914 Outdoor Clothing & Equipment

Patrick Cowdroy – Founder

Patrick has spent over 20 years walking, scrambling and backpacking across the hills and mountains of the U.K. and has an extensive knowledge of areas such as the Lincolnshire Wolds, North Yorkshire Moors, the Penines, the Peak District, Snowdonia, the Lake District and in recent years, Glenshiel, Kintail, Skye and the Torridon areas of Scotland. He has scaled scores of individual Munros …many more than once full Winter conditions. Favourites days include scrambling on the Cuillin Ridge on Skye, and Tryfan including The Glyders & Crib Goch ridges in Nth. Wales. He has also been known to climb indoors with his usual ‘finesse’ but only if he can ‘find someone heavy & brave enough to belay him’; favourite walls include The Ice Factor (Kinlochleven), Rock City (Hull) and Kendal and favourite phrase used is ‘coming off!’. A co-founder of the Lochalsh Dirty 30 Challenge and Lochalsh Trails Club, business commitments now restricts his involvement of these clubs though, he still supports and sponsors these clubs.

Paul Withey – Shop Supervisor

Originally coming from the West country of England, Paul cut his teeth on the barren landscape of Dartmoor, later going on to spend time trekking in the mountain ranges of Eastern Europe, covering the Tatras of Poland and Slovakia, the Carpathians of Romania and the Julian Alps of Slovenia. In 2006 Paul completed a 400 mile solo trek across southern Norway, trekking from Oslo to Trondheim. He is also a keen sport climber, having spent several years on the South coast, regularly climbing in the Swanage and Portland areas, but whenever possible travelling to Wales to pursue his real love; climbing the Welsh slate quarries around Llanberis. Always looking for a new challenge, Paul is now trying to dip his toe into sea kayaking, though more realistically, he's been submerging his whole body.

Kara Cowdroy - Sales Advisor

Kara has 20 years of varying experience of the outdoor environment. A keen 'trad' rock climber, she favours the Tryfan/Glyders area of Snowdonia and the grit-stone routes of Stanage, Kerber & Froggatt Edges and Lawrence Field in the Peak District. Also a strong walker, this MLTB qualified Walking Leader has extensive European walking experience in areas such as the Pyrenees (GR11 route Spanish side), Capri (Italy), various routes including Mt. Teidi (North Tenerife) and the Costa del Sol region. Kara has also completed 5-day Scottish mountain backpacking routes in Glen Affric, the Fannichs and the Cairngorms (some Winter) and her current individual Munro count is at 42 (some in full Winter conditions) with 23 more than once. She also has had many years walking and scrambling the trails of the Yorkshire Moors, the Penines, the Lake District and Wales . Kara is one of those ‘not’ brave enough to belay Patrick.

Ritchie Simpson - Sales Advisor (Spring/Summer/Autumn)

Ritchie has been hillwalking, rock and Winter climbing the Scottish Mountains and crags for the past 15 years. His favourite climbing areas include the Cuillins, Applecross and Diabeg. He has also climbed in the French Alps and has recently returned from an ice climbing trip to Canada. For the past 10 years Ritchie has been a member of the Kintail Mountain Rescue Team; the last 2 years as their Training Officer.

Now having seeked the heights, he is now also 'plumbing the depths' and for the past 5 years has been a member of the Grampian Speleological Group, exploring caves throughout Scotland with brief forays in Northern England & Wales. He has had a degree of success in finding new and extending caves around the local area and this knowledge has lead him to put together a guide covering some of these areas. Whilst most people (including us) tell him how mad he is to be squeezing into the spaces he does when underground, he just sees it as an excuse to play in the mud without getting told off.