The Highland Activities Team

What A Motley Crew!

Ian Brown – Director & Senior Instructor

Ian is a self-confessed off road and white water addict. You will find him on location every day, overseeing motorised and water based activities. Ian has more than 20 years experience in off-road driving and has competed in both trials and safari competitions. Ian is also self confessed Land Rover nut (he even learnt to drive in one) and is a qualified British Off Road Driving association Instructor. Ian is responsible for all of our training for ATV, 4×4 and lone party worker courses . Ian is also a keen white water kayaker, raft guide and canyoning guide so we forgive his Landrover fetish.

Andy Burton – Director & Senior Instructor

A highly experienced outdoor activity instructor, he holds qualifications across a broad range of activities and is the man you will find running most of our water activities.  Andy is a qualified white water raft guide, kayak instructor, swift water rescue technician, trail cycle leader, snowboard instructor and does fantastic Peter Kay impressions! You will normally find Andy running our canyoning, white water rafting , mountain biking and funyakking trips he also occasionally gets on a quad bike much to the amusement of Ian!

Andy also spends a lot of time with his ear glued to the telephone and eyes on a computer screen trying to keep everybody busy!

Derek Beats – Senior Instructor

Derek is our longest serving member of staff and works with us on a full time permanent basis. Derek is our senior instructor and guide at Ardverikie Estate and you will find him overseeing and running most of our activities. Derek is qualified in quad biking, canyoning, white water rafting & clay pigeon shooting. He is also a traditional highlander and in his spare time bench presses HGV’s for entertainment!

Matt Harrison - Instructor

Matt is the newest member of  the Highland Activities team and has spent most of his time split between our  new location at Clan Donald Skye and also Ardverikie Estate. You will find Matt running our quad biking trips, target sports, paintball and 4×4 safari trips. Matt has also spent a lot of time learning to kayak in 2011 and likes to get back to nature on his days off where you may bump into him rummaging in the undergrowth.

Charlie – Quad Biking & Target Sports Instructor

Charlie has spent most of his first season with Highland Activities working at our new location on Skye at Clan Donald where he has been running our quad biking trips, clay pigeon shooting and target sports sessions. Charlie is an extremely enthusiastic person with a love for the outdoors and bush craft. In the winter you will usually see Charlie sliding around on snow teaching skiing at Nevis Range.

Mark Mackenzie – Instructor

Mark has been working for Highland Activities for 2 seasons now on a part time basis and also full time during his summer break from his degree in adventure tourism at the University of the Highlands and Islands. Mark has become a very competent instructor over the past 2 years and works mainly at Ardverikie Estate where he runs our quad biking trips, paintball & target sports. Marks first love though is  leading groups of adventure lovers on our gorge walking or canyoning trips.

Louise Spowart – Instructor

Louise is also a student at the University of the Highlands and Islands studying for a degree in adventure tourism and also started working with Highland Activities through her work based placement and has become a valued member of our seasonal team at Ardverikie Estate. Louise is a very competent quad bike leader and also gets involved with running target sports, paintball and canyoning and gorge walking trips.

Jackob Rosenhahn

Jakob is, yet another student at the University of the Highlands and Islands studying for a degree in adventure tourism who also started working with Highland Activities through a work based placement. Jacob now also works at Ardverikie Estate part time during term time and full time during the summer holidays. Jacob runs our quad biking trips, 4×4 tours and also gets involved with running target sports, paintball and canyoning and gorge walking trips.)

Callum Farmer – Water sports Instructor

Already a competent all round outdoor instructor, Callum started with Highland Activities as a trainee raft guide in summer 2010 and qualified as a guide in the French Alps. He now runs our canoeing, kayaking, mountain biking, white water rafting, canyoning and gorge walking trips. Callum is also a student at Glasgow University where he is currently studying Marine Biology (funny, we thought he was upside down a lot for some reason).

Steve Legg – Water sports Instructor

Steve has worked with Highland Activities on a seasonal basis for a few years and is normally based at our water sports centre in the Great Glen. If you have been out on the water canoeing, kayaking, rafting or canyoning then you will probably know Steve. Steve is a qualified kayak coach & raft guide trip leader as well as being trained to run canyoning & gorge walking activities.

Megan Macneill – Sales & Marketing

Megan started working with Highland Activities in July 2010 on a graduate placement scheme in our sales & marketing office. Megan has been a great addition to the team and now plays a pivotal role in the management of our office and looking after our customer enquiries. Most of you will probably have spoken to that bubbly personality over the phone at some point and that will be Megan.