About Us
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
We are a family run Mountain Guiding company. We both love to be in the mountains and share our experiences with you
Our Story
Insight Mountain Guides began with a shared idea — and a shared love — for the mountains. What started as two climbers from different ends of the country, finding our way on the British climbing scene. Brought together by a shared love of Scottish winter climbing which slowly grew into something much bigger: a life together built around adventure, family, and creating meaningful experiences in the mountains.
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Founded by Guy and Lou, a husband-and-wife guiding team now adventuring with a little one in tow. Our journey took us from the rugged landscapes of Scotland to the dramatic peaks of the Alps — a move that marked not just a change of terrain, but the beginning of a new chapter. We built Insight around everything we value: deep expertise, honest connection, time to learn, and an approach to guiding that’s rooted in respect for the mountains and the people who come to experience them.
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Today, Insight Mountain Guides stands for education, adventure, safety, and community. We’re here to share our knowledge, our passion, and the joy that comes from moving through the mountains with intention. Whether you're taking your first steps into alpine terrain or chasing a long-held dream route, we want your experience to be as memorable and personal as the journey that brought us here.
This is our story — and we’d love to be part of yours
Meet The Team
Born and brought up in the Lake District, my love of the outdoors came early and naturally. As soon as I completed my outdoor education diploma, I began working as a Trainee Instructor in Scotland. Fast forward to 2012, when I attained my Mountaineering Instructors Certificate, now the WMCI, the highest award obtainable in the UK. This helped me gain the necessary experience to begin training as an IFMGA British Mountain Guide, the highest guiding qualification for mountaineering, skiing and climbing worldwide. I proudly qualified in 2018. I enjoy all kinds of mountain climbing, especially the traditional aspects in both winter and summer. Having lived in Scotland for 15 years I have a particular affinity for Scottish winter climbing and the big mountain cliffs. The Alps in now my new home is a playground where I have much still to explore in company with guests and friends.
I have been in love with the mountains ever since first visiting the Alps as a 12-year-old kid, their size and wonder drew me in. I have found them a place to learn about myself, to overcome challenges and to be simultaneously humbled. Through a life of playing and working in the mountains I have had some of the best adventures, found some of the closest friendships and met my husband. I am now an IFMGA Mountain Guide and BASI Level 3 Skiing Instructor living in the Chamonix valley in the heart of the French Alps. However, my journey began in Devon in the South of England, quickly moving to Scotland at the age of 18 where I began training and progressing through the British Mountaineering and Climbing qualifications in both summer and winter whilst also teaching skiing. I have always enjoyed sharing the mountains with people whether at work or in my spare time. I find great pleasure in helping people master a new skill or gain enough confidence to reach a summit they didn’t imagine possible. I have spent years playing and working throughout the UK and abroad, from Ben Nevis to the Cairngorms and Torridon, Guiding the Cuillin Ridge Traverse on Skye or teaching Rock climbing at the National Mountain Centre in North Wales. Now as a guide in the alps I aspire to blend my teaching and coaching experience with high mountain guiding.​​
IFMGA
International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations
An IFMGA-certified mountain guide is a professionally trained person who helps others safely experience the mountains through activities like mountaineering, ski touring, rock climbing, and ice climbing. Their training covers both technical skills and personal qualities such as communication and decision-making. They support clients not only by guiding them on routes but also by offering advice, motivation, and safety-focused leadership. With a strong understanding of nature and the mountain environment, they aim to make each trip meaningful and responsible. The IFMGA sets a common international standard, allowing guides to work across member countries.
BASI
British Association of Snowsport Instructors
The British Association of Snowsport Instructors (BASI), founded in 1963, is the UK’s official body for training and certifying snowsport instructors in ski, snowboard, telemark, adaptive, and cross-country disciplines. It offers a modular qualification system from Level 1 to Level 4, aligned with the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework, and runs over 300 courses annually in the UK and abroad. BASI provides internationally recognised qualifications, supports continuous professional development, and helps members access global job opportunities. It is a member of the International Ski Instructors Association (ISIA) and operates a quality assurance scheme for approved ski schools worldwide.
