Joe Mann

This was my fourth trip with Joe Mann: needless to say, I think he's an excellent guide and fun to be with, too. Our group had some extremely strong walkers, so was often spread out, but he always kept an eye on everyone and managed situations well. He also takes amazing photos of everyone during the walks - the very best souvenirs!

Joe Mann was a 'super' guide!

As mentioned previousl Joe was a really good guide who I felt we got to know over the course of the week. He was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the area. The other guides for the sea kayaking, RSPB reserve and badger hide were also all good: personable, interesting to talk to and with a good blend of information and humour. I particularly enjoyed the guide who took us sea kayaking.

Great… see note added for trip overall. Also appreciated his knowledge on Whiskeys and général willingness to adapt to our requests.

As I said Joe Mann is an extraordinary guide: informative, kind, generous and a wonderful person. Simply the best.

Joe was amazing!

Joe was an incredible guide! He was very organized, easy to get along with, and knowledgeable about the hikes, and wildlife in the area. I really appreciated the tidbits of history and the folklore stories he shared that were relevant to the areas we traveled to. Also - he created a great playlist for our car rides. Before I left, he recommended additional Wilderness Scotland trips for me. Would definitely take another trip with Joe in the future!

Our guide, Joe Mann, was truly excellent. He was very knowledgeable about the terrain and great at setting a good pace and motivating us on some of the more challenging climbs. He shared lots of interesting information about plants, animals and bird life en route and kept our group well organised and informed about upcoming activities - all with a light touch and a great sense of humour. It was a pleasure to have his company. Thanks so much for all the lovely photos too Joe!

Joe was top-notch. He inspired complete confidence; very knowledgeable about the wildlife and plant life and a very engaging personality

Joe Mann was simply superb. He was an incredibly knowledgeable guide who slotted into our party seamlessly. He was a pleasure to spend a week with, and provided us with so much information about what we were walking on and what we were seeing (and hearing). He was also great fun to be with.

Superlatives are required. It’s hard to imagine a better guide than Joe. He rapidly became the lynchpin of the group. Despite his youth and accomplishments, he willingly descended to our level and was always patient and encouraging and happy to set a sensible pace. He was great company and hugely informative and fun to be with.

I cannot praise Joe highly enough. He (and the weather!) really made the trip. He was a rare combination of many skills. He had a deep knowledge of the landscape, flora and fauna and, you could tell, a real enthusiasm to share it with others. He was a highly accomplished hiking guide, well able to judge the ability of his crew and always conveying assured confidence in the task. He dealt smoothly with the occasional wobbles about the route to come and enabled all members of the group to access and enjoy every element of the trip. And, on top of all this, he was great company. He spent a full week in close company with a group all of whom were easily the age of his parents (I would guess) - not every young person's idea of a good time - but was always open and friendly and sharing a great sense of humour. We were, indeed, lucky to have wonderful weather, but Joe allowed us to make the very most of it. Wilderness Scotland are fortunate to have such an accomplished guide who is great company.

As previously indicated, Joe was great. Very easy to get on with, very knowledgeable, sure-footed in every sense of the word and fun to spend time with. It was a really successful week, due in no small part to Joe's being part of it.

Joe is a credit to wilderness scotland, made us welcome,
wasn’t fazed that we all arrived at different times on day 1. Knew his stuff, wanted to make sure we got the best out of each day. To have your very own reindeer herder as your guide what’s not to like! Thanks Joe.

Joe was great. Really enthusiastic and knowledgeable and made sure we all got what we wanted from the trip, including a mountain hare sighting for me :-)
Joe's super fit and I was bit worried I'd be left behind but he kept the pace really relaxed and we had lots of time to stop, look and learn. He was always happy to answer questions and to tailor things to meet everyone's wishes.
His passion and dedication to the reindeers was clear and that was a special part of the trip, don't think I'll ever share his passion for whisky though!

Excellent is not a good enough word for Joe. His knowledge is astounding, and he was so sweet and fun throughout the whole trip. Just an amazing young man.

Joe was an excellent guide. Very knowledgeable and informative. Looked after their the group well and answered any questions we had.

Our guide Joe was absolutely fabulous, his knowledge of wildlife was non exhaustive and his recalling of bird calls were brilliant. He drove us to fro our destination playing Scottish music enhancing the drive as he shared his knowledge of the landscape and passing wildlife. Joe also a reindeer herdsman surprised us and took us to feed the wild reindeer herd on the snowy mountain range where they roam; this absolutely made my trip and so thankful to Joe for organising. I also enjoyed the local coffee pit stops. Thank you just an amazing outstanding guide!

Joe's enthusiasm was infectious...he did all he could to make sure everyone had the best experience. He adjusted the itinerary to make the most of the weather, gave a whiskey tasting experience from his own bottles...and gave us an unparalleled close up encounter with reindeer.

The guide, Joe Mann, was knowledgeable and enthusiastic. After checking the weather forecasts for Saturday & Sunday, he rearranged to schedule to maximise our enjoyment.

Joe was personable, knowledgeable and passionate about the revegetation and rewilding of Scotland. His obvious love of, and commitment to, the environment in which he lives and works was both contagious and endearing.

Joe was excellent. He seemed very well prepared despite taking the trip on at the last minute. He adjusted the itinerary to reflect the weather forecast and was thoughtful about the route choice to avoid e.g. being in the wind for too long- which made for more pleasant walking days. I really appreciated his insights into the local landscape, rewilding efforts, and wildlife. I felt I learnt much more about the area than I would have done walking on my own, and Joe’s passion for the area really came through and rubbed off on everyone (particularly as regards the best hill in Scotland). The visit to see and feed the reindeer was a highlight!

Joe was brilliant. He knew lots of facts and I could ask him any questions. He was really friendly.

Joe Mann was a superior guide. He gave very clear instructions on each day's schedule. He was filled with information on Scotland, the specific landforms and history of how they got the way they looked. He named all the animals and plants, superb knowledge of the park, lakes, rivers, trails, and buildings, history, and environmental trends. He was an excellent driver and we were very comfortable with his knowledge of the roads, very safe. We loved it when he put on Scottish music and the drive home.

Joe Mann was a remarkable guide as I have already pointed out. A true treasure who made this trip exceed my wildest expectations. I know he is not personally responsible for Scotland’s natural scenic beauty but my appreciation for this relatively small part of the world has definitely been greatly enhanced by hiking with him as a guide.

Joe was amazing in every way and we all so enjoyed him, felt listened to and safe and we learned so much. A perfect introduction to Scotland!

Joe couldn’t have been better. He made the trip extra special and quite extraordinary.

Guided -- Both our guides were extremely knowledgeable about the terrain, history, and animals of the areas we covered. They were very conscious of safety -- giving pointers on how to traverse rocky and/or slick segments, and always ready to lend a hand/assist if needed.

I liked both Joe and Lou but would make several recommendations: 1. remind walkers to hydrate frequently - neither ever did. 2. keep an eye on the stragglers - we had a significant separation on Blakey Ridge 3. stop hourly to gauge how everyone is doing - we had several length walks with no stops. Lou and Joe clearly like their jobs, well done and thank you.

TEAM WILDERNESS RESPONSE:

Thanks for your feedback, I'm glad you had such a lovely time with both Joe and Lou. Our guides are carefully chosen, well-seasoned professionals who always ensure client safety is of the highest priority at any given time. As is the nature of good guiding, they will be constantly aware of the group (even if it feels as if it may be from afar). I understand the importance of hydration, and although a good note, I don't necessarily think it falls on the guide to remind individuals to drink. As always, I wish we could choose the weather, but I'm very glad that the adventure was an enjoyable and engaging one despite the beginning being a bit on the soggy side! Thanks again for taking the time to pop us your feedback, it really is appreciated.

One of the reasons for my booking this trip was that Joe Mann was leading it - I'd been on two Scotland trips with him before and I think he is excellent and good fun (both important considerations for an extended trip). While Scotland may be his main area of focus these days, his preparation is always impeccable. Louise Russell led two days of walking in foggy, soggy conditions in the Lake District, as well as providing driving support, cups of tea and boundless enthusiasm throughout the trip: she was fantastic, and I would go on a trip led by her any day. It was also great meeting Ben, who has an impressive 41 coast-to-coasts under his boots.

very knowledgeable on flora and fauna.
very trusting

Our guide was very flexible and provided personal attention since I had a medical issue.

Joe was an outstanding guide. I did need his help at some points when it was very steep and/or exposed, and he always seemed to be available whenever I needed him. I also had a bit of an injury, which fortunately didn't affect my walking, but he always checked that I was OK.
He was also very knowledgeable about the local flora and fauna.

Joe was knowledgeable, interesting, interested in us, always available, put in the hours and effort to make our trip memorable - he was safe and assured. He made sure we used our time well - and got us swimming in both locks and the sea.