Our team is made up of friendly, professionally qualified, and fully insured instructors. Every member of the team is either part of the Association of Mountaineering Instructors (AMI) or the British Association of Mountain Guides (BMG), representing the highest professional standards in the UK.

We are all passionate about climbing and being in the mountains. We love sharing that passion, helping people to develop skills and enjoy unforgettable days in the mountains.

Lake District Mountain Guides is led by James Boothroyd, who delivers most of our courses and guiding alongside a trusted team of experienced instructors. Your instructor or guide will contact you before your course to introduce themselves, outline the plan and answer any questions you may have.

While the Lake District is our home, we also guide and run courses throughout the UK. Our Lake District courses take place throughout the national park, with scrambling often based in the Langdale Valley, where there’s easy access to some classic scrambles. Many of our rock climbing courses run around Borrowdale, which offers a great selection of sunny crags and good routes.

Each course includes details about where it’s typically run, but if you have a preferred area in mind or would like guiding somewhere not listed, just get in touch and we’ll do our best to make it happen.

To book a course, please visit our enquiry page and get in touch with us. If you have specific dates or objectives in mind, feel free to contact us directly to arrange something bespoke.

A guided day starts from £250 for one person (1:1 guiding) and £300 for two people (1:2 guiding). Prices may vary for more complex objectives or if significant travel costs are involved. Each course has its own specific price, which can be found on the individual course page.

Payment can be made by bank transfer to Lake District Mountain Guides. You can either pay a deposit to secure your booking or pay the full amount upfront, whichever you prefer.

We provide all essential technical kit, helmets, harnesses, and ropes. If you have your own this is even better, it makes more sense to practice with the gear that you will use in the future.

You’ll need to bring your own:
• Climbing shoes or mountain boots(for scrambling courses)
• Suitable outdoor clothing, plenty of layers to keep warm
• Food, snacks, and at least 1 litre of water

If you don’t have any of these things get in touch and we can point you in the right direction to good local shops and places where you can rent gear.

We can’t always provide transport for participants, but we’ll help where we can. We’re based in Kendal, and if your accommodation is nearby or close to the course location, we’re happy to pick you up and drop you off to save on parking and reduce our carbon footprint. If you’re arriving by public transport, please let us know in advance and we’ll do our best to assist with logistics or offer a lift if possible.

Yes, under-18s are welcome, but they must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian throughout the activity.

We’re experienced at adapting to all kinds of weather. If it’s wet or windy, we’ll switch to a more sheltered venue or focus on skills that are useful and relevant to you. If conditions are unsafe, we’ll reschedule your course or offer a full refund.

When it’s cold or damp, make sure to bring extra layers, good waterproofs, and a few additional snacks to stay warm and comfortable throughout the day.

• More than 4 weeks before your course — full refund
• 2–4 weeks — 50 % refund (minus £10 admin fee)
• Less than 2 weeks — non-refundable
We recommend trip-cancellation insurance covering climbing and mountaineering activities.

We always aim to achieve your objectives, but safety comes first. Weather, time, or experience may affect what’s possible on the day. Our guides prioritise safety and enjoyable days in the mountains.

We recommend taking out cancellation insurance to cover any unforeseen circumstances, as well as travel insurance that includes mountaineering and climbing activities. It’s also a good idea to have rescue insurance, providing extra peace of mind in the unlikely event that something goes wrong.