[GUEST POST] As a townie and growing up in the 70’s in Birmingham and having a Dad who worked nights and the weekends he always appeared to be working as a kid and never at home. So my outdoor adventures were mostly to the local park. This is where we would climb the trees higher than our houses and think we were kings of the world and just see who could hang for the longest from the highest branches without falling.

[GUEST POST] I remember the feeling of total freedom, the feeling of escape from all the worries and problems that faced me during this time, the elation and excitement, the empowerment and uplifting feeling that I still have now. I also knew that I had to share what I was feeling to others and to encourage and support those who needed to it.

[GUEST POST] I was born to parents who, in their youth, had done a lot of walking and cycling, so my brother and I were introduced to walking at a very early age. I don’t remember ever not liking it, unlike our daughter, Bex, and probably the majority of children at some stage.

We first met Nick Ashley in June 2012 when he came on a glacier skills course in France. We didn’t hear from him again until April 2019, when he joined our online community by subscribing to our email newsletters. In May this year he got in touch to say that he would like to share his story.