Simon Ager - Director and Chief Instructor

Simon has many years experience in the outdoor industry and will be your first point of contact here at Pinnacle Challenge. Throughout his time in the industry he has developed technical outdoor skills alongside teambuilding and management training and facilitation. Simon holds SPA and IRATA level 1 qualifications and also has a large amount of experience on high ropes courses. In his spare time he is a keen ice climber and mountaineer, eager to explore the greater ranges, but will often be found climbing on the rock outcrops around Great Britain. He also enjoys kayaking, kiting and mountain biking… When he has time.

Matt Heritage - Events Co-ordinator and Instructor

Matt Joined the Pinnacle Challenge team full time in 2007. He has many years experience in the outdoors industry. Matt is often found in the office (drinking tea) and will be able to help with any enquiry you may have. He has a keen interest in climbing and mountaineering as well as playing football several times a week. His attention to detail helps us to ensure we provide the best possible level of service for all events.

Andy Nicholson - Instructor

Andy has been climbing on and off since the late 70s with some notable ascents to his name. Until 2007 Andy was a PE teacher with boundless energy and enthusiasm - qualities Andy brought with him when he joined the Pinnacle Challenge crew for some casual work. He has ended up on nearly every recent event. He started managing Redpoint Climbing Centre when it opened in Spring 2008 but still works with us on the majority of events. Andy's aim is to climb f8a by the time he is 50... FAIR PLAY! He holds SPA and is the most competitive dragon boat helm on the team.

Kate Casey-Green - Instructor

Kate is an SPA holder who can regularly be found running our climbing courses at Warwick School. She is enthusiastic and confident, especially when it comes to ropework and technique. In any spare time Kate is usually at The Bear Rock climbing wall at the University of Warwick where she is studying full time and over the weekends of the sunnier months travelling with the University's Climbing club around Britain's best rock, or further afield.

Peter Burton - Consultant and development profiler

Peter has been working with Pinnacle Challenge Limited for many years and his industry experience is second to none. Peter runs our development profiling for teambuilding activities and is a great asset to the team. You can guarantee that your team will not forget one of Peter's seminars...for all the right reasons. Peter also runs Friday Island with whom we work very closely. You can see some more detailed information about Peter and Insights profiling by clicking on his name or here.

Rob Wills - Instructor

Rob is our resident IFMGA Mountain Guide and mountaineer. He has been an instructor at Plas-y-Brenin and Assistant Manager at the Rock Face. He has a list of ascents that would be the envy of many, including the North Face of the Eiger, Mt McKinley, a solo ascent of the Walker Spur and hundreds of Scottish Winter ‘big mixed monsters’. He has climbed in Jordan, Israel, Alaska, the Himalayas, Yosemite and the Alps – where he has been spending much of his time working as an Alpine Guide.

Dave (Titch) Tomlin - Instructor

Dave has been involved with Pinnacle Challenge on a freelance basis for a couple of years, however we have known him for ages. He is a key figure within Explorer Scouting in Warwickshire and can often be found teaching sailing on the river. When he is not running scouting events, Dave gets into the outdoors as much as possible, enjoying anything from a stroll in the hills, to a thrill packed gorge scramble. Working a season for a holiday camp provider as an outdoor instructor has given him a lot to pass on to our clients and having passed his SPA training he often assists us with climbing/abseiling related jobs.

Paula Minal - Instructor

Paula has been working in education for 18 years, teaching children with special needs, organising Outward Bound courses and running The Duke of Edinburgh Award. Over 15 years of climbing has taken her to some amazing places such as Yosemite and Devil’s Tower in the US, France, Spain and even The Netherlands, but especially the UK.  Paula still has a substantial tick list and plans to enjoy climbing forever.

Richard Shacklock - Instructor

Richard has worked with Pinnacle Challenge for a couple of years now on a freelance basis. When he is not working with us he works for Warwick Castle as an entertainer, giving demonstrations in archery, foot combat and shooting the world's largest trebuchet. He is also a fully qualified safety boat driver. As long as it involves physical exertion Rich will be involved. When not so tied up, he will probably be kayaking, climbing or playing rugby.

Jessica (Little Brew) Breward - Instructor

Jess works full time as an engineer, but is a great asset to the Pinnacle Challenge Team, working as a freelance instructor with us on many events and for several centres. Spending her weekends out kayaking (preferably somewhere warm) and doing up her house takes up most of Jess’s free time, although she still manages to fit in scout leadership for a very active group.  If her numbers come up you will probably find her sunbathing on some remote island in the Caribbean, with G and T in hand. 

Many local climbers know Phil from the early days of the Rock Face  where he was manager, instructor and routesetter. In addition to building bouldering walls and running workshops for schools he has recently been consulting for a climbing wall project in Rhode Island. Phil has recently opened the superb Redpoint Climbing Centre which is well worth a visit. Climbing for over 14 years, with a little time off due to gravity, he has climbed extensively in the UK with forays to the U.S. and Europe, but mainly likes grit and Rumney.