As I have alluded to above its not necessarily individual climbs that stand out when I think back over my climbing career, but rather a bivi shared with a friend, a conversation spent on a summit, seeing the happiness in a friends frosty face or lying in the grass at the top of a crag when I should have been in school. But 5 climbs that stand out for these reasons are:

Mongoose Direct VIII 8 Sgurr Mhic Choinnich, Isle of Skye

A very sustained and high quality 6 pitch winter route on a wild and remote cliff. This is the best of many great first winter ascents I’ve climbed with my good friend Jamie and an overall magical day.

The Phantom Line, Jugal Spire 6563m

An unforgettable 5 days spent hanging off the most impressive mountain face I’ve even set eyes on with my childhood hero. An experience that will last with me forever.

The North Ridge of the Piz Badile

One of the best ridges in the alps, 800m of perfect V.Diff rock all to ourselves with my girlfriend Beth.

American Direct, Les Drus

An amazing day of climbing as fast and light as we could, moving together for most of the route with my good friend Matt. It took us 10hrs from our bivi to the summit of the Grand Dru and we made it down to the Charpoua refuge in time for dinner.

Traverse of the Meije from the Promontoire, Ecrins

Climbed on our final guide assessment with my two mates Polly and Dan who made the 3 years of guide scheme a lot of fun and we were all hugely supportive of each other. We spent the car journey there and back reminiscing about all the good times from our time on the scheme. A few days later we all past and became fully qualified mountain guides together.

1. A kindle has been a big game changer for me for expeditions and time in alpine huts. There’s been days when I’ve spent 14hrs lying in a tent reading it.
2. A camera. I like to capture the special moments and usually carry a camera with me on any climbs I do.
3. A paper map. I didn’t always used to carry one when I was younger and have been caught out more than once when my phone has died. most memorable being on the cairngorm plateau in a blizzard at 2am and with winds strong enough that we couldn’t stand upright.
4. Nomic Ice axes. I’ve owned a pair for the past 10 years and anything else would just feel wrong now.
5. Mountain Equipment G2 pants. The first bit of free kit I ever got and I have used them on everything from new Scottish winter routes, virgin Himalayan peaks and alpine summits.