About Lakes Outdoor Experience

Lakes Outdoor Experience is run by Iain Gallagher. Iain was born and brought up in the Lake District by parents who were very keen on the outdoors. He spent his early years living in what is now Helvellyn Youth Hostel above the village of Glenridding in the Ullswater Valley which his parents ran for the most part of the 1960's. Whilst there, he spent time at the nearby Ullswater Outward Bound School and down at the base of the then newly formed Patterdale Mountain Resue Team of which his father was a founder member. This was the beginning of a lifelong love affair with all things outdoors and the natural environment. This passion for the outdoors and nature continues to this day and is apparent in Iain's knowledge of the Lake District; there isn’t a single river, beck, climbing crag or mountain that he doesn’t know in the Lakes.

Childhood holidays were spent in areas such as the Cairngorms National Park, The Isle of Skye and The Outer Hebrides, amongst other remote and beautiful places. Since those early days, Iain has gone on to spend his life exploring the Lake District fells and also explore all over the world including the Alps, the Himalayas, Europe, Patagonia and New Zealand.

Climbing Experience

Iain has gone on to climb many Alpine peaks and has also climbed in the mountains of Central Spain, the Dolomites, North America, Nepal, Jordan, Slovenia and the Moroccan Atlas. His biggest undertaking, so far, has been climbing Aconcagua (6962m) in Argentina.

In the UK, Iain divides his time between the lakes, mountains and crags of the Lake District and North Wales. Winter means Scotland, on a climb in the Cairngorms or Ben Nevis and caving in North Yorkshire is good all year round. Iain also has over ten years experience of providing annual guided traverse trips of the rugged Cuillin mountains on the Isle of Skye.

Having worked in the Outdoors full time since 1992, Iain considers himself extremely lucky to be able to make a living doing something he really enjoys and finds inspirational, however, he also has serious regard for his work as the profession that it truly is! You will find that Iain applies this professionalism as well as passing on his inspiration and enthusiasm to you in every Outdoor Activity or Skills Training Course that he delivers; set against a background of considerable experience.

Outdoor Skills & Qualifications

Iain holds a Bachelor of Education Honours Degree in Environmental Studies & Outdoor Education as well as the following qualifications:

Mountaineering Instructors Award and Winter Mountain Walking Leader Award, NCA Level Two Cave Leader Award, BCU Level Two Kayak and Level Three Open Canoe Awards. He is also posesses an outdoor First Aid Qualification which is renewed every three years.

For 22 years Iain was also a member of the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team in the Ullswater Valley.

Lakes Outdoor Experience is underwritten by Activities Industry Mutual to a level of 5 Million GBP of Public Liability Insurance Cover.

Our instructors

Iain calls upon the services of a small team of associate instructors where assistance is needed. All of these instructors are seasoned professionals who have been working in the industry for a long time and they all share our enthusiasm for working in the outdoors and making sure you get the best possible experience when you book an adventure or Skills Training Course with Lakes Outdoor Experience. We believe in providing unforgettable adventures where you are able to discover and develop your abilities and achieve more than you thought possible; learning new skills whilst having fun in the great outdoors and staying safe. Our aim is to exceed expectations on every adventure; or skills training course that we run for our clients - at all times.

Iain hopes that you enjoy browsing the Lakes Outdoor Experience website and the many activities he offers. Have a look at the picture galleries showing pictures of clients on past courses to give you an idea of what we do and where we work. We can create tailor made outdoor activity courses for everyone from individual clients to large groups of people. You can choose to come and have a fun day out, learn or improve your skills on one of our mountain training courses or be guided up that classic rock climb you have heard about. You can view everything that Iain’s been doing with, or without clients, by visiting our Instagram or Facebook Pages

We look forward to hearing from you.

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