I am a teacher and a writer, and former research scientist, living in the Eden Valley in Cumbria. As a lifelong fly-fisher I have a passion for wild trout and grayling,and fishing in remote places. This year I have retired from England team selection but have been a long-standing member of the England Fly Fishing Teams, as well as twice Captain of the Loch-Style (boat) Team, and have represented my country at both World and European Championship levels, achieving Team gold and bronze medals (World Championships, Canada, 1993 and Norway, 1994), Team silver (European Championships, Norway 2007) and an individual World Championship Bronze medal (Canada,1993). I was the first European Open Champion, in 1987, and am one of only three competitors ever to have won the top awards for both River and Loch-Style Internationals. I was a member of the England European Championship teams in Poland, 2005, Slovenia, 2006, Norway, 2007, and Spain, 2008. I am now the coach for Team Australia in the 2010 World Championships on the San River, Poland.

Located in the beautiful Eden Valley in Cumbria, close to historic, beautiful Appleby, we are ideally centred for guiding and exploring the lovely country and fishing over a very large area. The range of fishing available here is unparalleled in England. Within 15 miles of Appleby one can fish for the plentiful wild brownies of Cow Green, high in the designated European Wilderness Area of the Pennine Fells, or drift the awesome waters of Ullswater. Dramatic Haweswater is also nearby, giving shore-side fly-fishing for brown trout. The centre of our activity is the Eden, on private and club beats, as well as numerous tributaries of such varied character on the excellent Go Wild scheme, and other private beats. The fishing ranges across extremes in trout and grayling fishing. There are intimate and unique Pennine becks with their prize of utterly wild brown trout among tangles of alder, oak and willow, or higher on the open fell slopes. There is the Lowther and the perfection and challenge of ultra-spooky, dark-backed fish rising to the upstream dry in ranunculus channels. This river provides dry fly fishing which numerous connoisseurs regard as the finest in England. The upper Eden still feels timeless and exciting, populated with pure-strain fish, and there is the grandeur of the middle and lower river. Possibilities are boundless. I have fished the Eden system for 30 years and to me its fishing remains fresh and thrilling; it's beauty unsurpassed by any other English river. It is a miracle within modern Europe; as are trout like this (right).