Meet your guide

My base and my passion is in the Orkney Islands, with family roots stretching back to the Napoleonic wars, but I operate across all of Scotland. Having spent my life between Orkney and Shetland, completing two apprenticeships and serving years in the Army Reserve Physical Training Corps, there is very little I have not seen. I do not come from a traditional hospitality background. That gives me the ability to be real, and my clients over the years seem to appreciate that. I specialise in the Neolithic and Viking ages, backed by generational knowledge and a network of locals who can answer the niche questions on the rare occasion a query beats me. I believe in putting in the thousand hours on the ground. I walked away from the standard guiding handbook years ago because the best experiences require instinct, not a laminated script.

Having travelled internationally, I have seen the good, the bad, and the downright ugly side of the tourism industry. I built this brand to be a lighthouse away from flashy, generic templates which is an ethos that extends to how we explore together. As a car enthusiast, I demand immaculate vehicles that are fit for purpose. For long routes across mainland Scotland, you will find me in a BMW saloon. In Orkney, I use something a bit taller so you can actually see over the stone walls. You will never find me driving a panel van or an airport shuttle, which is why my group sizes remain fiercely small by choice.

With a wicked sense of humour and a never-ending pile of independent research, I can adapt on the fly. Whether we are keeping kids engaged through a horizontal gale or breaking down prehistoric engineering with a retired litigator over a dram, I deliver a sharp, no-fluff style of guiding.

With hundreds of five-star reviews behind me, I know I may not the guide for everyone, and that is entirely fine. My style is adaptive and built on a very Scandinavian style of quiet confidence.

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Orkney is not going anywhere. See you out there.

C