The Team

Ruth Pickvance

Founder & Director of Element
International mountain runner, former British Fell Champion,  GB and England representation and a few fast marathons. Now retired from racing and based in the Black Mountains, there’s nothing Ruth likes more than exploring wilder nature and mountain landscapes and enthusing and empowering people, particularly women, to find the confidence and fitness to get outside. Formerly head of literature at UWC Atlantic College, now Race Director, working with Leadership Development and  founder of Element which offers quality events based on nature, adventure, curiosity and creativity.

Mikaela Toczec

Mikaela is passionate about the outdoors and visual communication.  A highly qualified outdoor instructor en-route to the ultimate accolade the IML (International Mountain Leader Award) she is no stranger to exploration.  As a photographer and writer Mikaela has been featured in a range of publications and has exhibited in a number of venues; she also has an MA with distinction in Photography. Well travelled having adventured in India, Nicaragua and South Korea she also cycled from Derby to Poland with her father – not without its trial and tribulations she concludes “I have learnt that cycling brings out the best in people.”

Sarah Pritchard

Walks Assistant
Passionate about the outdoors Sarah can often be found with her head in an OS map. Her love of mountains began during her time as a chalet host in the Alps. Since then she has walked in the mountainous areas of Britain and as far afield as the Himalayas. She is also a qualified textiles expert and has worked for top London fashion designers.

Emma Bayliss

Fell Running

Emma is an international level fell runner. She has competed in some of the world’s most extreme ultra runs and she has a passion for the outdoors.  She lives at the base of some of Wales’ highest mountains and is never happier than running up and down them with her two faithful dogs. She feels strongly about motivating women to run. Emma is currently taking a break from running to have her first child – she’s climbing a new mountain!

Roy Wiles

Guide
Roy is a top Ecologist and has taken students on field trip all over the world – from Cuba, Indonesia, Honduras to New Guinea, as well as the UK. He is a great plant, freshwater and wildlife guide, artist and raconteur. He recently retired as a senior lecturer in ecology where he ran the International Wildlife Biology degree at University of South Wales.

Helen Brown

Helen is an international level fell runner having won both the British and English Fell Championships. She has ten international ‘vests’ and has also competed in the World Long Distance championships.   Helen is a very experienced fell runner and she feels strongly about motivating women to run. In her ‘other life’ she is a full time vet and has a collection of characterful infamous rescue dogs.

Faye Johnson:

Faye runs at County level across both Trail and Fell running and was selected to run for Wales in 2017 at the European Trail Championships. Running shorter distances in cross country competitions to Ultra distances of up to 50 miles on the trails and mountains of the UK. She is currently a fitness manager and personal trainer for Nuffield Health and is well-versed in all aspects of fitness and training.

Natalie Bedford

Cook & Concierge
A key member of the team, Natalie knows all about feeding active people well having previously worked in France overseeing the catering on walking holidays. As well as being a professional artist and photographer she is a keen wild swimmer and the mother of four daughters and still manages to find time to walk her two Labrador dogs every day.

Kirk

Outdoor Instructor
Kirk is an extremely well qualified, knowledgeable outdoor instructor who is currently working towards his International Mountain Leader qualification.  He is a very popular member of our team when he works with groups and is super company in the outdoors. We feel very lucky to have him working with some Element groups.