About

Lakes Climber is run by me, Pippa Archer. I have been having adventures in the mountains for over 30 years, and am currently based in Kendal in the Lake District.

I love rock climbing! I can most commonly be found half-way up a cliff in the Lake District, but I have climbed extensively throughout the UK, with a particular passion for mountain crags or the sea cliffs of Wales and Scotland, especially the Outer Hebrides. Overseas, I have climbed and mountaineered in the European Alps, the Dolomites, the Lofoten Islands of Norway, the Anti-Atlas of Morocco, Wadi Rum in Jordan, Arapiles in Australia, East Greenland, Antarctica, and at a host of destinations across the US including Red Rocks, Tuolumne Meadows, Joshua Tree, the Tetons and the Gunks. I love multi-pitch traditional climbing and lead up to E3, but a route doesn’t have to be hard to be fun – I enjoy discovering interesting routes across all grades, especially if it takes me to new and exciting places.

I also enjoy fell running and orienteering. I have previously raced at elite level in the latter, representing Great Britain at five World Championships, and in parallel with my outdoor work I currently head up the British Orienteering Performance Program. I love an intricate and detailed navigational challenge, and often apply my navigational skills to find the path less travelled in the hills.

After many years informally taking friends climbing and walking, I qualified as a Summer Mountain Leader (ML) in 2021, a Rock Climbing Instructor (RCI) in 2023, and a Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor (MCI) in September 2024.

Prior to moving to Kendal, I spent two decades working in academia, most recently as a lecturer and researcher in the Geography Department at Durham University, where my research focused on Antarctica. During 2022-23 I was the departmental lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and this fuelled my passion for improving the accessibility of learning opportunities for all. In Spring 2024 I stepped back from academia to pursue working in the outdoors where I am keen to help others discover the joys of spending time in the hills and mountains of the UK.