Phil

Phil is our founder, owner and the brain behind Chasing Peaks. Hill Walking since the '90s (read: since he could walk) and climbing for almost as long he has amassed a wide range of experience growing up in the lower Alps. Since moving to the UK in 2009 he has built an ever increasing repertoire of qualifications despite living in one of the least mountainous parts of the country.

He currently holds the Summer Mountain Leader (MLS), Rock Climbing Instructor (RCI) and Climbing Wall Development Instructor (CWDI) awards, allowing him to lead people on non-technical and non-wintry walks, hikes, expeditions and scrambles anywhere in the lowlands, moorlands, uplands and mountains of Britain and Ireland. As a qualified climbing instructor he teaches the full spectrum of indoor climbing skills, including lead climbing, and introduces people to climbing on real rock outdoors. Phil also provides basic coaching in climbing movement and technique up to intermediate level.
Aside from the outdoors, Phil enjoys good beer, good food and good company while also occasionally writing about all things outdoors in his blog.

Phil is also a qualified first aid trainer and constantly expanding his repertoire of qualifications and experience, which will eventually lead him to obtain the Winter Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor (WMCI) and International Mountain Leader (IML) awards alongside a multitude of other activity qualifications. Once achieved this will place him among the ranks of some of the most qualified instructors in the country, allowing him to provide the full breadth of mountaineering activities in the UK and indeed most of the world. However, due to the specialised nature of these awards it is difficult to predict when he will have achieved these fully.

In his current working life Phil is a geospatial professional by trade. The unique combination of the outdoors and geo data has led him to offer his expertise and skills to other outdoor instructors and companies. Whether you are looking to create your own bespoke maps or would like us to do so, take a look at our mapping outlet Chasing Maps for more details on this.

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What do our difficulty values mean?
	Suitable for beginners with little or no previous knowledge and experience. For walking activities you should be able to walk at a slow to average pace continuously for 30 minutes.
	Suitable for intermediates with basic knowledge and previous experience. Walking participants should be able to walk at an average pace continuously for 1 hour. Climbing participants should be able to pass a belay test and/or demonstrate good bouldering practice.
	Suitable for those competent at and comfortable with the basics of the activity. Walking participants should be able to walk at an average pace and ascent rate continuously for 1 hour. For mountain activities, you should be a little sure-footed and not hugely afraid of heights, as activities may include short sections of exposure and steep ground. Climbing participants should be able to comfortably and competently top-rope grade 5 climbs or boulder the equivalent.
	Suitable for experienced participants with above average fitness and knowledge. Walking participants are expected to be able to walk at an average pace and rate of ascent continuously for 1 hour over broken terrain. For mountain activities you are expected to be sure-footed, have a moderate head for heights and be happy with longer stretches of moderate exposure. Climbing participants are expected to competently lead climb/belay and climb grade 5 indoors (or the equivalent boulder grade).
	Suitable for very experienced participants with high degrees of fitness and above average knowledge of the basics. Walking participants are expected to be able to walk to Naismith's rule (3-4km/hr + 1min/10m ascent) steadily for long periods of time over broken and complex terrain. For mountain activities you are expected to have a good sense of balance, be sure-footed and happy with long stretches of, at times severe, exposure. Participants are expected to show high levels of competence and self-sufficiency in their disciplines.

Our current private course price list:
For the prices listed here, we deliver a private booking just for you, on your chosen date and time. Where practical we will deliver the booking in your chosen location, though any areas outside of our usual operational areas may incur extra travel costs. We will let you know should this be the case. You will receive a full breakdown of costs with your quote.
Scrambling	£180 for the first 2 participants, £45 for each additional participant	A significant portion of the day is spent scrambling in complex, rocky and steep terrain.
Mountain Walk	£180 for the first 4 participants, £45 for each additional participant	Most of the day is spent walking in the mountains, though short sections of scrambling and steep terrain may be encountered.
Hill Walking	£170 for the first 4 participants, £25 for each additional participant	Days involving no possibility of scrambling and encountering rocky or steep terrain.
Lowland Walking	£160 for the first 6 participants, £20 for each additional participant
Beginner Navigation	£390 for the first 4 participants, £75 for each additional participant	2 days learning the fundamentals of navigating with map and compass.
Intermediate Navigation	£410 for the first 4 participants, £100 for each additional participant	2 days intermediate navigation, learning to navigate off path and across open countryside.
Advanced Navigation	£360 for the first 2 participants, £120 for each additional participant	2 day advanced navigation course learning to navigate in mountaineous terrain and remote countryside.