Alpine Exploratory's People

Simon Stevens

	Simon Stevens

Please email Simon at simon@alpineexploratory.com

Simon has many years' experience of walking, trekking and camping in the mountains. From the Lake District to the Highlands to the Alps, Simon's passion has always been to reach the summits and be out in the wilds.

Simon's time is partly spent in researching routes for our existing and new walking holidays. The planning takes time but is very rewarding - and scenic! Simon worked as an economist in London before making the move to the mountains. He is a member of the British Association of International Mountain Leaders (BAIML).

Ailsa Gibson

	Ailsa Gibson

Please email Ailsa at ailsa@alpineexploratory.com

Ailsa is an environmentalist and an experienced walker with trips to Iceland, France, Germany, Switzerland and Slovenia as well as much time spent walking in the Lake District and the Highlands.

Ailsa's environmental experience covers the fields of planning, conservation, local environmental quality and climate change, and includes a summer on the Isle of Skye while researching deer and forestry management for the John Muir Trust. Her expertise keeps us up to date with best environmental practice as we plan our trips.

Leaders

A leader is responsible for the group's safety and for the smooth and enjoyable running of the trip. They are the most important element of our guided walking holidays. Because of this, great care needs to be taken in choosing a leader. Crucial things are an empathy with other walkers, a passion for walking, and a natural confidence in the mountains borne from experience.

Professional leaders
Alpine Exploratory has maintained the principle from the beginning that leaders should be paid as professionals for operating as professionals. Leaders in the trekking industry are often volunteers or paid a token wage. In our opinion a professional approach is the best way to promote clients' enjoyment and ensure their safety.

Qualifications
When Alpine Exploratory began we took the decision that all our guided holidays would have an International Mountain Leader (IML) as a leader. The IML is one of two internationally recognised mountaineering qualifications, the other being the UIAGM Guide. Until early 2005 the IML was known as the European ML in the UK and the Accompagnateur in France. The IML is the professional qualification for leading trekking and mountain walking groups worldwide.

Alpine Exploratory's range of guided holidays is modest compared to its self-guided options. Simon Stevens aims to lead these guided trips where possible. We are lucky to be able to draw on the exceptionally wide range of talent in the British Association of International Mountain Leaders (BAIML) and it is possible that your guided trip will be led by another IML. This approach of using IMLs ensures the highest standards in leadership, safety and environmental appreciation for our clients.

The trend in the overseas walking and trekking industry is towards requiring leaders to have mountaineering qualifications, principally the IML award; however, the majority of walking holiday companies have traditionally used leaders who are amateurs with varying degrees of experience and usually with no mountaineering qualifications, and this continues to be the case. Alpine Exploratory's policy regarding the IML award puts it in a strong position for the future, when at some point it is likely that using qualified leaders will be a widespread legal obligation.

Guided and Self-Guided Holidays - see them all