My Story #21: Garry Peasland, Engineeer And Mountain Leader
/WRITTEN by ANNE ENSOLL & GARRY PEASLAND
In this series we’re sharing the stories of outdoor instructors, mountain guides and enthusiasts who work and play in the mountains. Links to all the previous posts can be found at the bottom of this post.
On the Mountain Leader assessment with Chris and three candidates. Photo credit: Garry Peasland
What Are Your Memories of Adventures in The Outdoors as A Child Or Teenager?
Ooh that’s an interesting one! So 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 - usually egged on by peer pressure of the group. Or we’d play tig on what we called the curly-whirly tree (a massive weeping wIllow over the local brook). Agility and speed was the name of the game so you didn’t get tagged, hmm… assets I didn’t possess! If you fell you were usually hurt and the other lads laughing at you as you lay holding your ribs curled up on the floor in the foetal position. Or we played footie with our tops rolled up as goal posts. There were no trips to the mountains as they were always too far away and when we did go away it would be with the British Leyland Caravan and Camping Club for the weekend, towed by an old clapped out Ford Sierra Estate. My brother and I would be in an old Argos brown and orange ridge tent that would leak when it rained, and it rained a lot. Our parents would be in the warmth of the caravan. I guess growing up with my Dad, and the generation that worked all the time, I promised myself that when I had a family I would not do that. When my sons were growing up I always joined them in activities whether that was coaching martial arts or rugby training and when I found out about the enjoyment of mountains, my two sons and I would enjoy many weekends in the mountains and still do.
In the Air Training Corps in 1984, with the Red Arrows. Photo credit: Garry Peasland
What Do You Remember About Your Outdoor Adventures When You Started Doing Them Independently?
So now you understand I’m a townie, my adventures to the mountains weren’t until later in life and when I had my own family. I always remember my first mountain trip, it was to Crib Goch. A friend at Land Rover asked me if I’d join them as a member of their charity event had dropped out. I think this was when I was about 32. So me always wanting to be apart of something good, said yes that will be cool… The only mountains I’d ever seen was either on TV or in books and here I was going to the highest mountain in Wales, I really didn’t know what I was letting myself in for. I’ll also point out that at the time I was petrified of heights , anything above the second or third rung of a ladder and I’d be worrying about falling to my death and my knees would be shaking - and most often I would freeze at those death defying heights. Thinking about it now, I’m not sure why I was scared of heights when I used to climb trees as a kid although I did fall quite a lot… Crossing the ridge was the most frightening, scary, adrenaline rushing, exhilarating experience I’d ever had - I crawled the whole ridge to my friends amusement and disgust at how long I took. I may have even cried at one point, a real personal challenge for me. When the day was over I had caught the mountain bug and knew all the feelings I had experienced I had never encountered before and wanted to feel them again. Since that experience I love being in the mountains whether that is by myself, with my sons or new found friends enjoying their company and being away from the concrete jungle and most of all having FUN. I now also love heights (haha).
When Did It Change from A Hobby To A Career?
My full time job is as a Lead Engineer at Jaguar Land Rover introducing new models for the last twenty five years, having gone through the education system of college and uni and qualifying with a BEng Degree in Manufacturing. I have been involved in all of the projects from the Classic Range Rover and Classic Defender to the latest sporty Land/Range Rover models. I’m nearing the other end of my working career in a factory, so what’s next? Throughout life I’ve tried to have a plan and what could be better in my next chapter of my life as a Mountain Leader. Becoming a Mountain Leader with the support of Anne and Chris has been an interesting journey over a number of years. Both Anne and Chris have supported me throughout that journey through a few difficult times in my family life, however things are now looking good and on the up.
Where did I start my Mountain Leader journey? A number of years ago I found myself volunteering again for a twenty four hour charity walk for MIND through Land Rover, having had my own struggles with depression. During the walk I supported my group, advising and helping on sections of the walk and encouraging them to achieve the challenge. This support did not go unnoticed, and a Mountain Leader on the event, Ian Morton, asked whether I had thought about becoming a Mountain Leader as I had something special to offer. I’m happy that journey has been shared with Anne and Chris, I could not think of anyone else to help me along that path.
Since qualifying in October 2020 I’ve had the opportunity to freelance for charity organisations that mean something to me and I love meeting and helping the charity walkers to achieve their challenges and listening to their stories. At the moment being paid for my hobby is a novelty and any earnings I have re-invested for further training and mountaineering kit. Currently, for me I have the best of both worlds, although, I am still finding a balance between hobby, family and mountaineering work.
On the summit of Coniston Old Man with my sons. Photo credit: Garry Peasland
What Has Your Path Been Since Then?
Coming out of the dark clouds of COVID and working from home and isolation it has been good to operate as a Mountain Leader and meet people. I’ve only had a few jobs working with Marie Curie, British Heart Foundation and most recently with MIND and it’s been incredible. Working with MIND was great, when I introduced myself to the team I said that this was my second time I had walked with them - first as a charity walker and secondly as Mountain Leader, effectively a full circle from where I had started. I thoroughly enjoyed the walk and found myself supporting those in most need. It’s not always about summiting the mountains, for me it’s about sharing those precious moments in time, having fun, meeting different people and helping them achieve their summits in a safe manner. My journey is far from over as I build my Mountain Leader portfolio.
What are your goals/hopes for the future?
Short Term
As I write this I am sat in Tenerife looking at Mount Tiede thinking in a few days I will be hiking up her, Alpine style!
More trips to Scotland in winter
Register for the Winter Mountain Leader award
Continue to freelance for charities I want to work with, continuing to build my portfolio and network with other Mountain Leaders.
Mid Term
Complete the Winter Mountain Leader training (I need to decide who I go with).
Hopefully, fingers crossed, go to Tanzania to climb Kilimanjaro with my two sons and a friend. This story has gone on a while, I’ve had to postpone the trip four times due to COVID so I’m really hoping it happens in 2022.
Long Term
Understand what I need to do to achieve my Winter Mountain Leader — this will mainly be lots of trips to Scotland.
Complete my Winter Mountain Leader, probably 2023 / 2024.
Hopefully use the Winter Mountain Leader award for charity challenges, there is an event in 2022 that I am hoping to support - a Charity Challenge Winter ascent on Ben Nevis.
Look at my bucket list to see how I can make them a reality : Mont Blanc, Mount Elbrus, and traverse the Cuillin Ridge. I even fancy a trip to Yosemite National Park and to tour around the area of California on a Fatboy Harley and finally, Australia is on that list at some point… I’m sure that’s not asking too much!
After completing an ascent of Pico Del Teide on Tenerife. Photo credit Garry Peasland.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to work in the outdoors, what would it be?
If you want to work in the great outdoors and you are serious about it - then I can only encourage you do everything you can to make it happen.
With my own situation, I question whether I have left it too late. I aim to retire at 55 (nearly 53) giving me a reasonable pension pot and to then top up my pension with working in the outdoors. I qualified a bit later on in life as a Mountain Leader in October 2020 so I’m now currently building a portfolio of outdoor events to be in a position to change my future path. So at 55 it will be a turning point if I am going to make working in the outdoors a reality.
So the moral of my story - don’t leave it until it’s too late if you want to work in the great outdoors…
And to have a realistic plan of how you can make it sustainable and achievable…
Take care and enjoy those mountains.
Read the rest of the series
My Story #1: Chris Ensoll, International Mountain Guide
My Story #2: John Kettle, Climbing & Mountain Biking Coach
My Story #3: Kelvyn James, International Mountain Leader
My Story #4: Anne Ensoll, Business Manager And Ex-Outdoor Instructor
My Story #5: Michael Curry, All-Round Outdoor Instructor and Business Owner
My Story #6: Esther Foster, Freelance Outdoor Instructor
My Story #7: Rob Pugh, Mountaineering Instructor and Stay-at-Home Dad
My Story #8: Colin Reilly, Outdoor Instructor & Church Pastor
My Story #9: Rhiannon Pritchard, Arctic Nature Guide and Academic
My Story #10: Alan Kimber, Mountain Guide and Accommodation Provider
My Story #11: Claire Hendrickse, Freelance Outdoor Instructor
My Story #12: Alice Kerr, Outdoor Instructor & Long Distance Runner
My Story #13: Ben Roe, Outdoor Education Graduate and Climbing Wall Route Setter
My Story #14: Susan Byrne, Mountain Leader and Outdoor Youth Worker
My Story #15: Jon Chamberlain, Mountaineering & Climbing Instructor and Business Owner
My story #16: Sandra Schmidt, Mountain Leader and Tour Guide
My Story #17: Simon Sampson, School Teacher & Mountain Leader
My Story #18: Nick Ashley, Outdoor Instructor and Business Manager
My Story #19: Judith Ellis, Retired Charity Worker
My Story #20: Sam Armstrong, Mountain Leader and Nordic Walking Instructor
