Matt Barratt

Matt is a freelance outdoor instructor, he holds the Mountaineering Instructors Award (MIA) and is a Winter ML.

Matt has worked in the outdoors for 12 years now, progressing from working in Cornwall to the Northern Highlands, via Snowdonia and Wales. He has spent several years working with youth at risk but now considers himself reformed enough to work with members of the public, mainly as an expedition leader which has taken him all round the world in the last few years.

Here are Matt's answers to our expedition questions:

What is the most memorable expedition that you have been on?

The most memorable expedition that I have been on was travelling from South Africa to Jordan. This took a group of us 8 months and involved lots of climbing, mountaineering, snake encounters, ethiopian weddings and a host of memorable encounters with some amazing people!

If you were doing your Gold Expedition this year where would you go?

My ideal Gold Expedition would have to take place in the North-West Highlands. High, remote mountains with large and easy to navigate valleys! Combined with awesome sea views and plenty of midges to keep all the other walkers away, it doesn`t get any better.

What is the one luxury item that you always take with you on an expedition?

My luxury item has to be a good book, it gives you something different to think and talk about which can be a great morale booster after several days of doing nothing but walking, eating and sleeping...