
Gary Daines
Gary is a qualified International Mountain Leader and a member of SNAM (Syndicat National Des Accompagnateurs en Montagne) the French Association, he has traveled, climbed and trekked all over the world for work and pleasure. He lives in France but works worldwide, as well as being an International Mountain Leader he is also a Duke of Edinburgh accredited expedition assessor up to Gold level and a SPA climbing instructor. Gary has an extensive wealth of knowledge and experience leading youth and adult expeditions worldwide and has been trek guiding worldwide since 2004. He is in a position to tailor fit any trip you would like to go on anywhere in the world. From climbing to the “Roof of Africa” Kilimanjaro, to snowshoeing in the European Alps & Pyrenees, trekking through the Patagonian wilds and across the mountain ranges of the Himalaya, Gary is known to leave you with a Big Smile on your face when you finish an adventure he has created.

David Potter

Emma Jack

Peter Myers

Simon Conroy
Simon is a qualified International mountain Leader. He joined Her Majesty’s Royal Marines in 1985 where he specialised as a Physical Training Instructor. After 22 years of service Simon retired from the Royal Marines and became an International Mountain leader and Ski Instructor working and living in the Bavarian Alps, where he met and married his wife Jen, who is also an International Mountain Leader and Ski Instructor. After working out in Bavaria they moved to the Swiss Alps where Simon worked as a freelance instructor for International Schools and various trekking companies based out of the Chamonix valley. After a few seasons he started specialising in Guiding Ultra distance trail running trips and this is where he found his passion for life, running trails all around the world including back in his now home country of Scotland where both Simon and Jen reside in the small village of Dalwhinnie, famous for its Whiskey distillery which is yet another added passion of his.

Sam Hill
grown
Sam is a fully qualified International Mountain leader, and having grown up in the Lake District, in the North West of England, the “Fells” are in Sam’s blood. From a young age Sam has been wandering around in the mountains having adventures, and this seems to have grown into a career!
Based in the Swiss and French Alps and the Lake District of the UK, Sam also travels for work across the globe. Not only is Sam an incredible trail runner he also competes in a lot of big races around Europe and in 2019 Sam entered and completed the PTL (Petite Trotte à Léon) the 300 km and 25,000 mtrs ascent race of the UTMB. Sam is a great running coach and his talents do not end there. Sam is an exceptional film maker and photographer and was actually the force behind making the Big Smile Adventures introduction video. We feel very lucky to be able to have Sam as one of our Big Smile Adventures guides.