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.....................................................Who are we?

Kevin O'Neale qualified as a British Mountain Guide in 1992.  This is an International guiding qualification which allows holders to work legally as a guide in the European Alpine countries. He is also a member of the Association of Mountaineering Instructors  and passed the Mountain Instructors Certificate - M.I.C. in 1989.

He has been an instructor and mountain guide in the UK since 1978, having worked in North Wales, the Lake District, the Swiss & French Alps, as well as the Highlands of Scotland, and the Indian & Nepal Himalaya since then.

  Guiding from Chamonix for the Summer seasons 1990 to 1993, he has based himself in Saas Grund & the Swiss Alps from 1994 to the present.

Winky O'Neale farmed in Corrimony, in Glen Urquhart,  in the 1970's. Cycling journeys took her all  
over the West & Northern Highlands. After working as a ski instructor in Aviemore, she spent 6 ski seasons working in Davos, Zermatt & Courmayeur. 

Winky returned to the North West of Scotland in the late 80's, living and working from Lochcarron & Kishorn for 5 years and re-exploring every part of the Highlands and Islands.

Since then she has worked for Sherpa and Himalayan Kingdoms as their main walking guide in Corsica & the Spanish Pyrennees, and for other trekking and expedition companies in Ecuador, Corsica and Nepal.

For the last 8 years Winky has been leading people on the Black Cuillin of Skye and the North West of Scotland. Visit www.skyeguide.co.uk

Winky has the Mountain Leadership Summer and Winter Certificate, as well as the International Mountain Leader Award (IML)

  Together Winky & Kevin have walked & climbed in most of the mountainous areas of the World since forming a climbing (& married!)  partnership in the early 1980's. We offer Mountaineering courses in Scotland during Winter  Spring  and Autumn  Alpine climbing Mountaineering & trekking courses from Saas Grund, Switzerland, in the Spring & Summer months, and Expeditions to Nepal during the pre & post Monsoon seasons.

What do these badges signify?

The IFMGA means the International Federation of Mountain Guides Association. In 1965 representatives of the mountain guides of Italy, France, Switzerland and Austria met to form the Federation.
In 2001, 19 countries, including Britain, are members of the IFMGA.
The UIAGM means the Union International Association des Guides de Montagne - the Association of British Mountain Guides (BMG) is a member, which means that the professional standards of British Guides are the equal of those of the other member countries of the IFMGA.    

The Association of Mountaineering Instructors is the representative body of professionally qualified mountaineering instructors in the U.K. 
A.M.I. is committed to promoting good quality & good practice in all mountaineering instruction. 
A.M.I. members are highly experienced mountaineers who have undergone rigorous training & assessment in Britain to qualify under the United Kingdom Mountain Training Board (UKMTB) Mountain Instructor scheme.

We offer

 Alpine Courses  From Saas Grund in the Swiss Valais Alps. We run most of our Alpine courses from here, including Matterhorn ascents, Swiss 4000's, The Big Three - Eiger, Mont Blanc & Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, Alpine Introduction.
Accommodation is at the Hotel Schoenblick Saas Grund. Mont Blanc courses run from Saas Grund use the peaks of the Mischabel - those surrounding the valley - for acclimatisation & training, then travel over to Chamonix for the ascent of Mont Blanc.

 Courses in Scotland  From Shieldaig & Kinlochewe, near the Applecross hills just south of Torridon. Within 20 minutes drive north of your accommodation, you can be in the Torridon hills - Liathach, Beinn Alligin, Beinn Eighe, are the select trilogy.

  20 minutes south are the Applecross and Coulin mountains - an area which stands on its own merit for the calibre of mountain scenery, in no way over shadowed by the giants of Torridon to the North. To the south Glen Carron, Killilan and West Monar.

  Within distance are the Fannaichs - An Teallach, Sgurr Mor & Beinn Dearg. Glen Sheil & Kintail - the Saddle, the south Cluanie Ridge & the Five Sisters.

  The North-West highlands are more susceptible to mild winters, and snow & ice conditions can change very rapidly with a change in the wind direction. Good quality ice can be scarce during mild spells. However winter ice climbers are guaranteed climbing on Ben Nevis and in the northern corries of the Cairngorms. Both areas are within driving distance for a full day out.

 From Carbost on Skye for the Cuillin Traverse, Cuillin Munro's and Cuillin Scramble courses during the Spring & Autumn months.

  Nepal & Ecuador  We run expeditions by demand - in 2005 we offered the ascents of Pokalde & Lobuche East, in 2006 a climbing trip to the Khumbu area and Mera Peak. We keep the number of members low on each of our Nepal & Ecuador expeditions, to ensure the trip is more personal.

  Corsica  The traverse of the GR20 on the Island of Corsica is a popular trek we offer in July & September, through stunning granite scenery - a giant Cuillin Ridge Traverse, with Corsican pines!