Mini Bio
My career in travel started leading tours in the Highlands of Scotland, with the occasional trip to destinations as diverse as Bhutan, Namibia and Peru. That was 25 years ago and, while I don’t guide s many trips these days, I still regard that time as being key to my understanding of what can elevate a travel experience from good to great, or even better.
I’ve spent most of my life in Scotland, living in various corners of the country before settling in the Cairngorms National Park in the Highlands. It’s a place that oozes history, heritage and … single malt whisky! Being located close to the geographic centre of Scotland means I can be walking through the famous Old Town of Edinburgh one day, and exploring a remote Highland beach the next.
The scenery of the Scottish Highlands is internationally renowned, and rightly so, but it’s the people who make it so special. For me, that’s important in any destination.
I enjoy staying at incredible properties (who doesn’t?) but it’s the people we meet there and the experiences they share with us that form the memories which endure. That connection with local people is at the heart of the experiences we endeavour to create and share with our travellers.
Favourite Place to Play
For a fairly small group of islands, the UK and Ireland offer a truly diverse range of destinations. This makes it really hard to pick out a particular place – I have too many!
In many ways, it isn’t so much about the specific location but rather what you experience there, which you’ll remember. Tell us what your guests love, and we’ll design a trip around that. You might not have heard of all of the destinations we recommend, but that should be a good thing!
My Bucket List Itinerary
Sitting in a centuries-old pub in the walled city of York, your clients will taste more than the hops of their locally-brewed ale; it’s a proper drink of history.
Out west, sharing a joke or two with a shepherd while watching a sheepdog in action, they’ll experience for a moment what life could have been like if they had been born on a small hill farm in Ireland!
And as they explore the Scottish Highlands, their local guide will ensure they pause and find a place of perfect silence to soak up the grand beauty and atmosphere of this region.
My top tip for any restaurant, anywhere, is not to choose your favourite meal from the menu. Instead, ask the wait staff what they’d recommend. They’ll be keen to showcase their finest dishes, so letting them choose will give your taste buds a new travel experience too.