About Nigel

I left school at the age of 16 to join the Royal Marines. This experience gave me an opportunity to stay physically fit whilst travelling the world and enabled me to work alongside like-minded people.

Being in the Royal Marines at such an early age I learnt an abundance of life skills, these include impeccable timekeeping, personal hygiene, self-discipline, cheerfulness in adversity, to be courageous, to work with others (especially under extreme pressure), to have a positive mental attitude and determination to succeed, even when the chips are down. All of these have stayed with me throughout my career and have benefited me both personally and professionally especially as an employer of a twenty strong workforce.

I have always kept myself fit through playing rugby and squash at county level and more lately as a cyclist. Being born and bred in Cumbria, outdoor living is in my blood, with a passion for hiking, climbing, Via Ferratta and, as previously stated, cycling.

As a cyclist I have raced at amateur level and completed many long distance Sportives. One of my many local favourites is the Fred Whitton Challenge, of which I have completed six consecutive courses in sub seven hours.

I also like to challenge myself in European Sportives; regularly competing in the Étape du Tour in France, with my best achievement being a top ten finish in my Vet 50 age category. I also won a local Sportive: The Cumbrian Cracker which is a hilly ride out in the Lake District. More recently, due to a cancer diagnosis in March 2022, I have found the addictive sport of Padel and spend many an hour perfecting my Bandeja. Out here Padel courts are in abundance which is why we are now offering combined Padel and Cycling holidays. Get in touch as I simply love riding my bike in the morning and enjoying the afternoon on the Padel court followed by a beer or two in the sunshine!

I have a daughter who loves life to the full and is looking forward to spending next season in the Alps as a Chalet Maid. Having a teenage daughter has made me well aware of how distracting social media can be for this particular age group and how physical activity and social interaction can actually make a difference to their well-being and attitude towards life. It is for this reason that Julie and I are very keen to model positive behaviour patterns centred around physical activity and healthy living. I have an absolute love of the outdoors and wish to pass on my enthusiasm and skills to the younger generation, opening their eyes to what they can achieve and all the adventures they could have when they put their phone down and put their mind to it.