Reviews on Google
I chose to have my first winter mountaineering experience with The Summit is Optional on 11/12th January and, what an experience it was! We headed to Eryri and swiftly began lessons on decision making and use of equipment. After fighting through some thicker snow, Pat taught me how to don crampons and, heading up The Screes on Glyder Fach, showed me what to do with my ice axe if I slipped. Roped up, we had a slightly more technical descent which was perfect to increase confidence.
On the Sunday, we summited Tryfan via the North Ridge and focussed on the proper use of crampons and the ice axe whilst climbing and even broken new ground reaching the summit. At all points I felt in perfectly safe hands with Pat. His knowledge of, and passion for all things mountains and climbing is outstanding. He's also an excellent instructor, recognising when his student is ready for their next challenge. I can't recommend The Summit is Optional enough.Louise Gillman-Wells (Louise)26th January 2025
Can't recommend highly enough. I booked a skills refresher course in scrambling and ropework in advance of an assessment I have to become a mountain leader for my scout troop. Patrick took time to research the syllabus and assessment criteria in advance and designed a course that perfectly met my requirements. He is immensely experienced, knowledgeable, patient and helpful. Also very good company. Highly recommend.Andrew Evers21st November 2024
Patrick took me and my 11 year old son up Helvellyn along striding edge and swirral edge. We did the complete ridge missing any paths that bypass. Gave me and especially my son, all the confidence to do this. We’ll definitely be back in touch about tackling tougher grades in the future. ThanksMartin Heaton22nd September 2024
Pete Cooper3rd September 2024
Spent an excellent day with Patrick on 02.09.24, up on Low Rigg, near Thelkeld in the Lake district. My son and I had booked on the 'introduction to navigation' course, to learn some basic map reading skills. Patrick proved to be very knowledgeable and experienced and I would have no hesitation in recommending him to anyone thinking of booking an outdoors skills course. We hope to attend a more advanced course, with Patrick in the not too distant future.
Thanks for a great day Patrick,
Best regards,
Bill and Alex.William Vaughan3rd September 2024
We had a brilliant time learning lead climbing. We had lots of opportunity to climb, learnt loads of techniques and felt totally safe. The course was adjusted to our level as we went which meant we could learn at our pace and have fun at the same time.Alys Fletcher17th August 2024
A good day of tuition on micro navigation training as requested. Well planned, executed and delivered. Thank you.Jocelyn Merris4th August 2024
Excellent customised scrambling course. Would recommend!Hugh Fitzpatrick17th July 2024
Patrick Hickie was brilliant on our hike up Whernside. He was clearly very knowledgeable and experienced. He kept us on track and motivated throughout the whole walk and entertained us with his stories from previous expeditions.Ray Thompson11th June 2024
Patrick is a brilliant teacher. I’d unreservedly recommend him to anyone looking to improve their skills in the mountains. He is very knowledgeable, patient and makes learning fun and straightforward. If you are looking to get better at any aspect of mountaineering / climbing / scrambling, he is definitely your man. I will be back for further courses in the future and can’t wait to get stuck in. Thanks Patrick!Tom Sloan19th April 2024
Patrick was a fantastic guide - we crossed Striding Edge on a snowy and frosty day in December and felt very confident doing so thanks to his guidance and expertise. He also has a lot of huge amount of knowledge about mountaineering which will be invaluable for future trips.Roisin Donachie5th December 2023
I did an introduction to scrambling course day with Patrick.
We climbed Pinnacle ridge in the lakes.
Throughout the booking and planning process he responded quickly with lots of information and advice.
During the day of climbing Pinnacle he was really helpful. He took extra time to show me how to use certain techniques and equipment instead of just doing the climb.
He really knew his stuff and was very helpful through out the day and helped guide me in my future mountaineering.
Would highly recommend.john craig28th September 2023
Had a fantastic weekend with Patrick on the "Learn to Lead Scrambling" course. Very knowledgeable, tailored to our requirements and great route choice. Would recommend to a friend!Ellis Bayne7th August 2023
Had a fantastic day in the Lake District, I couldn't have enjoyed it more. Patrick was so full of knowledge ... all delivered in such a way that, by the end of the day, I didn't feel overwhelmed with information but rather felt ready to grab my rope and head into the mountains. I have spent several days with several different instructors but never come away feeling so confident in my own ability and ready to climb. Thank you Patrick!Dan Dobson12th June 2023
I had a brilliant weekend scrambling with Patrick in Snowdonia. I learnt a lot about rope-work to protect scrambles and was able to experience challenging routes in a safe environment. I particularly enjoyed Bastow Buttress and Notch Arete. I am now much more confident in my ability to handle that type of terrain. I would recommend a course with Patrick to anyone wanting to improve their mountaineering skills. I will certainly do more courses with him in the future.Henry Sage30th May 2023
I can highly recommend Patrick for any instruction. I completed the Learn to Lead course and found him to be not only incredibly knowledgeable, experienced but most importanty a fantastic teacher. It's clear alot of thought has gone into the structure of the course and also how to teach it in a way that makes all the concepts easy to understand with clear explanations as to why it is done a certain way. I was also impressed at how Patrick tailored the course so as to target my weaknesses and to achieve my goals. I will be looking to complete further courses with Patrick once I'm looking to build on what he's taught me so far. Thanks so much Patrick!Thom Byles (Hanging Valleys)16th April 2023
We had an amazing day with Patrick learning the basics on Scrambling in the Langdales in the Lake District. Patrick is incredibly knowledgeable and taught us more than we could imagine. From the correct books to use when planning a scramble to suitable foot ware and overcoming fears and anxieties. Thank you Patrick.Lydia Kate5th April 2023
Ganden Aw5th February 2023
Patrick was efficient, professional and very knowledgable. He understood what we wanted and arranged a wonderful day of hiking in the Lake District with ease. I'd love to hike with him next time I'm in the UK.Sara Bailes31st January 2023
Indoor lead climbing day course with Patrick. 3 x 2 hour sections that were well planned and practical throughout. A significant stepping stone - from worrying about lead climbing to doing it safely and enjoying it.Stephen Johnson31st January 2023
Patrick is an incredibly good instructor, is all over his craft and gives both great technical teaching but also coaching advice. Would seriously recommend if you want to improve your climbing/mountaineering!!Ed Roebuck2nd January 2023
Patric is an excellent instructor and truly cares about his climbers. He was very supportive and extremely helpful during my lead climbing course.
Patric's wealth of knowledge and experience was evident throughout the course, and he was always happy to answer any questions I had.
He made sure that I felt comfortable and confident on the wall, and his encouragement and guidance helped me improve my climbing skills significantly.
Patric is an excellent communicator and was able to clearly explain concepts and techniques in a way that was easy to understand.
I highly recommend Patric as an instructor for anyone looking to learn lead climbing. His passion and expertise make him a great choice for anyone looking to take their climbing to the next level. Thanks again fella.Jordan28th December 2022
Almasa and I had a fantastic time today climbing at Stanedge. We are beginner climbers and this was our first outdoor climb 🧗🏽♀️. Patrick made us feel safe and at ease. He was super knowledgeable and made our first outdoor climb an enjoyable experience! He gave us super helpful tips which we will be applying to our future climbing. Thank you Patrick. We will hopefully see you again soon!Cait Chin19th November 2022
I cannot recommend Patrick enough. This was my 1st experience with Scrambling. I have been doing hill-walking for years but always was nervous about scrambling. After coming across Patrick's website (that was super-useful to start with), I contacted him putting out all my concerns about scrambling. Right from the 1st email to the final day, he put my mind at ease at every step, planning out everything tailored to my abilities. He was very pro-active in answering all my concerns before the event, then was super-helpful in guiding me through the scramble at every step along the way. At the summit I was so comfortable that we even managed to do the descent via Swirral edge. Not just the scramble, but he gave me invaluable lessons & insight into scrambling & hill-walking in general along the way. This has been one of my best guided experiences so far & I am glad Patrick helped me in not only getting out of my comfort zone with scrambling but also open up a new world in the mountains for me. I look forward to using his services again in future.Rishabh Saxena14th October 2022
Myself and my partner booked Patrick for a one day introduction to ropes. We have scrambled alot in the last but mainly grade 1s and wanted to become confident to use ropes. We did pinnacle ridge and Patrick was magnificent! He taught us so much in the short space of time we had. A genuinely lovely guy with so much knowledge. We always felt safe and would highly reccomend it. We only wished we had booked for 2 or 3 days. But will definately be coming back. Thankyou for an amazing experience! Kelly and James. Xkelly halse25th September 2022
Having experience of several Grade 1 Scrambles, I wanted to book a Advanced Scrambling Course as a gift for my partner to experience the higher grades in Scrambling.
Contacted several companies, but was impressed with Patricks reply and wanting to know about our experience and what we wanted to achieve , so the day could be tailored to suit.
So we had a excellent day scrambling on the Idwal Buttress in the Ogwen Valley, could have done more but the weather beat us......this time. Patrick provided plenty of instruction and encouragement during the ascent coupled with local knowledge of the area for when we return.
I would highly recommend him as a guide .
Paul 03/10/22
.Paul Cooper12th September 2022
Patrick was really very knowledgeable and able to point out bad habits and improve safety.
The course was self-rescue and problem solving. Which was really useful and able to adjust the material on the audience.
Highly recommended.Gilbert Pieris9th August 2022
Absolutely fantastic guidance and a great day climbing in Ilkley. We were a mixed group of kids and adults, some with experience others with none, some nervous others more confident. Patrick was encouraging and supportive, everyone learned something and the whole group were very happy with the experience. I would highly recommend Patrick as a guide.Sophie Twiss9th August 2022
Enjoyed an excellent day in tough weather conditions mainly due to the professionalism and guiding skills of Patrick definitely a go to guy for anyone thinking about hikes or climbs in the mountainsDavie Wilson25th July 2022
An absolutely superb day with Patrick. I wanted to tackle a ridge as part of '50 things to do when 50', and decided Sharp Edge would be the one to go for as I'm also trying to climb all the Wainwrights. I don't have a good head for heights and am not at all confident scrambling, so for me it was going to be a nerve wracking experience. However Patrick quickly put me at my ease and gave me some fantastic, practical tips to increase my confidence. What I had thought would just be a case of getting through it in one piece actually turned into one of the most exciting and exhilarating days I've had in the hills, achieving Halls Fell as well as Sharp Edge and surprisingly making me want to do even more! Already planning on how my husband and I can have more days out with Patrick in future - learned a huge amount and more importantly had fun too.Kirsten Parrish17th July 2022
Reviews on Facebook
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Had the most amazing 3 days scrambling and Munro bagging in Glencoe with Patrick this week. Day 1 took us up Stob Dearg via Curved Ridge and Crowberry Tower which was fantastic and so was the weather! This route is defo a most do if you are thinking of going! Day 2 we went up Ben Nevis via Ledge Route and despite the rain we had another awesome day, the scrambling was fab and the North Face is truly magnificent! Another must do route, even with the massive bog at the end 🤣 Day 3 we aimed to get up Aonach Dubh but the weather was shocking and we admitted defeat half way up, but the pub lunch was yum and my legs were grateful! Patrick was very patient and knowledgeable throughout the trip, i felt safe at all times and would 110% recommend a scrambling course with him. The scrambling was extremely fun, the evenings were hilarious, we had such a great time! Whatever you do don't mention the Mysterons 🙈🤣 
Emma Samantha
17th August 2019 I had the best day Rock Climbing at Almscliffe Crag with Patrick, this was my first time climbing and I was made to feel comfortable, safe and supported throughout. I learnt so much and even when I struggled, Patrick was extremely patient and motivational with his supportive words and advice that kept me going, I felt I have achieved something amazing that I wouldn't of been able to do without him and also thoroughly enjoyed the day which was well needed! Thank you Patrick, looking forward to more outdoor adventures! 🧗♀️☺️ 
Sophie Olivia
22nd July 2019 - I booked Patrick for a private rock climbing improvers course (19th and 20th June 2019) and could not have been happier. Patrick understood everything I wanted to achieve and designed a flexible 2 day session which improved my climbing skills, my decision making and most importantly has given me the confidence to take my climbing to the next stage. I highly recommend Patrick to anyone who wants to progress… A fantastic few days of climbing and instruction.
Alan McGing
24th June 2019 I struggled scrambling due to my huge fear of heights, which I wanted to beat, and Patrick helped all the way through! Great support in achieving a personal goal ❤️ 
Mara Panozzo
1st March 2019 - Patrick arranged three great days of mountaineering in the Cairngorms for my friend and I. He was very flexible on the program, and careful to adapt it to our needs and expectations so we can best improve our mountaineering skills. He was constantly sharing great tips and his knowledge of mountaineering in general was impressive. Also his knowledge of the area was very useful as he was still able to find interesting routes and things to do despite the uncooperative weather. Patrick was also friendly and nice, and we very much enjoyed his company in the mountains. We had a lot of fun building snow caves and emergency shelters as we had asked him to specifically cover that. Highly recommended!
Cyprien
19th February 2019 I have just completed a one day taster in lead trad climbing with Patrick. The course was excellent. He invested time in establishing clearly what our goals for the day were and clearly gave a lot of thought as to how we would achieve these. His approach was flexible; the weather was not conducive to doing everything outdoors but he managed to adapt and keep us on track by moving indoors where there was more to be learnt relevant to trad climbing than I would have imagined! His approach was engaging and thought provoking and his exercises and explanations were all very clear. I would certainly consider doing another course with him. 
Johnathan Todd
2nd December 2018 - Patrick arranged an absolutely fantastic introductory climbing session for our 15 year old son, who is mad keen on climbing but has never been on real rock before. The Cow and Calf at Ilkley was a great choice of site, and Patrick was brilliant at tailoring the progression of climbs according to the circumstances and explained everything very clearly. Safety was never in any doubt at any stage. Very highly recommended indeed, thanks Patrick!
Kevin Gale
31st October 2018I'm still on the high from last weekend when I got to climb with Patrick in Snowdonia. Driven by my passion for multi-pitch routes and a desire to better understand the mechanics of trad climbing I booked this course with Patrick and it did not disappoint! I learned an incredible amount in just two days surrounded by some of the most stunning scenery on earth. I completed my longest route to date ('Hope' on Idwal Slabs) and even got to do an abseil! I can't thank Patrick enough for his professionalism, sharing his expertise and for making sure I got the most out of my time on the rock 🙂
Rachel Parker
26th July 2018 -
My fiance and I had a fantastic day trying out multi-pitch trad climbing, scrambling and basic navigation with Patrick. He was excellent at tailoring the day to my level of experience and needs. A truly safe pair of hands, with good taste for the local brew. Thanks again Patrick!
Anthony Harrison
13th July 2018Many thanks to Patrick for a thoroughly enjoyable two days doing my silver NNAS course. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable and experienced but he is also excellent at conveying things in the right way for his audience. Very patient and flexible and inspires confidence - I learned more than I expected to. Thanks very much.
Helen Collier
28th June 2018 -
I had a great time with Patrick on the navigation course. I learned a lot and enjoyed being out in the Welsh mountains. Everything was well organised and taught - and the hostel is one of the best!
Mike David
20th April 2018The advanced scrambling course in Wales was great, enabling me to achieve heights I wouldn't have, without the safety and guidance from a skilled leader. Thanks Patrick
Laura Coy
16th April 2018 -
Top notch map reading and navigation course with Patrick, who is as patient and professional as he is knowledgeable! Highly recommended. Loved every minute, and am looking forward to putting into practice everything that I have learnt. Thank you so much, Patrick!
Siân Morris-Tait
8th April 2018I had an incredible time with Patrick stepping it up and taking on some winter climbing for the first time! He tailored the 3 days based on my goals, made each day fun despite the terrible weather and I felt that I'd come away with a ton of knowledge and confidence. Cheers Patrick! Maybe next year at Aonach Eagach?
Advait Kapadia
27th February 2018 -
A huge thanks Patrick for giving us the opportunity to climb in the Cairngorms this week .. it would not of been possible without you and you made the experience fun (type 2 of course). Winter climbing can be difficult at the best of times but with your high standards of professionalism and safety we were able to relax and enjoy the climbing will definitely be seeing you again x
Angela Moroney
16th January 2018Had a great weekend of winter climbing in Fort William! I have learnt so much from Patrick and enjoyed my time ! It was a pleasant experience, a real hard work climbing in such a cold weather however Patrick can turn it to a real achievement by giving the full confidence, support and safety needed .. definitely will do much more of that and i hope I can be an experienced climber one day.
Nour Bassatne
7th January 2018 -
After a weekend of scrambling in Snowdonia and being lucky enough to have great weather with the most amazing views it is very easy for me to recommend Patrick as your guide. Having a panic attack climbing the north gully of Tryfan Patrick gave me the coaching and confidence to succeed to the summit of the North Ridge of Tryfan. What a sense of achievement. Patrick starts the weekend with a talk on how the body changes temperature in the various elements of the weather, including wind chill and what happens if clothing gets wet from either rain or sweat. He then explains why it is essential to have the right kit and the success of any adventure is being prepared. Thank you Patrick and I look forward to the next adventure.
Fiona Love
20th November 2017I had a 10/10 weekend in Snowdonia scrambling with Patrick back in July and had an absolute blast! The scrambles we did were stunning and pretty challenging for someone who's never done any scrambling before but I felt completely comfortable the whole time. Patrick is very focused on safety and explaining the basics of rope work, navigation and weather, but always checks in with the group to make sure everyone is having fun (be that type 1 fun or type 2 fun!). I learned some cool new knots, had some tasty pub dinners after long days, and will definitely be back for more!
Jacqueline Towers
16th October 2017 -
An excellent day out yesterday on a National Navigation Award Scheme tutor course. Many thanks for all the ideas and the great company.
Andrew Foxon
28th September 2017I completed the two day NNAS Bronze course with Patrick in Ilkley and learnt so much from it. Starting with an introduction to using different maps, we then looked at contours and compass work followed by distance measuring and route planning. Patrick is very knowledgeable and made sure I understood what was being taught before moving onto the next thing and was able to answer any questions I had. I have taken away a lot of skills from the course and now have the confidence to go out and practice. I would highly recommend booking onto a course with Patrick and I will be again in the future.
Callum Coxhead
22nd September 2017
Reviews on Trip Advisor
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Indoor lead climbing day course with Patrick. 3 x 2 hour sections that were well planned and practical throughout. A significant stepping stone - from worrying about lead climbing to... read more 
J2771ESstephenj
31st January 2023 Really good instructor. All over his craft and a great teacher both in technical skill and climbing coaching. Would recommend to anyone!! 
edrQ4610VS
2nd January 2023
