ETHOS

Steve’s philosophy centres on enabling people to gain maximum enjoyment and benefit from their adventure experiences. He aims to provide inspiration to engage further with wild, unspoiled places and to encourage respect for the natural environment.

A central tenet of this approach, regarding the development of outdoor experience and skill, is that the process should be treated as a whole wherever possible – the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.

Skill acquisition research demonstrates that the standard approach – that which favours reducing activities to their technical components to be tackled in isolation – is detrimental to long term learning and adaptability. Steve adopts an approach that primarily seeks to assist people to become confident in an activity environment whilst developing an understanding of it. You will be encouraged to explore the natural environment at a level appropriate to your abilities, whether on land, in water or underground – in at the real end, not in at the deep end!

You will have the opportunity to take control of your own experience and learning in order to help you become more independent in the outdoors. Steve believes that, whenever possible, we should be active processors of our own experiences as opposed to passive recipients of information. His expertise allows him to provide an appropriate level of support, tailored to your needs.

Whilst many people opt for recreational trips primarily to enjoy an adventure holiday rather than to ‘learn’ specifically, they will often be surprised at just how much they have developed without realising it was happening. Steve’s focus on keeping anxiety low, and confidence and enjoyment high, often enables people to tackle situations which they previously considered beyond their capabilities.

Steve is passionate about increasing understanding of the natural environment and encouraging sensitivity to the consequences of our interactions with wild and remote places. He believes that quality outdoor experiences can help us to better connect with the environment, thereby encouraging us to value and protect our ever diminishing natural landscapes.

The ethos and expertise of the leader on any outdoor trip is pivotal to ensuring the quality of the experience as well as the satisfaction of all trip members. Steve’s holistic approach to both leading and coaching is not only the most effective in this regard, it’s also the most enjoyable for all concerned.

Steve is committed to providing high quality, memorable experiences in harmony with wild environments; he hopes you’ll be inspired to plan your next adventure with Steve Banks Outdoors.