Fergus Vardey

Mini Bio

I grew up in a quaint village in North Dorset, spending my childhood outdoors, enjoying the rolling hills and forests on bike and foot. After finishing university, I studied a masters in Real Estate and became a Chartered Surveyor working in Central London, specialising in office leasing.

After 10 years of looking at glass and steel, I decided to book a one way flight to Nepal and spent 3 months hiking the Himalayas to reconnect with nature and the natural world. My trip led me to India and the Andaman Islands, climbing the highest volcanoes in Indonesia, and eventually landing in New Zealand for 3 years, where I fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a hiking guide in Fiordland National Park (one of the wettest places on earth).

On my return home, it felt like a crime to return to city life, so having traded one wet wilderness for another, I feel very at home living, working, and exploring in the Lakes.

Favourite Place to Play

I love the variety in our landscapes and diversity of cultures across the UK, especially the weird folk history and traditions, and of course not forgetting the accents in every county. Without being too biased, who needs the south of France when you have a sunny day in Dorset?

Not a lot of People Know This

I am obsessed with sound and music. Instead of a written diary I keep a sound diary, taking field recordings from interesting places I visit on a giant microphone, which I hope one day to turn into music. I love to explore music traditions of a country or people and am an avid record collector… I have also been known to DJ on occasion.