I was first introduced to the outdoors when I completed the Bronze level of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. With low levels of fitness, a badly fitting rucksack, poor quality boots and compass skills learnt from the back of the packet, it was a trial!
I was hooked! I loved Exmoor and I was introduced to Dartmoor the following year. The Lake District (my first visit coincided with Chernobyl which deposited a vast quantity of nuclear infused rain on the Lakes that weekend), North Wales, Skye, the Cairngorms and Glen Nevis in pristine winter conditions soon followed.
Hillwalking was my first love, and probably still is. I needed to learn some rope skills to climb more difficult mountains (In Pinn was the target...) and so I was introduced to rock climbing. The network of like-minded people that I have met on my travels has broadened my outdoor activities to include Mountain Biking, skiing, caving, fell running, canoeing and even scuba diving.