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TestimonialsWe constantly try to improve the content and delivery of our courses so please contact us if you have any constructive feedback about your experiences with Highland Guides. Here are a few references and post course communications.... Jon, Istanbul, Winter Climbing & Alpine Training week, Lochaber Feb 2009 Thanks for a great week of instruction and climbing, altogether a fantastic experience, and always in great company. Jon. Gavin, London, Winter Mountaineering Course, Jan 2009 Donald was fantastic, the first two days he built up our confidence and skills and then the final day putting it all together on a great route. The trip was everything i have come to expect from your company a truly fantastic experience. This is my third time with Highlandguides and I’ve not been disappointed yet! Thanks Rob, i look forwards to being in contact again for the next trip! Louie and Anne, Glasgow, Guided Alpine Mountaineering Course for Martin Moran, Val d'Herens July 2008 Anne and I would like to thank you for guiding us on Martin Moran’s course in July. We really enjoyed it and felt we had achieved something. Sam & Alex, Dublin and London, Denali Expedition Training Course, Lochaber, April 2008 Hi Rob,Alex
and I had a great trip up McKinley. The mini expedition you took
us on was ideal training. As suspected the toughest part is not
technical, but dealing with big packs (60lb) for three weeks consecutively.
We kept reminding ourselves of those key phrases you let slip,
"motivation is key".. great stuff! Nick - Islington, Alpine Mountaineering Introduction, August 2008 Rob, Thanks for a brilliant week and I look forward to similar adventures in the mountains soon. Phil, Skye Mountaineer course for Martin Moran, May 2008 Dear Rob, Thank you for a brilliant five days Climbing & Scrambling across the Cuillin range. Flexible, patient, encouraging and intuitive as well as highly skilful and professional, it was like climbing with a friend. You certainly helped me exceed all my targets and aspirations, and I greatly increased my confidence and skills by what I learned. I can't wait to get back for more! John, Hemel Hempstead, Winter Climbing Guided Day, March 2008 Hi Rob Just a note to say thanks for the
day out last Friday. The route was great and I’m now up
for lots more. It was just what I wanted actually, about the right
grade to start my winter climbing - challenging enough without
being scarily hard or too easy. Damien & Caroline, Surrey, Winter Climbing Course, Feb 2008 Salut Robin! Thank you for an excellent
few days of winter climbing. Steve, Chester, Winter Climbing Course, Feb 2008 Hi Rob, I'm back at work now, just wanted to thank you and Gaz for sorting out a couple of excellent days climbing for me last week.I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'll look you up in the future should I need any guiding or courses etc. Doug, Stirlingshire,Winter Climbing Guiding & Instruction, Feb 2008 Hi Rob, I just wanted to say thanks for an excellent day yesterday.... Patrick, Suffolk, Winter Climbing Course, Jan 2008 Thanks again for a great winter climbing experience back in January. Ronan, London. Winter Mountaineering Course, Jan 2008 Dear Rob, Many thanks for a fantastic 3 days, all the advice and help. We hope to make it back for a weekend of some more ice and snow with less of the West Coast Ming! Toby, Dublin. Winter Mountaineering Course, January 2008 Hi Rob, Thanks for a phenomenal weekend …. Really enjoyed it! Charlie, Glasgow. Private Guiding / Advanced Winter Climbing, December 2007 Hi Rob, Just a quick email to thank you for two excellent days climbing. It's fair to say I was blown away by how engrossing mixed climbing is and the quality of the routes. I also learnt a huge amount over both days. Geoff Hanson, Introduction to Winter Mountaineering & Climbing, Dec 2007 Thanks for looking after us when we visited Fort William in december, we had a great time and were able to learn from you. You managed to combine a focused, professional approach with adapting to our needs and enabling us to have a great experience. As far as we were concerned we achieved all that we wanted too. We now know a great deal more and perhaps, just as importantly, realise how much more there is to learn before attempting anything too ambitious! Horst and Katarina, Munich. Private Guiding / Winter Mountaineering, March 2007 Thanks again
for taking us into the Highlands last Monday. It was raining Jerry Ostrowski, London. Introduction to winter climbing, Feb 2007 I am a summer rock climber with no winter climbing experience but always wanted to see what i was missing out on. I booked Rob on a recommendation and for three days in Feb this year Rob taught me the essentials to go out and climb safely with a friend in Winter. I was a bit hesitant in booking as i have hired guides before and you end up not doing quite what you were after but Rob was totally accommodating in what i wanted to do, professional in his approach and put me totally at ease about something i had never done before, was nervous about trying but always dreamed about doing. As well as learning heaps i got loads of quality climbing in and at the end i felt i was climbing with a mate, not a guide, having a great time but always looked after within an environment i was not used to. My aims were achieved with Robs help, and i am very grateful for his patience, guidance and good humour. Nigel Lindsell - St. James Place Winter Mountaineering / Mont Blanc Training Course, Feb 2007 Thanks for the most tremendous three days
- I couldn't have done it without you. It is no exaggeration to
say that the whole experience has changed my life and your expertise,
patience and good humour were just part of what made the whole
weekend so memorable. Stan, Washington DC - Private Guiding on Ben Nevis March 2007 Rob, I had a great day climbing Comb Gully with you - Thanks! Bex and Ian - Intro to winter mountaineering March 2007 We did a climb with Rob Jarvis on Sunday 4th. Thank you very much for our day. It was brilliant. Rob was fantastic, and the climb on the ice wall really rounded things off. Mike and Lisa Cooke, Intro to winter mountaineering weekend, Feb 2007 'Lisa and I had a fantastic time. We had always wanted to do an intro into winter mountaineering and Highland Guides delivered exactly what we wanted. Their 'can-do' attitude was evident throughout. Mike Brownlow (the Highland Guides instructor) was able to subtly change the weekend programme as it developed. I wasn't expecting to make it up a graded route on Ben Nevis in winter but after just a day and a half of instruction and under the careful eye of Mike the Ledge Route was quickly under the belt followed by awesome decent of No. 4 Gully. We both feel that we have added considerably to our skills and hope to be able to get up north for more. Thanks again. Martyn, Stafford. Private Guiding / Winter Climbing (For Llanberis Guides) March 2007 Rob and Dave (Hollinger) were well worth ever penny. Their professionalism and approach was excellent, but what made it even better was the fact that they smiled and made us feel as though we were just climbing with mates. Thanks to them both for the adventure and thanks to you for organising it. Will be giving you some repeat business on the strength of this trip for next year. Paul Young, St. James Place Winter Mountaineering / Mont BlancTraining Course, Martin Moran Mountaineering, Feb 2007 I really appreciated the support you gave us and I feel that I gained a lot from the experience. It has certainly given me the confidence to do more and if we get to achieve a successful ascent of Mont Blanc, I will owe you one. Huw, Anglesey, Lochaber Scrambling, May 2007 Hi Rob, Just a short message to thank you for your excellent instruction and guiding of the 'geriatrics' last week. Despite the poor weather on Tuesday and especially Wednesday, we thoroughly enjoyed our trip.That we achieved our goals and more was a reflection of the quality of your instruction, knowledge and expertise.We know that had we not employed a guide,we would not have tackled the routes which we did and our visit would not have been so successful. Mick Finch, Scottish winter mountaineering week, Outward Bound, February 2001 “ We would all like to extend our thanks to Rob, our instructor for the week Feb18th – Feb 24 th 2001. We all felt that we could not have had a better instructor. His patience and expertise throughout the whole week certainly filled the whole group with confidence, whilst perhaps not being the fittest Rob has looked after, he certainly knew our limitations etc. We thoroughly enjoyed the whole week, so much so that we would like to return to do the advanced course next year. Perhaps you could please pass on our utmost gratitude to Rob for a great weeks mountaineering etc.” Julie and Katie, Winter Mountaineering course, Lochaber, April 2002“We really enjoyed our week and wish we were back in the mountains with our plastic boots on (….believe it or not!!). Thanks for everything, we learned lots and it was great craic, love Julie and Katie.” Bob Wainwright, Mera Peak and Ama Dablam Adventure Peaks expedition, November 2002 "I shared a tent with Rob on our trip to Nepal to climb Mera Peak and Ama Dablam and Rob is great company and is great to climb with. What I found most impressive is his ability to be sensitive to everyones needs and his easy going likable manner. He is a good climber/guide and has a good easy going but focussed approach, you will have a very good chance of reaching your objective with Rob. And we had loads of fun too" Kerry and Sue Applin, Ben Nevis climb, May 2002“Dear Rob we just wanted to say we had a great day on our trek up Ben Nevis and hope to see you again soon when we next visit Scotland.”
Craig Storey, Open University / British Antarctic Survey Alexander Island expedition, December / January / February 2004/5 I am a Geologist with limited mountaineering skills and less survival skills, particularly in polar conditions. Yet, somehow I managed to land a six week field excursion to the depths of Alexander Island, located off of the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula at more than 70 oS. Luckily, the British Antarctic Survey issued me with a first class Field Guide: Rob Jarvis. Rob patiently, and with good humour, taught me the basic mountaineering and camp craft skills that I would need to survive. Rob’s attention to detail and professionalism ensured an extremely successful field season whilst his companionship provided a great experience that will never be forgotten. The enduring memory is one of me happily tapping away at rocks, while Rob dreamt of attempting mouth-watering first climbs, but alas never had the opportunity. On the few occasions when there were potential problems, such as poor weather or snow conditions, Rob maintained a calm presence, which was always reassuring. Rob is a fantastic field guide who I would recommend to anyone, and a really nice guy to go with it. Tony and Chris, Winter climbing weekend, West Coast Guides, Feb 2003 “Thanks for arranging the weekend’s climbing, we enjoyed our outings with Rob though it was a bit of a shame about the weather and conditions!!” “Thanks Alan it was a great weekend despite the poor weather and conditions, and I really enjoyed climbing with Rob.”Jean Crowson, Skye Ridge, May 2000I’m a reasonably fit woman in my sixties, nearing the end of ‘bagging’ the Munros; some of the ‘scary’ ones were looming large mentally, and they had to be approached if I was ever to achieve my goal. Rob happened along at just the right time, and with his skilful, laid-back but utterly competent guiding, I was able to get up Inaccessible Pinnacle (roped), Sgurr Mhic Choinnaich via King’s Chimney (also roped!) and Aonach Eagach (unroped). What was particularly good about Rob’s approach was the way he boosted my confidence in an entirely understated manner, leaving me with the strong feeling of still being ‘in charge’ of my own endeavours, whilst unobtrusively keeping a very sharp eye on how matters were progressing. At all times I felt I was in entirely safe hands, and was able to own real enjoyment of activities I had been somewhat dreading . The King’s Chimney route was different in that it was not one I would ever have contemplated, and Rob would not have suggested it had he not been able to assess my possible capabilities on ‘Inn Pinn’. That experience put me in touch with the challenge of something new, as well as the exhilaration of achievement, for which I shall always be grateful. That seems to me to be the very best of guiding skills. I would have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending Rob to anyone who wants an informative, challenging and fun experience in the company of an excellent guide. Nick Talbot, Jagged Globe Muztag Ata client, August 2006"I recently went on an expedition with Rob to 7,500m Mustagh Ata in the Chinese Himalaya. The expedition was well organised and very good fun. Rob is a very experienced and professional climber who struck up a good personal rapport with each of us in the group. He was very effective at ensuring each individual felt comfortable on the mountain and was moving at a pace which suited them and gave them the best chance of success. Whether at 1,000m or 7,000m Rob somehow managed to remain full of energy, and infectious enthusiasm! Whether you are interested in having a guide or an instructor, on the basis of my Mustagh Ata trip I'd have no hesitation in recommending Rob... Reference for Robin Jarvis in application for membership of the Association of British Mountain Guides. I am grateful to have been asked to provide a reference for Robin Jarvis in support of his application to attain membership to the British Association of Mountain Guides. I am not a highly qualified climber and mountaineer and will therefore not be able to propose myself as the technical ‘mentor’ role for this application. I understand that this responsibility is being fulfilled by Mr Alan Kimber. However, if I can provide further information or help in any way I will be more than happy to undertake any supporting role that is required. I can confirm that I have known Robin (Rob) since 1993 when we began our studies at the University of Stirling, during which time we cohabited in shared accommodation for some three years. We have remained strong friends over the years and I can strongly endorse his character, which I would describe as engaging and easy to get along with. He is also well humoured, balanced, honest and very thoughtful of others. In the time that I have known Rob, I have been witness to his enthusiasm for climbing, which subsequently became a professional development. I have followed with interest his career to MIC guiding level and his work with British Antarctic Survey. I can confirm his commitment, investment of time and resources, and his hard work and dedication to what I understand is a long term and serious undertaking, in order to qualify for membership to the British Association of Mountain Guides. As a supporting anecdote I may mention that, previously a cyclist, I too have become a general climbing and mountaineering enthusiast, albeit at a somewhat lower technical level (VS rock climbs and grade II/III in winter). I have spent many days mountaineering and climbing with Rob in Scotland, Yorkshire, and also on a trip to the Atlas mountains, and I have always been extremely glad of his patient encouragement, reliability, and his sound technical input and judgement. His enthusiasm for mountaineering is genuine: on numerous occasions I have been impressed by his keenness to do several days of walking/climbing on his days off with myself and other friends, often despite having done a number of long days with clients previously. Aside from being an avid mountaineer, other qualities that I can vouch for include Rob’s general interest in conservation, the environment, flora and fauna. As I have mentioned Rob has a very engaging character: while keen to share information with others he is always extremely interested to glean from the people he meets – their background, interests and motivation. He is additionally an excellent communicator both on a one-to-one basis and with larger groups. These qualities have always struck me as sound traits for guiding, leading and teaching effectively. I would therefore like to formally endorse this application as a named referee. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if required. Yours faithfully Regulatory Scientist, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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