From time to time clients contact West Coast Mountain Guides with feedback. Fortunately this almost always positive. This page aims to allow clients to have their say about both the service offered and the instructors they come into contact with. West Coast Mountain Guides work with a number of freelance instructors, many of whom have their own website. Where possible links to the individual instructors website's will also be included on these pages. In this way it is hoped that clients will have a wide choice of instructors to choose from in future as well as West Coast Mountain Guides.

This is a new page started in February 2008.

Please feel free to contact me with any feedback on any of my courses.

Thanks,

Alan Kimber

Hi Alan

Just a brief note to thank you for a very enjoyable time last week. We both had a great time despite the weather or perhaps because of the weather...I will send back your gear by first class post tomorrow as promised. It looks as though I may have some colleagues wanting to tag on a Mont Blanc summit attempt end 3rd week in September, so if you think that is the best approach I will contact Mark via his web site. Do you have any idea what it will cost and the best way to hire gear? Needless to say Catherine wants to finish what she has started so we will be back in contact to arrange a day or two or perhaps longer to do that next year. In the meantime if you could keep me posted on your courses and plans for 2009 I would really appreciate it as I think you have rekindled a desire to do more. I have as promised dug out some photos for Catherine of the last time I did the Cuillin Ridge with you, which I was surprised to find was 18 years ago in 1990. With these are some photos of other trips with you and of course this trip. If you have any photos not on your blog you would like to share you should be able to add them to the web gallery. It was really good to see you again.
Thanks again.
Bill

I wanted to thank you for such a fantastic introduction to the great ridges of the Cuillin. Having read so much about the ridge - exposure, difficult moves, scary rock, etc - following your footsteps made it all look so easy, and gave me huge confidence. I also can't wait to go back and finish the 2 munros that we didn't manage to do in the week. So you have succeeded in leaving me gagging for more! And I definitely think I have the capability to do the In Pin - but would like to do it so I can enjoy it in dry and still conditions, and see the views.

We did 2 more munros after you left - Bruch na Frithe and Sgurr na Badachnich. On the last day, the weather was much better, and we actually got views at the top of the mountain down into Loch Coruisk, along the ridge and north Skye. So in spite of not seeing much during the week (I think that ignorance has much to recommend it) we did get views at the end of the week.

I would be really interested in coming on one of your winter skills courses - so if you could let me have dates, or suggestions, then I would be really up for that. I would love to do the winter munros - such a different experience. You can send them to the e-mail above.

I'm afraid that I buried the waterproof trousers yesterday - a very sad and moving experience. They had been through a lot, and I thought the best thing to do was give them a quiet end to their short but rough life! I've got a new pair - we'll see how they cope next year with the gabbro! Or I could just forget to bring them with me, and wreck a pair of yours - I thought Bill had the best idea.

Thank you again for a great 3 days -

my very best wishes,
Catherine Glickman

You are welcome. Our experience there was excellent so we are pleased to be customers and expect to return at some point in the future.

- v

Alan

Just a quick note to say a big thank you for your efforts with the girls. Your words of wisdom to Olivia of 'trust your feet' has become part of our outdoor mantra. I will be in touch about a winter course for myself later in the year.

All the very best

Andrew

Hi Alan

Martin and I had a superb ridge traverse in fantastic weather with a great guide …….and I’m still on a high!! Thank you for arranging it at such short notice.

Thank you

Shirley

Hi Alan

I tried to follow the feedback links but didn't’t see where to leave my comments.

Here goes…Julie and I had one of the best holidays ever last week…it far exceeded our expectations. We really appreciated the thought that went into tailoring a course for our particular needs and anxieties (I was a bit phobic about climbing and we both have dodgy knees). Nick March really excelled in assessing our competencies and expectations, and we really appreciated his supportive tutoring of technical skills, given we had never before used an ice axe or worn crampons. Suddenly, by day 5 we were safely enjoying a grade II winter climb (Golden Oldie) – a testament to Nick’s ability to judge and build our skills and confidence in a well structured and seemingly effortless way. It was such a good laugh and Nick felt more like a good friend by the end. We particularly enjoyed being guided down the ‘walk of shame’ after we missed the last Gondola! We also enjoyed Alan’s customer service and hospitality, as well as his dry observations and tips before and after the daily climb. See you next year!

Please can you forward this to Nick so he can get in touch. I also have some pics if you want them.

Cheers.

Jon Cooper

Alan - we missed you on Sunday when we headed off so thought I would e-mail to say thanks for a fantastic 3 days. The accommodation and kit that we hired was great and Chris was an absolutely brilliant guide who ensured that we got the most out of our two days with him and had a lot of fun doing it. After the two days with Chris we did a route he recommended up Stob Corie nan Lochan on the Sunday which was our first independent outing and enabled us to put into practice what we had learnt with Chris Walker. All in all - hugely enjoyable!

Look forward to seeing you again next year.

Matt

Dear Alan- Just a brief note to thank you for arranging our recent climbing in FW. Julie and I had a great time and no doubt will be back! Adam was a great guy and we felt very well looked after under his guidance. Would you kindly pass on our thanks to him? The trip up Ledge route on that wonderful fine day was spectacular.

Hope all goes well.

Best wishes

Hi Alan,
just wanted to say that we had a great time at the weekend (intro to winter mountaineering). We really feel like we've gone up a level or three and can't wait to get out there again. Thanks again to Fergal O'Connor for his time, patience and mountain know how.
Cheers,
John and Adrian

I just wanted to write to thank you for the weekend course.

Nick March is an excellent instructor, one of the best that I have come across. I got a lot out of the weekend.

Thanks again

Alan

Hi Alan
The accommodation was sorted, we came and went in November!!
Nothing but praise for Spike who organised everything, the standard of accommodation and the quality of info, etc. Top marks all round.
Pity we didn't get a chance to say hello but we'll be back again so maybe next time.
Thanks again to all.
Stephen Jones

Hi Alan
I would like to thank-you for a great week of mountaineering. I really enjoyed the introductory course, Spike was a fantastic guide. I certainly have a better idea of what mountaineering is all about.

I am looking forward to coming back. I have noticed you have Easter courses...

Kind Regards
Maree

Alan,

Didn't get see you before I headed off Sunday. Thanks to you, Thea (?) and Matt for a great weekend.

See you soon I hope.

Regards

Neil

Hello, I just wanted to reiterate how much I enjoyed the course last week -
I found it just the right level of difficulty, because I found myself
stretched physically and mentally, but was able to complete it and felt a
great sense of achievement as a result. I learnt so much, and as you said
earlier, we now know what we need to know, which is so useful. The
accommodation was very cosy and comfortable, and all the people were so
helpful and nice - thank you so much, I had a great time and am now hooked
on mountaineering! I may well be returning to Calluna in the future...

thanks again,
Katy Horder

Hi Alan

many thanks for organising my guiding with Carl - I had a great day out with him - he talked me through all that we were doing and I felt I came away with better skills to use when I'm out with my mates - the weather was also amazing which helps!

Cheers

M ike Burchell

Hi Alan and Sue,

Just wanted to say that I really enjoyed the 3 days with Cliff on the Winter Mountaineering Course, it was one of the best courses that I have done and Cliff’s approach and overall instructional ability were excellent.

Many thanks again,
David

Hi Alan,

Hope you are well?

Apologies for not emailing you sooner but I've been having computer problems at home so I've had to email you from work.

I'd just like to say thank you very much for organising my guided walk on Aonach Eagach ridge last Tuesday, especially at such short notice.

I had a fantastic day and out and Chris was great. We moved at a really good pace and the whole walk felt really safe and secure, thanks to Chris. On top of that the weather co-operated and we had some great views all day long.

Again, thank you very much for your help and if you could pass on my regards and thanks to Chris that would be great. I’d definitely recommend your company and Chris to others, and use you again.

I took some pictures, but as I say my computer has given up the ghost but I'll try and send some to you as soon as I can.

Cheers,

Jonny

Jonathan Gamble

Hi Alan,

Just wanted to say thanks to Spike and yourself for a great weekend
just gone. Really enjoyed both days and found it very useful, hope to
come back another year.

Thanks again,

James

Hello Alan

I am writing a short note on behalf of our group to thank you, your wife Sue, you daughter and the guides Nick and Spike for giving us with a very enjoyable week end. The entire group really enjoyed themselves particularly those who got to climb Ben Nevis. Already there is talk of returning. On this point as you now have a feel for the sort of group we are, if we were to return for the snow and ice experience, could you recommend a similar Grade One climb (maybe of 6hr duration) that you could provide for us?

Regards

Richard

Hi Alan

I just wanted to thank you for the recent trip we took up to Ben Nevis. Not only was it great fun to ascend using a route other than the one normal people go up, but it was also really valuable to be able to learn (and put into some kind of practice) some winter skills. Although I think we're a long way from being able to safely ascend an Alpine monster we're all keen to keep practicing and get in some winter navigation and climbing practice in north wales next season (Fort William is just to bloody far - but maybe circumstances will change). So thank you for pointing us in the right direction.

If you're interested, the photos that I took of the trip are on my FTP site. The address is:-

ftp://keefsloan.kicks-ass.net

Cut and paste that into your browser and you'll see 2 zip files, one of images and one of some movies. Please feel free to download them and use them if you want to.

Once again Alan, many thanks. We're all still buzzing from the experience, and doing some of the trad routes down in Swanage is going to seem a little tame now. Roll on winter 2008 / 2009 - we're all hooked!!

Cheers

Keef