I was really looking forward to spending a day outdoor with other women who share the same enthusiasm for climbing. The week leading to the weekend was not the best with the weather /storm and thought this opportunity would not happen…but an email from Melissa prior to the day showed some confidence that the day would clear up and we should go ahead with it…and she was right, after a windy/drizzled morning, the sun came out on beautiful Bonehill Rock and the afternoon went smoothly with a few climbs. Melissa is an experienced climber and she is passionate, encouraging and knowledgeable, after the first 15mns  meeting her, I knew we were in good hands and I liked her strong-minded attitude regarding the weather, Trojan!! The day was chilled out and Melissa structure of her day/coaching was well laid out, starting with presentation of guide books and how to read them, then going around the site with the guide book to do some spotting and guiding us on  how to observe routes on the boulder. We started with a little traverse and we discussed how to lay out mats and also discuss safety issues then moving on to more advanced climbs as Melissa assessed our level of confidence. Overall, I had a brilliant day and want to have more outdoor experiences though being an experienced indoor climber and been brought up near Fontainebleau, the Dartmoor /South West offer outstanding landscape. 

Merci Melissa and hopefully will have the opportunity to climb with you again.

Melissia really understood the aim of the session and had an excellent rapport with the young person. The pace was spot on. The session was very informative and Melissa shared her knowledge with the young person which really valued him. I would highly recommend Melissa.

Melissa’s women’s bouldering workshop was a complete delight to attend. She tailored the afternoon around the skill set of the attendees, making sure there was something for everyone to achieve and always making room for us to push if we felt like it.

Melissa communicated swiftly and clearly when I enquired about it, and leading up to the event.

Most of all, though, you can tell how passionate she is about getting people outside and developing themselves.

10/10 would recommend.

A friend and I were fortunate enough to have Mel as our instructor at the Woman’s Trad Festival in 2022. As a long time indoor climber but someone who was looking to gain confidence doing trad outdoors, Mel listened to what we wanted to achieve, showed us the ropes, and helped us to do some great routes! I’ve climbed a lot more outside since and felt confident having had a qualified instructor teach me. I would highly recommend her for whatever your next adventure might be.

Mel was my guide at Women’s Trad Festival. She was absolutely fantastic and I learnt so much from her. She taught us the basics around gear placement, setting up an anchor and seconding up a route. She made us feel so comfortable and really safe. The main thing I got out of the weekend was a massive boost in confidence. I have been trad climbing since that weekend and have felt so much better than before due to the skills I learnt and confidence I gained.

Mel is a highly professional instructor with a relaxed friendly manner.  She took me out to Sheeps Tor as a relative novice in terms of outdoor climbing.  I had done plenty indoors but wanted to branch outside.  We used top ropes and Mel demonstrated how to set up anchors; the location was ideal as it’s easy and relatively safe to walk up with space in the areas we used for me to also be up there watching and learning.  Mel pitched the level just right for me and we had a lovely chilled day and I came away feeling as if I had learned loads whilst also enjoying myself immensely. 

“A guided weekend with Mel in the Brecon Beacons gave me all the best bits of an adventure without having to be intrepid. Mel’s well chosen routes over the weekend even included a bothy stop for lunch (a first for me), she set a sustainable pace that meant we covered a lot of ground but without being uncomfortable, and the views from the top of the chosen routes were incredible. I got to go places I wouldn’t have dared go on my own, explore further than I would on my own and had great company for the whole adventure. Brilliant!”