about me

These pages are based around my climbing exploits based mostly in Scotland and the rest of the UK but spreading further afield to Europe and the Greater Ranges. You can probably get an idea of what I’m really passionate about by just reading the blog or browsing http://ricktaylor.co.uk so I will try to give you a little more background on myself here along with the roots of my climbing obsession. But just so you know, climbing isn’t the whole story – I am also a keen fell runner, canoeist and kiter.

Name: Rick Taylor
D0B: 06 June 1981
Occupation: Architect
Location: Dundee, Scotland

My first interests in the outdoors began when I was 10. At school I was too rubbish at football and cricket so got lumped on what was known as ‘Game 4′ – the place for people that couldn’t do normal sports. We used to go rambling, caving and sailing and I think it is this enforced enjoyment of the outdoors that has taken me where I am today.

Moving on to secondary school in Shrewsbury I was still too crap at sports involving balls and communal baths. And so, I continued in true form and joined the walking/mountaineering club we had. I also did an extra outdoor pursuits activity which got me out into the hills and taught me all the necessary skills I was going to need. I was also a keen scuba diver which saw me on trips in Cyprus and Israel. During my time in the Rovers Mountaineering Club at school, we progressed from bimbling school kids on wet Welsh hills to mountaineers in various alpine ranges. It was after these few valuable years I felt I could call myself a ‘mountaineer’.

In my year out before starting at Dundee University I decided to take my interest for the higher mountains of the world to the next level by climbing Kilimanjaro. You can an article I did on this trip on my website http://ricktaylor.co.uk

Then University. It was at this point I really saw the opportunity to throw myself in to one sport. It was either the scuba diving or the climbing. Climbing won! I joined the Dundee University Rucksack Club and this provided me with every opportunity I could ask for. It facilitated getting away in to the Scottish hills every weekend with similar minded folk. We could walk, climb, run, party  – you name it, we did it! The Rucksack Club also facilitated me meeting some of my closest friends and climbing partners. When not away with the club rock climbing, ice climbing or mountaineering we were, and still are, away travelling to locations further afield in both the UK and abroad to fulfill various ambitions and goals.

My more recent exploits have seen me in the Alps, South America and on Everest. Plenty of pictures and words to be seen on http://ricktaylor.co.uk I train regularly at Avertical World in Dundee and get out climbing, or at least playing in the hills in some way shape or form, every weekend.

The passion for all things craggy and mountainous still exists and I hope this blog will help keep anybody who is interested up to date on current happenings be it ice climbing, rock climbing, alpine mountaineering or months spent in the Himalaya.

Regards,
Rick Taylor – September 2006