responder
  • Mental Health first aid 
  • ILM L5 Certificate in Leadership and Management

How did your career in the outdoors start?

I grew up in Germany and spent quite a bit of time walking and skiing in Switzerland when I was younger.

After a trip to Southern Africa in 2000, I started to think what else I could do in my life; at that point I was a qualified Social worker, working with adults with mental disabilities in a residential setting. Therefore, the next thing I ended up doing, whilst still working in my former job was a Postgraduate Certificate in Adventure and Experiential Paedagogy. After that I realized that I would like to work in the Outdoors, but needed to develop more skills and gain more (also personal) experience in order to be able to do it safely and well. That brought me to Australia in 2004, to do a Certificate IV in Outdoor Recreation in Cairns in 2005. After that I started my first job in the Outdoors, as a Group Leader for the Outdoor Education Group in Victoria, from the start of 2006 to the end of 2007. I have been working in the Outdoors since, back in Germany and Austria in between and based in the UK since 2011.


What's been your most memorable outdoor experience?

My favourite moments are being in the mountains, either being at the highest camp of a trek at higher altitude, for example the base camp for Pico Austria (which we walked up to) and Condiriri (which we could also see from there) in Bolivia. But also just being out in the mountains, especially in winter, when there is snow and the air is really crisp.


What's your one piece of 'can't do without' kit?

My woolen hat. I basically live in it when outside most of the times, unless it is really warm, when it gets swapped with a sun hat. :-)


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