FellRunner

All, Thanks for the advice, I have a good idea what to waste my money on now ?. I have done some days simply dragging brash and yes it's hard graft to say the least. But for me personally, I tend to feel ok after these hard days. Last weekend I was running in the mountains for over 11 hours, right through the night. I was supporting another runner, carrying his water and kit. The hard work is not a problem and as for money I didn't get a penny, but I wouldn't have it any other way. In contrast after just one day sat at a computer I am in a lot of pain, shoulders and traps are screaming at me, the body is designed to move. I've lived in a campervan for 2 years, through a cold, wet, stormy winter in wales, where it go so bad I had to point the van head to wind, otherwise it would have blown over. I didn't earn enough money to even turn the diesel heater on at night, so I would sit in my down sleeping bag and listen to the radio. I'd still take that over dying in a 9-5 job to pay the morgage. Yes, I am looking to move away from design engineering i.e. CAD technician and into arborist work. Either as a part-time gig or for a total career change if it works out. I have already looked into land surveying (1 year) - This profession is becoming more and more about processing the data on the computer and less about being out in the field. I can only see it continuing as the use of laser scanners/drones become more common, which basically do all the field work for you. As for design engineering (3 years) there is a shortage of good CAD technicians, so the money can be good, but I personally find the work very boring, extremely computer intensive and it's easy to become pidgeon-holed as the guy who produces all the technical drawings and models, these drawings get passed to the fabricators who actually build the thing, so you don't get the opportunity to practice your hands-on skills. Rock climbing/mountaineering (10 years), I've never tried to make any money from this. I know it's long hours for not much pay and you really have to be very well qualified (MIA) to stand out from the crowd and get the good jobs, which are still 90% hard work. Besides, I'm not really a people person. Anyway, thanks for the feedback. Edit: typos

Haha, ok. Good job I'm not getting into it for the money then! I'd sooner live on the road in a van and pick grapes for a living than earn 30k+ as a design engineer, chained to a desk for 40-50 hours a week. I've done both, so I know what I'm getting into.

what would you spend your first £2000 on? Being a self taught rock climber of ten years, I'm a bit suspicious of training companies, as I've met loads of good climbers who were all willing to pass on their knowledge for free, as long as you were enthusiastic and could hold a rope. Not to mention all the content on youtube. I've also seen plently of people nearly kill themselves, when they got out of their depth in the Alps. Same with the gear side of things, I know you can pick-up things relatively cheaply on ebay second-hand, fine for just starting out. But get caught in a storm in the Cairngorms, or on a big route in the Alps where moving quickly will save your life, suddenly that top of the range gear immediately pays for itself. Spend half of it on courses, the rest on a small chainsaw and PPE, spread over 6 months? Or spend most of it on second-hand chainsaws/other useful kit, get the basic PPE, then learn on the job and be willing to do some hard menial graft for the first year? Edit: sorry htb I pressed post too early by accident

I am definitely interested, if you are willing to take on someone with limited experience but very keen to learn.

Aye that's right, there were ten of us who started, not one completed leg 3 (of 5) in the tough conditions. That's proably my biggest fear about doing the round, having no time to spare at the end when you feel like death and your mind has gone.

Thanks for the offer, I probably would have made the drive, but I have been away in the mountains all weekend. Cheers bill, I'll keep an eye on here.

Funny you say that, I'm off away in my van to meet a group of strangers in a carpark at 1am tonight. It's to support a long distance runner, at least that what I tell my girlfirend.

Hi all, I'm keen to gain an insight into this industry, with a view to possibly persuing it as a career. I'm happy to work unpaid for a few days, as a groundsman or where needed, in exchange for good experience. I'm fit and strong, from running on the fells most days and rock climbing, including suffering through winter climbing trips in Scotland. I am currently working as a design engineer on a flexible contract, living in Penrith. I have a good job, but I know I need to get off the computer and out the office environment. I can shift my work days around a bit and would be will to travel for the right opportunity. Thanks for reading, Mike

RH, Thanks for the encouragement. As for sleep, luckily I have a van with a bed I built in the back ?

Steve, Thanks, that's what I was hoping to hear! These forums seem like a great resource. I'll hang around a while.

OMTC, I would come under the 'other' catagory in your list of shortages. Would you mind expanding on what you are looking for i.e. minimum requirements? I am a proessional Design Engineer/Techncian, a decent career on paper but I'm desperate to get off the computer and out the office. I have some money to throw at a bunch of courses, but where to begin? How can I know if I can hack a job in your industry without trying it out for a few weeks first, but who is going to touch me without any experience or tickets? I run up on the fells of Cumrbia most days and year round, hence my username. Add to that a healthy dose of winter climbing experience in Scotland and I like to think I could hack a physical outdoor based job, enjoy it even. But I couldn't 'prove' this to you.