Welcome to the online home of James Thacker Mountaineering. I specialise in mountaineering guiding and instruction in the Peak District and UK wide.
Having grown up in the Peak District my main passion is rock climbing on the Gritstone edges of Derbyshire. More recently my own climbing has taken me to the Scottish Highlands, the Outer Hebrides, the European Alps, Greenland and the Himalayas.
During the spring and summer months my main focus is on rock climbing in the Peak District, North Wales and the Lakes. In the winter months I make the annual pilgrimage north to the Scottish Highlands for the challenge of Snow, Ice and Mixed climbing.
As an Aspirant Guide you will also find me working alongside colleagues in Europe, either alpine climbing, ice fall climbing or on ski. Hopefully, these wider activities will appear alongside my UK based activities soon.
All guiding and instruction is tailored to you; the aim being to always meet the needs of the client in an informal atmosphere. As a climber, instructor, and guide, I believe in the personal touch and as such it will normally be me with you "out on the hill". Again as an activist myself, where appropriate I will always try to ensure that teaching occurs in context and at a suitably small ratio.
Instructional input is as 'hands on as possible' as I believe that you learn to climb routes or reach summits, by doing exactly that.
Regardless of whether you are taking your first steps in the mountains, or you are a seasoned campaigner ready for the next challenge; it would be great to share a mountain adventure with you.








