Meet some of our holiday experts

Our tour leaders are as passionate about walking and discovering the world as you are. Experienced in leading, usually, but not necessarily in the area of the holiday, each has their own individual style and particular talents. All are first-aid trained, holding walking qualifications commensurate with the holiday grade they lead and often have good foreign languages skills.

They’re supported by a back-office team who seek to ensure that you’ve got the best itinerary and all holiday arrangements are in place for you to enjoy.

What is unsurpassed is their wide travel knowledge and commitment to making your holiday as friendly and pleasurable as possible. We’d like to introduce you to some of them below.

Local Leaders and Guides

We also employ and train some local leaders as well as working with local area guides on many of our long-haul destinations.Native to the area, their friendly welcomes and special insights are hugely popular, adding real character and flavour - and keep our clients coming back for more!

Gemma Smith

Has spent many happy years exploring the globe including the USA, South East Asia, chalet hosting in the French Alps and has searched almost every corner of Australia. Whilst here she was lucky enough to work aboard a ship sailing the Great Barrier Reef and beyond, and the most glamorous; picking fruit and laying turf in Perth!. Joining the Ramblers Worldwide planning team in 2008 has not slowed her down, her bags are always packed ready for the next ramblering adventure.

Angus Russell

Spent 12 years pretty much continuously travelling the world as a mountain walking leader, ski tour leader, holiday rep and ship’s officer. He is now Contracts Manager as well as Brand Manager for the Ramblers Countrywide Holidays UK programme and is particularly interested the safety and legal aspects of holiday travel. He’s keen on holidays to Austria or Germany and is unusual in his enthusiasm for walking surrounded by millions of trees in the north-eastern US.

Al and Jane Sarjeant

Al has been leading for Ramblers Worldwide since 2007, after 33 years in the RAF, where he had many years of experience leading alpine expeditions. After accompanying Al on a few tours, Jane became a leader herself in 2009. Al and Jane now specialise in ’2 Walks, 2 leaders, 2 grades’ holidays, as well as Family Adventures. Leading worldwide they are known for their positive outlook and infectious enthusiasm - they always look on the bright side!

Helen Nelson

I truly believe that travelling is one of the best educations you can have. I spent 3 years living in, and travelling around, the Middle East before I met my husband and moved to New York, from where we travelled all over North America. I’ve been with RWH for over 3 years now and my position as a Product Manager enables me to put my passion for travel into developing itineraries for areas that I love the most – Middle East, India, Morocco and Greece.

John Knott

John has been a compulsive traveller and walks leader since high school. Having completed the Three Peaks challenge of ascending Ben Nevis, Scafell and Snowdon within 24 hours he's also clearly got an adventurous streak. These days he leads mainly in Greece and Turkey with the odd trip to other destinations which have attracted his attention.

Keith and Teresa Milton

Teresa and Keith are experienced leaders with over 10 years leading around the globe for Ramblers Worldwide.Together their expertise, enthusiasm and knowledge of the natural world bring added interest to all their tours. You will often find them leading in New Zealand – they have led both the Grand Tour and South Island Adventure and each year they lead one of the Canyonlands holidays. Keith is also a keen birder and you may find him in Trinidad and Tobago or Extremadura in the winter months.

Megan Price

Fluent in French and Italian with a smattering of Spanish and Arabic, Megan leads tours of ancient sites and cities including Rome, Florence and Venice, savouring the past, but also finding time for conversation and the chance to relax in traditional cafes. Further afield she is looking forward to re-visiting Egypt and Peru.
As a group leader Megan enjoys the way that strangers soon become friends as they relax and exchange their travellers’ tales.

Karen Groenewald

Karen Groenewald leads mainly in Italy and in South Africa where for many years she was based and met her husband Fred - also a tour leader with Ramblers Worldwide. A prolific explorer of (usually) wonderful places, Karen is one of our most travelled and experienced tour leaders. Fluent in several languages and a commited traveller, Karen’s specialities are wild flowers, birds and mammals; her husband Fred seems to know something about everything.

Sandra Lewis

Originally the UK office manager for the Austrian Alpine Club, Sandra has looked after the day to day running of the Ramblers Countrywide UK short break programme since its early days. A fitness enthusiast, Sandra completed the 26 mile overnight moonwalk in 2010 and has plans to try the Three Peaks 24 hour race.