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      David Picken

      David Picken

      Dedicated | Enthusiastic | Fun

      Mini Bio

      I have been lucky enough to have travelled and adventured throughout the world on foot, on skis, by bike, and by boat! However, the UK holds my passion more than ever.

      I worked for the John Muir Trust, the UK’s leading wild land charity, for many years. I have gained a wealth of knowledge and experience of many of the wild places we visit.

      Favourite Place to Play

      The Borders, where I live, always offer something new to see, ah but really just too many to choose from in the UK.

      Not a lot of People Know This

      I have over 250,000 pets; one teaspoon of honey takes 50,000 bee flights.

      “Although the wild inspires me, I do like to indulge in food and drink in the comfort of the places we stay.”
      Expand All

      What Fellow Travellers Say About David

      See earlier comments

      Joan Lyon
      Wilderness Walking - Outer Hebrides: Uists, Barra and Mingulay
      Reviewed on 19/09/2023

      very knowledgeable and great company.

      Paul Dufresne
      Wilderness Walking - Outer Hebrides: Uists, Barra and Mingulay
      Reviewed on 11/09/2023

      Dave was exceptional. He managed the group by spending time w each of us, answered many questions which no doubt had been asked before, made modifications to the schedule to accommodate requests and he just fun.

      kathleen Vaughan
      Wilderness Walking - Argyll & the Isles
      Reviewed on 21/08/2023

      One of the best things about WS trips is the quality of the guides and Dave was no exception to this. Despite having never me him previously, it immediately felt like I was meeting up with an old friend for a good holiday. A really top bloke.

      Edmund Murray
      Wilderness Walking - Argyll & the Isles
      Reviewed on 21/08/2023

      Dave was great -- knowledgable, friendly, and an excellent tour leader!

      Scott Milgroom
      Wilderness Walking - High Points of the Outer Hebrides
      Reviewed on 11/06/2023

      Dave is very knowledgeable and gave us just the right amount of encouragement and kindness. The tea and coffee after our walks, with our mugs, was so much looked forward to by all of us. Excellent choice of coffee!

      Gloria Wong
      Wilderness Walking - High Points of the Outer Hebrides
      Reviewed on 06/06/2023

      Dave was a superb guide. Lots of fun and encouragement. He chose routes to match the weather and we all were grateful of the tea, coffee and cake at the end of a hike.

      Marianne Ismail
      Wilderness Walking - High Points of the Outer Hebrides
      Reviewed on 01/06/2023

      Dave is a great guide, very knowledgeable about far-flung wildlife viewing spots, and has a great eye for spotting wildlife. He got us everywhere on schedule--no small feat given all of the logistics on this trip--and even found time for some bonus stops (black-headed gulls, anyone?). He handled it all with calm and good humor. The afternoon tea breaks at the back of the van were such a nice touch!

      Libby Gilbert
      Wildlife Adventures - The Scottish Highlands
      Reviewed on 18/05/2023

      Our recent trip to Scotland was an unforgettable experience. Our guide, Dave, was not only an excellent driver, but also friendly and extremely knowledgeable about the local flora and fauna. As a passionate birder, I appreciated his help in identifying and locating specific birds, such as the Dipper.

      Dave was also very accommodating when it came to meeting our individual needs. He made it a point to stop at a post office for my wife and helped me find medication for my heartburn. Overall, our journey through Scotland was seamless and enjoyable, thanks to our attentive and resourceful guide.

      Trent Stanley
      Wildlife Adventures - The Scottish Highlands
      Reviewed on 16/05/2023

      Dave was fantastic & gauged the levels of the group brilliantly. There were more birders than hikers, but he made sure to cater for everyone by asking us at the beginning of the week what we were hoping to achieve. Even on the transfer day to Grantown, he made sure to stop along the way to stretch our legs & either stop at a hide, peacock farm, Highland coos or any soaring raptures. While we packed a lot in, the pace always felt at ease

      Sandra Morris
      Wildlife Adventures - The Scottish Highlands
      Reviewed on 15/05/2023

      Excellent leadership! Dave had everything quietly and efficiently organised on a daily basis. I think we all felt comfortable to walking at our own pace during the day.

      Katharine Tighe
      Wilderness Walking - National Parks of the UK
      Reviewed on 09/10/2018

      Dave was a great guy and he did anything to make our trip the best it could be. He was totally organized and made us laugh on a regular basis. LOVED HIM!

      Cathie Heenan
      Wilderness Walking - National Parks of the UK
      Reviewed on 28/09/2018

      Knowledgeable, welcoming, with a great sense of humor. What more do you need?

      Kristina Schramm
      Wilderness Walking - National Parks of the UK
      Reviewed on 26/09/2018

      As stated earlier, I was really happy to go at my own pace. Our guide was very friendly and patient with us, always on time, and always prepared.

      Margaret Hanson
      Wilderness Walking - National Parks of the UK
      Reviewed on 21/09/2018

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