Just a Thought: One Voice for Outdoor Leaders?

A Memory from the Mountains

It was a few years ago now. I was leading a mountaineering skills course across the Glyderau with a small group of four enthusiastic hillwalkers. Their goal wasn’t to become mountain leaders but rather to better understand the steeper terrain and gain confidence in their decision-making and navigation skills.

A Chance Encounter

While traversing the summit plateau, we came across another group. We exchanged pleasantries, as is customary in the hills. They were clearly well-equipped and well-led, navigating through poor visibility between Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach.

Their leader was an International Mountain Leader, proudly wearing the badge of the British Association of International Mountain Leaders.

Recognition—or Lack of It

After they passed, I asked my group if they’d recognised the badge. They hadn’t. In fact, they had never seen the Mountain Training Association badge I was wearing, either. I asked about the Association of Mountaineering Instructors—blank faces. British Mountain Guides? No clue.

This struck me. We have at least four different badges representing outdoor qualifications in the UK and Ireland. And yet, the people we lead don’t recognise any of them.

Do Badges Matter?

Let’s face it: only we care about these distinctions. Our clients just want a qualified, trusted outdoor leader—ideally affiliated with a reputable organisation, wearing one recognisable "outdoor leader" badge.

Imagine if we had one organisation, one badge, covering walking, climbing, and mountaineering leaders, guides, instructors, and coaches. One so appealing that professionals from other outdoor disciplines—kayaking, caving, sailing, mountain biking—might also want to join.

A shared voice. One voice. A big voice.

Is Unity Even Possible?

It sounds idealistic, maybe even naïve. After all, climbers are famously individualistic. Collaboration isn’t always our strong suit. Committee meetings often reflect our single-minded pursuit of personal tick lists.

Suggesting a single training board for the UK and Ireland, instead of the five we currently have, feels absurd—doesn’t it?

And yet… maybe it’s not. Most of us share common values. Our differences are often more imagined than real. Maybe unity is something we should work toward.

The Public Health Connection

A few years ago, the NHS in England announced a £600 million scheme allowing local health trusts to fund Yoga and Zumba classes for staff. Great for some—especially the instructors—but how long-lasting was the impact?

Most people don’t need a Zumba class. They just need a walk before work, a lunchtime stroll, or maybe some bouldering to reset their minds. Activities that support mental health, wellbeing, and mindfulness—and are accessible.

So who’s shouting for walking, climbing, and bouldering? Is our voice being heard in the corridors of power?

A Fragmented Voice

The British Mountaineering Council is working hard, and I believe they’re supported in spirit by the wider community. In Scotland, the outdoors enjoys a higher public profile. But across the UK and Ireland, representation is fragmented:

• British Mountaineering Council

• Mountaineering Scotland

• Mountaineering Ireland

• The Ramblers

• Mountain Training UK, Cymru, Scotland, and Ireland

• Institute for Outdoor Learning

• And, of course, our four technical qualification associations

Each group does good work and they aren’t all listed here, by a long chalk. But imagine the power of one unified voice for outdoor leaders.

Could we ever begin the conversation about one body to represent  all qualified outdoor leaders?

Mike

Footnote: This is an old blog, but nothing has changed since I wrote it. I’ve run it through ChatGPT, not to change anything but just to make it more readable. ChatGPT is an amazing and quite scary tool, use it with care and always have the final edit yourself.