A lifetime of adventure

Alan Ward is a world-renowned International Mountain Leader and a highly experienced travel guide. Although now in semiretirement, Alan still travels extensively and offers worldwide safety and first aid training for mountain expeditions.

training for the local mountain guides. Covid-19 prevented further training until now when Helen Menhinick and I travelled there to deliver a UIAA Mountain Skills Course and two REC First Aid Courses as volunteers. Helen and I delivered this training through our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies which meant the local mountain guides received the training without cost to them. The guides have great local knowledge. This course provides them with theory and practical knowledge and the first aid skills to be excellent guides. This gives them confidence to deal with the unexpected situations that can arise in the mountains.

Alan is a long-time collaborator with Rohan, and we are always keen to hear about his latest adventures. Here is an account of his recent trip to the Kasbah du Toubkal in Morocco to deliver a UIAA Mountain Skills Course and two REC First Aid Courses with colleague and friend Helen Menhinick.

Mountain Training in Morocco –Alan’s Story

My relationship with the Kasbah du Toubkal goes back several years when I was there to lead groups up Mt Toubkal (4167m), North Africa’s highest mountain. In 2018, on a Toubkal ascent, our guide Mohamed asked if I could provide some internationally accredited

Having been an International Mountain Leader for many years, I’m now reaching the end of my career. It’s therefore very important to me that I give something back to the mountain training system, and the work that we do with the Moroccan Mountain Guides is particularly meaningful to Helen and me. The High Atlas Mountain Guides are all exceptionally skilled and experienced but most of them don’t have internationally accredited formal qualifications, so to be able to provide them with that training is a pleasure. Working with the local culture and sharing knowledge with these mountain guides has been a fantastic and humbling experience.

To find out more about Alan, visit his website: alanmward.co.uk