The River Deep, Mountain High Team...

Johan Hoving - Partner and Senior Instructor

Johan's love of the outdoors established itself at a young age, with Mountain Biking and Kayaking being his number one pastimes as a teenager in Nottinghamshire. He then went to Birmingham University to get a BSc in Sport and Exercise Sciences. As well as being the place where he met Emma, Birmingham also opened the opportunity of becoming a trainee instructor at the university’s own outdoor pursuits centre on Coniston Water. After this he worked at some of the many outdoor centres in the Lakes where he honed his own style of giving people a pleasurable experience of outdoor sports on which we have built River Deep Mountain High.

Emma Hoving - Partner and Business Manager

Emma grew up in Chesterfield, gateway to the peak district and a part of her has always enjoyed paddling (in bare feet) in rivers and playing on rocks. Despite this, she staunchly refuses to be classed as an outdoors type as shopping, gardening and cafes are her preferred passions! She completed an MEng in Civil Engineering with Management at Birmingham University, but then followed Johan to the Lake District (he is her husband after all) where she has worked in marketing, training, customer service, cooking and personnel as well as some outdoor instructing - well, inevitable really.

In the office – Beth and Amanda

Our office team are dedicated to helping you book the activities you want quickly and easily, providing local knowledge and assistance where required. If you’re not sure which activities would suit you then we'll happily talk you through the options and give you some ideas.

Instructors – Matt, Jason, Julia, Chris, Jim, Colin and Dave

The RDMH Instructing Team is made up from a mix of employed, contracted and freelance instructors. Each instructor brings with them different qualities and specialities. Matt enjoys all the gorge walking and paddling sessions he does with groups of families and friends. Jason has a shared interest with Johan in Mountain Biking and Julia is a keen Snowboarder, having spent time on Expeditions in Greenland, and is a great gorge walking instructor. Chris has skills in a range of outdoor activities and will always ensure a fun session. With Colin's enthusiasm in paddlesports and Dave's excellent skills in Climbing, we really do have a friendly and fun team!