Tom Lawfield
Expedition Leader
Tom was born in 1986, growing up in the flat lands of Suffolk UK, but with early adventures to hillier places with his family and friends, including trekking the GR11 along the Pyrenees aged 16, and various climbing trips around the UK.
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Now based in North Wales, Tom works in Snowdonia and the Scottish Highlands in both summer and winter, teaching climbing & mountaineering, and providing site safety for adventure film making. Further afield, he has instructed for eight ski seasons, as well as ski guiding on the volcanoes of Hokkaido, Japan.
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He has overwintered in Antarctica while working as a Field Guide for the British Antarctic Survey (2017 – 2019) and has led 30+ expeditions, including trips to Stok Kangri (6,153m), Kilimanjaro (5,895m), Elbrus (5,642m), Aconcagua (6,962m), Kinabalu (4,095m), Mera Peak (6,476m), Island Peak (6,160m) and Toubkal (4,167m). He has also crossed Greenland on skis, completed a round of the Munros of Scotland, walked from Land’s End to John o’Groats with his Dad, climbed the worlds 3rd highest mountain Kanchenjunga (8586m), ski toured along the spine of the Canadian Rockies and completed a solo crossing of Elbrus – as well as multiple ascents of many of the 4000m peaks of the European Alps.
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Tom is a relaxed and popular leader with extensive experience spanning over a decade at altitude, loving nothing more than helping people realise their goals in the mountains!
Interview
What was your first adventure?
Walking the Ring of Kerry in Ireland as a 9 year old. One afternoon I felt a bit tired so I got a piggy back from Dad – the jolting hurt so much after 5 minutes I thought I’d go back to walking! Doing the GR11 along the Pyrenees at 16 was another early adventure.
What has been your most memorable adventure?
Overwintering at Rothera research station in Antarctica.
What item of travel kit you can't do without?
Eye mask – really useful when sleeping on snow in a tent as the reflected light is so bright.
What three bits of advice would you give to people who are keen on adventures, trekking and climbing?
1) gradually build up relevant experience over time before going on to harder things
2) always be bothered – to put on suncream, tighten a knot, change a layer…
3) leave the mountainous areas and the people you meet there the same or better off when you leave.
What is the best thing about your job?
Getting to climb and ski year round in the mountains with psyched people!