The activity centres and guides listed below are accredited through the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA). You should be able to find details of their accreditation on the AALA website www.aals.org.uk.
Accreditation through AALA is only required for centres and guides doing adventurous activities with young people in a commercial setting. This means that many well qualified and experienced guides are not part of this scheme especially if they concentrate on working with adults.
Many guides work on a freelance basis and can be contacted through the Association of Mountaineering Instructors or the Association of Caving Instructors.
Alfresco Adventures, Reeth
Tel. 01748880286 or 07842633232
Bewerley Park Outdoor Education Centre, Pateley Bridge
Tel. 01423 711287
Buckden House Outdoor Education centre, Buckden
Tel. 01756 760254
Eden Outdoor Adventure, Penrith
Tel. 01768 881386
High Adventure, Cowling
Tel. 01535 630044
How Stean Gorge, Pateley Bridge
Tel. 01423 755666
Ingleborough Hall Outdoor Education Centre, Clapham
Tel. 015242 51265
Low Mill Outdoor Education Centre, Askrigg
Tel. 01969 650432
Lupine Adventure Co-operative 18 Lilac Grove, Victoria Park Avenue, Leeds. LS5 3AG
Tel. Tel. 0113 410 3712
Marrick Priory, Reeth
Tel. 01748 884434
Mobile Adventure, Skipton
Tel. 07703 042709
Rough Edges, Airton
Tel. 01729 830394
Yorkshire Dales Guides, Settle
Tel. 01729 824455
Association of Mountaineering Instructors (AMI)
Many AMI mountaineering instructors work on a freelance/self-employed basis and are available for hire by the day or for longer periods. Although based in a particular geographical area, instructors are normally able to work in locations all over the UK to meet client needs.
In addition to mountaineering instruction, members may offer other services such as gorge scrambling, sea level traversing and general adventurous activities. Many are also qualified in other activities such as sailing, canoeing, caving and orienteering, to name but a few. These activities can be tailored to groups of different sizes, backgrounds, ages and abilities. You can obtain more information by contacting AMI members directly.
Association of Caving Instructors (ACI)
Some instructors are available for 'hire' on a freelance or self-employed basis, and offer a wide range of caving activities. This can vary from single day introductory educational and adventure trips in a cave or abandoned mine suitable for beginners (for example, schools, families, scouts, corporate teams), through to one-to-one guiding over several days or a programme of technical instruction in personal skills, rigging and rescue delivered over a period of months. Whatever your interests or ability, ACI members will be able to tailor their instruction to meet your needs.
Although often specialising in particular caving areas, most will work throughout the UK and abroad. Many are also qualified in other activities and are able to provide instruction in rock climbing, gorge scrambling, mountaineering, canoeing, orienteering and so on.
Visit the Association of Caving Instructors website.
