Adventure Skills Workshop in The Peak District

Our local guide Ian Finch was friendly, exceptional and professional in the way he was delivering the course and interacting with us. The group dynamics was also very good and supportive.

Had a fantastic couple of days in the Peaks, learnt a lot, and will be putting them into practice over the coming months, highly recommended. Ian is a great communicator and his passion for the great outdoors, whether it’s deep in the Amazon or a country walk through Epping Forest shines through.

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The Peak District adventure workshop is an amazing little adventure to do over a weekend. Ian Finch was an absolutely brilliant host and knows his adventure craft well. I really enjoyed the hikes and the beautiful views and loved learning about navigation, how to put up a tent and what kit to take on different hiking trips. I really liked the photography part of the trip as well. I would definitely recommend this workshop to other beginner adventurers like me 😊

Ian was welcoming, friendly, very experienced and an excellent guide for the weekend. The content was exactly as described and very useful indeed. The trip was sustainable, the group dynamics excellent and even in suddenly changing extreme weather conditions with difficult terrain you always felt safe and looked after by Ian. I would not change anything about the trip. Highly recommend!

Great trip, great host. It’s not a complete go/go/go until you drop. Nice balance of education/ skills and hiking. Returned to genpop energised and refreshed!!

This is an inspiring, informative and, most importantly, fun weekend. The accommodation has an 'Upmarket Youth Hostel' vibe. The food is healthy and hearty. The course is a perfect balance of theory and practice - you learn how to plan your dream adventure and then get hands-on with expedition kit before heading out on two hikes to hone your navigation and photography skills.

But what really makes this a memorable 48 hours is Ian, the guide/host. He has tonnes of hard-won experience and great adventure insights, which he shares with infectious enthusiasm. Plus, he throws in lots of truly thoughtful touches - From Brownies and wine when you first arrive through to badges when you leave.

This is a great trip for ANYONE who loves the great outdoors and wants to learn more.

Great experience, learned loads and gained confidence

I really enjoyed the trip, Ian was very friendly and knowledgeable, and was able to answer any questions we put to him.

I particularly enjoyed the hiking and navigation exercise we did on the peaks, but all the aspects of the weekend were incredibly useful in giving a holistic view on how to get the most out of a planned trip.

The food was delicious and plentiful, and the accommodation was warm and cosy. I would recommend this to anyone who has an idea of a dream trip, but wants the knowledge and skills to turn that dream into reality!

Very knowledgeable guide. Cozy bunkhouse. Beautiful landscapes. I had a great time and learned a lot!

Fabulous setting and learnt a lot from Ian who was a great leader too.

This was a fantastic trip, whether you are a regular adventurer looking to improve skills and confidence, or completely new to getting outdoors, this is the trip for you! Ian and Jamie are great guides, their passion for adventures is clear and they have a wealth of experience between them, with some incredible stories to share! Set in the beautiful Peak District, with comfortable accommodation, it was the perfect place to spend the weekend learning new skills, getting outdoors and meeting new people.

The trip was much more then I expected it to be, it was phenomenal. I have always wanted to try mountain climbing, camping and hiking, but everyone I know kept on putting me off. This trip has opened my mind and I honestly feel liberated. I have learned some great skills and it’s given me the confidence to book trips with likeminded people. Ian and Jamie were informative, knowledgeable, helpful and fun. Can’t wait for our next trip, wild camping with the same team!

The trip was absolutely brilliant , i've done the Isle of Rum Expedition, Sea Kayaking and few others. I have a good amount of wild camping and peaks under my belt. But still decided to do this trip and learnt so much from it.

Both Ian and Jamie are a fountain of information, answering all sorts of questions about camping and hiking from people of different capabilities. We did a few hikes, learnt how to read maps and pacing (both of which are super useful) I walked away armed with a lot more knowledge and understood in more detail a map. They also went through our big trips we would ideally love to do (dream big here) and they helped us break it down. These guides have a wealth of information, experience and knowledge. From hiking 1000 miles across the US, to canoeing to Scotland. They delve deep into their personal experiences to provide the knowledge needed.

The cherry on the cake was the photography section of the trip. Most in the group had mobile phones and they showed us how to get great pictures using our phones and where to place the subject matter in the frame when taking pictures.

My husband and I had a brilliant time on the Adventure Skills Weekend, facilitated by Ian and Jamie. The weekend was paced well with lots of time for discussion and questions factored in alongside getting outside in the beautiful Peak District to explore. Ian and Jamie were both very approachable and knowledgeable and clearly have a great passion for all things adventure. A very inspiring weekend which has fuelled lots of ideas for our own adventures.

A brilliant weekend put together, of invaluable information that anyone with an adventurous heart will ever need to know.

Delivered on the premise - enjoyable weekend both in terms of learning and generally being with a group to exchange and stimulate ideas

A great weekend of walking, learning, and stoking the fires for new adventures