About Mickledore

Sarah has been with Mickledore since 2022, helping customers arrange their adventures and is now pleased to be the Sales Team Leader.

Originally from Leicester, Sarah moved to the Lake District four years ago to embrace her love of the outdoors and walking the fells. She first discovered the area with her husband 15 years ago and instantly fell in love with it, and now she’s delighted to be living and working here.

Sarah began her long-distance walking journey with Hadrian’s Wall, and her favourite walk so far is the Cleveland Way. Recently she enjoyed walking part of the Cumbria Way.

In her spare time, Sarah enjoys walking with her husband, Paul, and their dog, Jasper. She has also recently discovered a love of camping and enjoys travelling, always eager to explore new places.

Born and bred in Cumbria, Lynne grew up on a family farm and has always been drawn to the outdoors and animals. When she’s not out exploring – whether ticking off Wainwrights in the Lake District or enjoying the flatlands of the Solway Plain – she’s at home caring for her miniature Shetland ponies, pygmy goats, dogs, and cats, or tending to her houseplants and garden.

Lynne discovered her love for long-distance walking after completing Hadrian’s Wall Path in 2022. Since then, she’s walked the Cumbria Way, Dingle Way, Coast to Coast Path, and most recently the eastern section of the John Muir Way. A highlight for Lynne was sharing the Dingle Way trip in southwest Ireland with her family on her first familiarisation trip with Mickledore.

Rebecca joined the Mickledore sales team in 2025, bringing with her a lifelong passion for the outdoors and extensive knowledge of the Lake District.

A Cumbrian native, Rebecca spent her free time on the local beaches and fells. After studying in Leeds and working for several years in marketing, she changed direction, and her long-held interest in travel and adventure led her to Mickledore.

Rebecca’s personal adventures span the globe, including extensive travels across the UK, Southeast Asia, Australia, Canada, and the USA, as well as several European motorbike and campervan tours.

She is happiest amongst the mountains or by the sea, and outside of work, you’ll find her exploring, planning new adventures, and enjoying a good coffee with her partner David, their daughter, and their enthusiastic Jack Russell, George.

Sarah joined the Mickledore team in 2024. Originally from Lincolnshire, she moved to Cumbria 10 years ago, having been hypnotised by the fells from an early age.

After completing all 214 Wainwrights, Sarah and her husband have their sights set on walking all of the National Trails. The Coast to Coast, West Highland Way, and Great Glen Way have been ticked off – slightly unconventionally by wild camping all the way – and the Pennine Way is also done, but this time in the comfort of bunkhouses and hostels! For her first familiarisation trip, Sarah has just walked Mickledore’s newest route, the Two Moors Way.

Previous adventures have taken Sarah to Antarctica and the Arctic while working on a small cruise ship. Her personal travels have included exploring Norway – hiking, sea kayaking, and tackling Via Ferrata along the way!

Kat grew up between the West Midlands and rural Argyllshire, where her love of the outdoors began in childhood. She moved to Cumbria to be with her Cumbrian partner in 2020 and has never looked back, joining Mickledore in 2025.

When she’s not exploring the Lake District, she can be found horse riding, camping, or getting lost in a good book.

A keen history enthusiast, Kat hopes to tick the following walks off her bucket list: St Oswald’s Way, Border Abbeys Way, The Ridgeway, and Hadrian’s Wall. She enjoys exploring different routes and learning about the history along the way.

Monika joined Mickledore in 2018 as an Operations Consultant, before taking on the role of Operations Team Leader in 2023. Originally from the south of Poland, she moved to the Lake District in 2010 after falling in love with the local area during a summer job in the Borrowdale Valley.

Monika enjoys getting out on the fells and has recently completed all 214 Wainwrights. She discovered her love of long-distance walking after completing the Dales Way in 2017. Since joining Mickledore, she has walked the northern part of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, as well as the Fife Coastal Path, North Norfolk Coastal Path, St Cuthbert’s Way, Thames Path, Guernsey Coastal Path, and the Cumbria Way.

Away from work, Monika enjoys camping trips with her partner and active holidays in Europe – ideally near the mountains, where they can take on some Via Ferratas.

Gill joined the Mickledore team in 2016 and works as a general assistant within the operations team, primarily liaising with taxi companies and luggage couriers to ensure that all our client and luggage transfers run smoothly. Gill also helps out with the preparation of holiday packs and on the development of new routes.

Gill is a true Cumbrian, having been brought up on a family farm just outside Keswick. After raising her family of three boys, Gill now likes to spend quality time out on the fells, either fell walking with her husband Stan or pursuing her more recent passion for fell running, often taking part in the tough classic Lakeland Fell Races or just enjoying a social run with friends. Although her boys are grown up, Gill still likes to follow them in their sporting activities and can often be found spectating football, cycling, running, and cricket.

Away from the Lakes, Gill has walked sections of the South West Coast Path, Northumberland Coast Path, the Cotswold Round and Herriot Way, which she says were all different, but equally enjoyable.

Alison joined Mickledore in 2013, making her one of the longest-serving members of the team. With over 20 years of experience in the UK walking holiday industry – including eight years in a similar role before Mickledore – she’s an expert in all the behind-the-scenes details that make a trip run smoothly and is responsible for creating your holiday pack.

Outside of work, Alison has a passion for history, mythology, and stately homes, often exploring the UK’s historical sites on coach tours. Her travels have also taken her to France, Belgium, and both coasts of the USA, visiting the New England states, Boston, New York, California, Nevada, and Arizona. Next on her wish list? Florida and New Zealand.

A keen crafter and collector, Alison has over 200 teddy bears, a thriving windowsill garden in the office, and a love of birdwatching – always keeping an eye out for the elusive tizzywhizzy!

Matt joined Mickledore in 2022. Originally from Yorkshire and having studied Tourism in Leeds, he jumped at the chance to return to his tourism roots when the opportunity to move to Cumbria arose with his partner, Damien.

Having always enjoyed exploring both the UK and further afield, Matt had visited the Lake District a few times before his move. Now he’s enjoying discovering the beauty of the hills and lakes on his doorstep, with one highlight being this year’s familiarisation trip, when he and Damien walked the first part of the Coast to Coast from St Bees to Kirkby Stephen.

Away from the Lakes, Matt loves exploring the world, with trips to Europe, Asia, America, and South Africa already under his belt. His bucket-list destinations include Japan, South Korea, and Australia. When not travelling, Matt enjoys photography, live music, and catching up with friends.

Mady moved to Keswick in 1996 for a seasonal job, fell in love with the mountains, and never left. With a background in the hospitality and tourism sector, she joined our operations team in 2024.

Mady has spent time travelling in Europe and New Zealand, and enjoys road trips with her family in their van, exploring France, Switzerland, and many beautiful areas of the UK, with Scotland’s west coast and its islands being a particular favourite.

She has enjoyed familiarisation trips on the Dales Way and the Pennine Way, and has almost completed all the Wainwrights with her three children. As well as walking the fells, Mady enjoys running, mountain biking, cycling, and wild swimming. At home, she can be found in her little garden plot, attempting to defy the Cumbrian weather to grow some fruit and vegetables.

Shelley initially joined the team in 2017 for a couple of years, before having a career gap to take people on guided hikes in the fells with llamas, and then re-joined in 2023. Originally from Hertfordshire, and holidaying in the lakes and hiking the Wainwrights since she could wear boots, she finally moved to Cumbria 10 years ago to get a better life balance.

Her avid love of the lakes and fells has meant that she is now on her fourth round of wainwrights, accompanied on two rounds by her springer Zombie. If she’s not out hiking she prefers to swap out her boots for a swimming costume or wetsuit. Swimming wherever looks beautiful, along with exploring waterfalls and canyons by sliding, jumping or abseiling.

The UK has a lot of adventures to offer but Shelley has also enjoyed a couple of excellent trips abroad including an overland trip in Africa, the Golden Triangle in India and has a future trip to New Zealand in the pipeline.

Shelley has enjoyed Fam Trips on the Cotswold Way, Dales High Way, and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path.

Anne-Marie joined Mickledore in 2023. Prior to joining the team, she worked as a Safety Training Instructor for British Airways at London Heathrow.

Before the COVID pandemic, she lived in a ski resort in the French Alps with her husband and two children. As a family, they spent eight years enjoying the winter paradise for skiers and snowboarders, as well as the peaceful beauty of the mountains in the summer. For their holidays, they travelled across Europe in their van, visiting countries such as Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Italy, and Corsica.

It was during her time in France that she developed an appreciation for long-distance hiking. When a job with Mickledore was advertised in her hometown, she applied straight away, feeling that this job had been made for her – and the rest, as they say, is history. Anne-Marie has enjoyed familiarisation trips on the West Highland Way, Cotswold Way, and the Jersey Coastal Path.

Mark moved to the Lake District from the Scottish Borders in 2010. He began contributing to Mickledore’s social media in 2014, before joining the company full-time in 2019. Since then, he has been creating new routes, developing existing ones, and marketing them to the world.

A huge fan of the beautiful south, Mark has enjoyed familiarisation trips on the Thames Path, South West Coast Path, and the South Downs, each time accompanied by his daughter, Ebony. Although he has completed the Wainwrights, his preference is for more rural, country walking.

Outside of work, Mark enjoys fairly leisurely cycling, city breaks with a focus on urban walking, a little shopping, and plenty of good food, and he also loves going to gigs.

Lynne joined Mickledore in 2014. After several years managing our operations team, she now looks after the company finances and systems. Originally from the East Midlands, she moved to Keswick in 2012 when the draw of the Lake District became too much to resist.

A walker turned fell runner, Lynne enjoys nothing more than a few hours on the local fells with friends – usually battling the elements, sometimes racing, often for fun, but always with the promise of a good cup of tea and a slice of cake at the finish. That, or a good coastal path, as long as there are some hills involved!

Originally from Leicester, Tara spent many holidays in the Lake District before deciding to make a permanent move in 2015, where she secured a role as a Sales Consultant at Mickledore. She later became the Sales Team Leader and, in 2021, the General Manager.

Tara has always loved the outdoors and has walked many long-distance paths in the UK, including the Coast to Coast, Hadrian’s Wall, Dales Way, Herriot Way, St Cuthbert’s Way, West Highland Way, Settle to Carlisle Way, Westmorland Way, and sections of the Cleveland Way and The Ridgeway. She has also walked all 214 Wainwrights in the Lakes

As well as walking with her husband Scott and their border collies, Emily and Skye, Tara also enjoys camper van trips, fell running, horse riding, paddle boarding, live music, pole fitness, and aerial arts.

Ashley joined Mickledore as CEO in December 2018, having earlier that year also become CEO of our sister company, KE Adventure.

He began his career as a trek leader in Morocco and went on to lead more than 70 trips throughout Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, Asia, and Central America. Ashley has always worked in adventure travel and, for the best part of the last 20 years, has held director and MD/CEO roles.

It was both the draw of the Lake District and the opportunity to work with KE – a company he had long admired – that brought Ashley to Keswick, and we now benefit from his immense experience and expertise.

Mickledore was founded in 1997 by Rick’s wife, Sonja, originally offering holidays in the Lake District for Dutch visitors. Rick soon joined her, and together they grew the company steadily. Today, Mickledore arranges walking holidays across the UK, Ireland, and the Channel Islands for clients from all over the world.

Rick remains an integral part of the business and, having walked sections of all our routes, is an invaluable source of knowledge. Away from Mickledore, he can usually be found on his bike, running over the fells, or out on the water.