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• paul campbell(Saturday, January 21 2012 22:52)

  I spent two days with gary a few days after christmas on the first day the wind was so strong it nearly blew me off my feet the rain was coming in sideways thats all i have to say about that day , 24 hours later things got better, the wind stopped blowing the rain stopped raining the snow fell overnight and it got colder perfect. I had no previous experience of winter walking until gary taught me some winter skills he was very professional experiencied and knowledgeable about the area we were in the north face of ben nevis
  he was very strict about safety ,made sure I understood the danger of walking on snow and ice i enjoyed learning to walk with crampons on ice , using the axe for safety , gary gave me the confidence to walk up a mountain in winter conditions , I recommend stepping outside your comfort zone take a walk with gary ,your not alone
  thanks for a great day paul

• Yasuko(Wednesday, December 21 2011 10:46)

  Hi Gary,
  thanks for guiding me up Ben Nevis on the 15th.I really enjoyed the walk and without your professional guidance it was not possible to try out crampons, ice axe and moreover to return safely from the top amid brief snow/blizzard spell! Many thanks once again and for the photos too!

• Tom Black(Monday, December 12 2011 22:30)

  Hi Garry,
  
  Just wanted to say a quick thanks for taking us out this weekend. We both really enjoyed ourselves and learnt so much in our two days on the mountain. I now feel far more confident in taking to the mountains in the snow and can't wait to get some crampons of my own to do some more routes over the Xmas holidays! Hopefully we'll be able to come back next year to have a go at one of those gullies!
  
  Thanks again
  
  Tom

• Andy Veren(Friday, October 28 2011 16:44)

  Hi Gary,
  Love the pictures on your Blog they really capture the day. Glad we did the Ledge route it was brilliant !!! The CMD Arete was just breath taking as well, it was a fantastic day and we are still buzzing from the experience!!.
  Once again a big thank you for your guidance you were superb !! it made it a lasting memory of our fist Scottish Mountains and Munro,s.
  Best Regards
  Andy and Gill Verden.

• Beth and John Benham(Thursday, October 06 2011 17:51)

  Gary was our guide on a walking tour for Walkaboutscotland this summer. We were so very fortunate to have him lead our group. He's extremely knowledgeable and safety concious as well as kind, flexible and fun to be with! When we return to Scotland, we will definitely be planning a trip with Gary.

• Giulia Attard Montalto(Tuesday, October 04 2011 12:42)

  Just to say thanks for everything in facilitating our bagging of Ben Nevis! Was a truly great and memorable day for us. Couldn’t have done it without you!

• Michael Gray(Friday, September 09 2011 10:33)

  "I spent a most enjoyable day recently with Gary Hogsdon, lead guide at Tarmachan Mountaineering. Gary guided me up Ben Nevis via the North Face Ledge Route and down via the CMD Arete. Gary's mix of expert knowledge and calm nature turned something a bit terrifying into an absolute joy. No matter what your skill level, I’m sure Tarmachan Mountaineering has an adventure suitable for you and your friends too.

• Malcolm & Gabe Stewart(Thursday, April 28 2011 22:33)

  Fantastic day! On 29 March Gary guided us safely to the summit of Ben Nevis; we'd never have made it on our own... A fine early spring day in the valley, by 800m the temperature was below freezing, it was snowing and we couldn't see the path.
  Is the back of Gary's hand a strange magical map? He guided us slowly and securely to the top, then showed us around, and began our descent by bottom sliding down a couple of hundred metres.
  My knees played up on the downward trek, but Gary (and Gabe) patiently encouraged me in a sometimes painfully slow descent down the path. But what a sense of achievement for the day! Thanks, Gary, for your patience and wonderful mountain skills. Shame the pub wasn't open on our return, though.

• Sylvia van der Horst, GERMANY(Monday, April 25 2011 15:34)

  I had a most fantastic day on April 21, walking the CMD approach to Ben Nevis, with a great guide, Gary, who explains a lot of interesting things in the scenery and seems to know every stone on the way by name. He shows a deep passion for the landscape there, so profound, it's almost contagious. Luckily, the weather was very much on my side (as Gary doesn't care much about weather :-)), and after going back on the "tourist path", I found myself very satisfied to have chosen the "alternative" route: Great views onto the north face, a spectacular "1000 peaks view" from the Arete, and the start of the walk leads through a picturesque birch forest. And just after all this you can reward yourself with a fantastic Cairngorm brew at the Nevis Inn. A great event to remember when I'll be sitting in my office again. Surely will look up more of Gary's trips as I've tasted mountain blood...
  
  Very nice service that Gary takes photos and sends them by email.
  
  5 out of 5 stars *****

• Paul and Jo(Saturday, April 16 2011 11:57)

  Hi Gary,
  Many thanks for a superb insight in to winter skills.I thoroughly enjoyed the course.Your professionalism and friendly nature ensured I had a brilliant and thrilling experience and acquired many skills for my future adventures.It was fantastic to be with a guide who knew his job so well, allowing me to enjoy the route and engage with the experience.Wow!
  
  All the best and many thanks for the photographs you sent.
  
  Cheers Paul and Jo.

• Melissa &Tom Marston(Wednesday, March 09 2011 18:32)

  Hi Gary,
  
  Thank you so much for a great day out climbing up Ben Nevis last Wednesday. I'm glad you and Tom encouraged me to veer off the path for the last 2 hours of the climb. You were very patient and made me feel very safe as I was quite nervous using the ice axe and crampons for the first time, but it was such good fun. It was very clear that mountaineering was your passion, and what a great way it is to make a living.
  
  Perhaps we'll try the North Face next time - we'll be in touch!!
  
  All the best,
  
  Melissa

• Bob Collier(Monday, February 28 2011 12:00)

  Hi Gary,
  
  Just a quick note to say a big thank you for the fantastic two days Winter Skills course.
  
  After a break of over twenty years from doing serious snowy stuff, you've given me the confidence to go back up again in full winter conditions.
  
  The whole course was really well delivered - I found the avalanche assessment particularly interesting and certainly very useful as I'd never considered it properly before.
  
  Your very detailed and intimate knowledge of the mountains, the climbing routes and the environment obviously stems from a deep love of the area.
  
  Thanks again, and enjoy the rest of this winter you lucky so and so!
  
  Best wishes,
  
  Bob

• Debbie & Ali Matthews(Friday, February 25 2011 09:19)

  A fantastic day out learning winter skills in wonderful snow conditions. We learned loads from Gary who was very clear, informative & patient. We would thoroughly recommend him. Our day out has opened up many new opportunities for us for winter walking. Many thanks!

• Dave Hoare(Tuesday, February 22 2011 14:58)

  Thanks for a great day out on The Ben Gary.
  Never having used ice axe & crampons before it was reassuring to have such an easy going & knowledgaqble guide.Gave me the confidence to tackle a few more hills by myself.
  Cheers Hope to walk with you again.

• Ali Wilkinson(Friday, January 21 2011 13:57)

  Hi Gary just like to take this opportunity to thank you for your guidance and patience over the last few days, both days were excellent but it's hard to beat the north face of the Ben. Looking forward to next outing.
  
  Cheers Ali

• Ric Glynne-Owen(Saturday, January 01 2011 20:39)

  Hiya Garry just leaving a message to thank you again for a great 2 days on your Winter Skills course. It was an amazing time and your expertise and easy going attitude made the course all the better. I wholeheartedly recommend your excellent courses to anyone who is considering using you and believe I learnt more in 2 days that I would have done on a weeks course in large groups. Your knowledge of the mountains and skill in your role makes you a first class instructor. Good luck with in the future and I look forward to getting up on the hills with you again in the future.

• Steve King(Monday, December 27 2010 23:54)

  Just a quick email to say thank you very much for the great day out on the
  ledge route on Ben Nevis 30/10/10, it was a top day out. Me and mark both
  enjoyed it immensely, and were grateful for your patience and guiding. I
  would not have been able to tackle a route like that on my own, and
  especially when responsible for other people. My navigational skill are not
  what they were, and weren't that great then!

• Rachel(Thursday, November 04 2010 12:32)

  Hi Gary,
  
  Really enjoyed my day out on Aonach Beag & Mor with you last week - despite the weather! Looking forward to December, with hopefully some clear blue sky and lots of snow up the Ben.
  
  Will definitely come back for the Aonach Eagach in fine weather!
  
  Cheers,
  
  Rachel

• Anil Sharma(Wednesday, September 08 2010 14:38)

  Hi Gary
  
  Thanks for another great day out on the hills. The weather was outstanding and once again your knowledge of the mountains and surroundings was great.
  
  Definitely recommend.
  
  See you in the winter.
  Anil

• Liz & Terry(Tuesday, June 29 2010 20:58)

  Many thanks for a wonderful couple of days! Your knowledge and love of the outdoors is obvious and certainly rubbed off on us (Terry asking santa for a book on wild flowers!)Once again many thanks for you time and patience... We even tried, with success to navigate up a couple of hills in Glencoe today, no'one around except a herd of deer and a mountain hare! Would highly reccomend this guy for a navigation course and look forward to seeing him again for a winter skills course! Many thanks, Liz & Terry

• Leanne & Graham(Friday, June 25 2010 23:55)

  Hi Gary, love the photos and the story of our day. I have to inform you that this was in fact the highlight of our walking and I would do that day again. The scenery was spectacular and well worth the effort. Perhaps I would just turn the thermastat up a bit!!! I want to thank you Gary for being such a supportive, interesting, positive and fun guide. Would do it all again and hope to at some stage in the future. Leanne

• Malcolm Watson(Monday, June 07 2010 20:51)

  Thanks for a great day Gary and I'm glad you had more faith in my abilities than I had! I wasn't at all sure at the time but I'm very glad we took the Arete option now. Tough but well worth while. Your thorough knowledge of the conditions and the area instilled a confidence that I would not have had otherwise. Thanks again.

• Paul Tait(Sunday, May 30 2010 10:33)

  MANY THANKS Gary for an amazing day out on the Ben Nevis arete. Your knowledge of the route made me feel comfortable & re-assured. Your humour made the whole day so relaxed & enjoyable too!
  
  I will definitely be back this summer, and will be recommending your services to all 'The Summiteers' back home. Cheers!

• Simon Read(Tuesday, May 11 2010 20:49)

  Thank you for another superb day walking the Artemis Quadrathlon route, this time with my team mate Paul. You are great company, and an inspiring/ motivating/ highly knowlegable guide for the day: you clearly absolutely love what you do, and are a great "peoples person" and it shines through. We loved the day and look forward to coming on another route with you soon. Can not recommend you highly enough.

• Glenn Seymour(Wednesday, April 28 2010 20:58)

  A very big Thank You to Gary for guiding me up Ben Nevis last saturday it was a fantastic day with great conditions and as well as being a very good guide and very knowlegable about the surroundings Gary was also great company and i would highly recommend him. I hope to see you later this year for a winter skills course. Once again MANY THANKS GARY.

• Simon and Louise Read(Sunday, April 11 2010 23:14)

  Thank you for a superb guided walk of the Artemis Kindrochit Quadrathlon route, a wonderful day one of the best walks we have ever done and we could not have hoped for a better guide. I cannot recommend you to others highly enough: you went out of your way to make the day really great: we had fun, learnt a great deal and will be returning in a month.. a terrific birthday celebration for louise! Many thanks, and 5 star recommendation.
  
  Simon and Louise.

• Louise Scullion(Wednesday, April 07 2010 22:52)

  Thank you Gary for our guided winter walk at Ben Nevis...what an Amazing day! We haven't pushed ourselves that hard for a while and we thoroughly enjoyed the challenge! Your experience and skills are outstanding, however, your positive attitude and warm personality made our experience an even more memorable one!
  Thanks again Gary, hope to see you in the Summer
  Lou & Jo

• charlie currie(Friday, March 26 2010 20:17)

  Hi Gary.
  Thank you for an exellent 5 days of training, top notch instructor and to be be highly recomended,I have learned a great deal on a 1 to 1 basis.
  Good company good instructor what more can I say
  Take care.
  Charlie Currie

• John Roberts(Monday, March 22 2010 11:51)

  19/03/2010 Thanks for a great day day out!
  Everyone enjoyed 'pushing their limits' on the winter skills weekend.
  It was smiles all round as we headed off home tired but very happy !