Ace Adventures - outdoor adventure activity provider based in Aviemore and the Strathspey

Homepage   >  About Ace  >  Andy Robertson

Andy Robertson

2007 Operations Manager - Freelance Trip Leader

 

After moving around with my dads job for the first few years of my life, I settled down and grew up from the age of 7 in Inverness, capital of the Highlands. From an early age, I loved being outside and was actively encouraged to spend as much time as I could, exploring the local woods and moors. Almost as young as I can remember, I’ve been walking in the mountains or tearing around on my mountain bike. This soon developed into a love of rock climbing, something my grandparents were keen to get me a good grounding in by sending me on my first course, aged 12. From this, there was no stopping me and I regularly spent several times a month sleeping under the stars, in bothies and wild camping all over the hills of the west coast and the Cairngorms, ticking off the Munros as I went. I also took up skiing and used to pester my poor grandparents for a lift to Aviemore, any time the lifts were working. By the time I left school, I’d climbed all over Scotland, walked up half of the 284 Munros, cycled all the way across the Highlands and Islands and run in several mountain marathons.

After a year out spent working for my granddad at a legal firm (boring) and selling outdoor gear and clothing (better but also boring), I went to University in the Lake District to study for a BSc (hons) in Outdoor Studies at St Martins College in Ambleside. This was a fantastic three years of learning about all aspects of working in the outdoors and further broadened my horizons. During this time, I took up kayaking and became virtually obsessed by chasing white water, once even turning up for an exam in full kit, ready to get on the water! I was also lucky enough to travel to a variety of locations such as an expedition to the Picos de Europa Mountains in northern Spain, kayaking in the French Alps, sea kayaking around Majorca, climbing in the Chamonix Alps and various trips all over the UK.

After graduating, I’ve worked in various positions, slowly making my way back north to the Highlands. Firstly, I worked with disillusioned teenagers in the outdoors, trying to turn around cycles of offending and drug abuse in the Peak District near Sheffield. I then spent 2 very happy years in Aberfeldy, eventually helping to manage a centre and became qualified as a white water raft guide. I then taught Outdoor Education and PE at a school just outside of Edinburgh, helping to organise and run 2 ski trips and teaching skiing and climbing every week. I also used some of my considerable holiday time to head to Uganda for some kayaking, rafting and partying on the mighty White Nile.

Early in 2006, an opportunity came up to become a partner in Adventure Life, an outdoor company based near Aberfoyle in the Trossachs along with Peter Syme of Splash White Water Rafting. I immensely enjoyed my time in Glasgow running high ropes, climbing, abseiling and canyoning sessions, along with the odd youth and school residential. The dawn of 2007 brought with it a new challenge with Adventure Life and Ace Adventures running in partnership and me moving up the road to my current home in Grantown on Spey taking over my role as Operations Manager.  From  2008 I will be back to Adventure Life in Aberfoyle running operations there.

© Copyright 2007 Ace Adventures : Sitemap : Website Design by HotScot