Mountain Ash is dedicated to the delivery of high quality, safe Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions and gold residential weeks. Through the quality of our staff, our planning and delivery we will ensure that your teams will have the best possible experience and achieve the most personal growth through their journey.
We work with schools, clubs and individuals delivering all or part of the expedition requirements of the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
We can provide;
- Fully qualified and experienced staff, including assessors.
- Team expedition equipment including tents and cookers.
- Assistance with the submission of all necessary paperwork
- Campsite fees.
- Maps and compasses.
- Use of all specialist equipment, e.g. kayaks
Locations
We can work with your teams at any of our regular expedition venues including, Poole Harbour, The Purbeck Hills, The New Forest and Dartmoor, or we can work in areas of your choosing subject to suitability.
About Me
My name is Mark and I am seasoned outdoor professional both in my work and personal life. I have always had a passion for outdoor activities and adventure, particularly in the arena of rock climbing, which I have been doing for the last 20 years, and have been fortunate enough to climb in the UK, France and Spain with a more recent trip exploring the Dolomites in Spring 2015.
Progressing from this I became actively involved in several mountaineering expeditions across the Alps in Switzerland, France and Italy. I have summited Mont Blanc twice and been forced to abort attempts on both the Eiger and the Matterhorn due to weather. These are very much considered unfinished business! As if the snowy mountains weren’t cold enough I have also ventured to Norway on several ice climbing trips, which have required a much greater degree of boldness and trust in my equipment.
After retiring from full time employment I seized the opportunity to learn some new skills and gain qualifications in a variety of different outdoor pursuits. I now hold the following qualifications:
- Mountain Leader (ML)
- Single Pitch Award (SPA)
- Coasteering Instructor
- Archery Instructor as a member of the Grand National Archery Society (GNAS)
- Level 2 Power boat
- DofE Award Supervisor
- DofE Award Assessor (Gold)
For the past 
five years I have worked as a qualified DofE trainer and expedition leader, leading groups on 2 day to week long expeditions all the way from Bronze through to Gold level. It is a role that I find particularly rewarding and I have been fortunate enough to have been invited to St James’s palace by one of my Gold groups. From planning through to qualifying expeditions I always aim to create a fun, informative and safe environment for DoE participants of all backgrounds and always welcome feedback to ensure that I provide the best experience possible.
