Ian Johnston

Both Ian and Ramsay were good, knowledgeable and kept the pace going. They were very easy to talk with and were in control on the situations.

I cannot say enough good about Ian and Ramsey. They both were excellent guides and very knowledgable about the local area. They paced the trip well and even though I was often at the back of the pack, I never felt left behind. Ramsey, in particular assured me that my pace was just fine. Ian was my medic and made sure that my feet were cared for and my boots were dried. He was a great motivator and also very aware of the group dynamic. He spoke to us when one in our party was acting out. He made us all feel comfortable about expressing out concerns.

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Guides were friendly, but I had been hoping to hear more about Scotland’s history, flora&fauna etc., all my questions were answered, though. As I am not a native speaker of English, and not used to hearing Scottish English, I sometimes had difficulties to understand what the guides were saying.

Ian J was a superior guide: personable, friendly, supportive, exceedingly competent, knowledgeable, etc.

I cannot say enough about our guide, Ian Johnson. He is the most competent person I have ever met. He led us on wonderful hikes, provided running commentary on the history, plants, geology, and animals, especially birds. He has a great depth of knowledge of many interesting areas. He was an outstanding driver, getting us through Mountain passes and tight village lanes with out incident. He had a wonderful manner and was able to help members of our group who had trouble hiking. He also told us many entertaining stories about his own travels and wilderness adventures.

Ian did a great job accommodating the range of skill sets of the clients, and provided technical tips when climbing/scrambling some of the more challenging bits. When one of the clients fell ill, he presented several alternate plans for the day, which enabled the group to come to consensus.

He has a great sense of humor, and was committed to everyone enjoying themselves.

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Our guide, Ian, was knowledgeable, passionate, organized, and prepared. Our safety was always paramount and I honestly don’t know how he so expertly took care of all of us. He even performed shoe repair out in the middle of a day-long trek!

Thanks to Ian - very relaxed, accommodating and enjoyable

There was nothing Ian didn't know or couldn't do. He advised us well before each excursion as to clothing and kit, and got us out walking at each opportunity we had, despite the weather and re-routing. He led us well as a whole group too, taking care of individual needs, abilities and concerns. I felt extremely safe with Ian guiding us, and I only needed to think about the physical demands of the walk. I think he gauged our physical limitations well.

Ian was a flexible and inclusive guide.

Ian was excellent! Would sign up on another trip just because he was the guide. He is a great driver..no scary bits on the road. He was always watching to see who needed help but then left us to have our space as well.
He did an awesome job of letting us know what the plan of the day was…but was flexible if he needed to be. He is a very good teacher and very positive! AND he can read poetry to make a hike even more special!

Thank you, Ian! Aunt Val feels very proud that she was able to complete the walking each day and not have to sit out.

Ian was wonderful. He was knowledgable and helpful with a wonderful sense of humor. He always took the 'pulse' of the group. We really enjoy having him as a guide and would love to be on another of his trips.

TEAM WILDERNESS RESPONSE:

We're delighted you had such a lovely time with Ian, he's a brilliant guide.

Ian is a wonderful guide. He really knows his stuff. Incredibly experienced, he’s full of advice on the art of hiking (technique & gear). But he also shares tales of his past that are mesmerizing on the trail. Also, he skillfully balanced the varying abilities & desires of a diverse group, keeping us all happy when faced with poor weather or logistical deadlines involving transfers & inflexible meal reservations. Above all else, he kept us safe whenever conditions became difficult.

Ian was very personable, extremely knowledgable (flora, fauna, geology, cultural history -- and music!) and worked harder than anyone realized to keep the trip both organized and fun. He was particularly attuned to the various needs of our group. We would gladly join him on another adventure.

Ian Johnston, our guide was incredible. He was skilled in mountain trekking, knowledgeable about the history of our environs, and had a razor wit that put us all at ease. Having gone on several Wilderness Scotland treks, I believe the guide makes the trip, the group camaraderie takes second and a third is what you are actually doing. Ian's wealth of experience, often related in very entertaining stories, his physical strength, wise observations, and general calm helped make our trek a success. He seemed to be a good judge of human nature and I loved how he was able to have conversations with everyone and was a good accessor of our physical abilities. He offered us help scaling some of the more difficult scrambles and had wonderful suggestions for how to best climb a challenging path.

Ian was very safety conscious but fun at the same time. He did an excellent job managing people with different abilities (and some egos!). He got all of us--including some 70 year olds--up Goatfell, which was impressive. We felt like we were in very good hands at all times. We liked his stories and history lessons. He is a natural at trips like this and he really made the experience special.

As mentioned above, Ian Johnston had just the right blend of deep knowledge and a self-effacing sense of humor. He made constant efforts to learn more about each group member and was discreetly attentive to any personal needs or limitations. Awesome guy!!