The Team

Ruth Pickvance

Founder & Director of Element
Our super-energetic director Ruth has worn several hats: international mountain runner, teacher of literature, latterly as head of faculty at UWC Atlantic College, Race Director, Italophile, beekeeper and writer. She has a long and on-going connection with the wilder side of Italy where she owned a remote house for 20 years.

Now based in the Black Mountains on the Welsh borders, there’s nothing she likes more than exploring ancient byways and landscapes, engaging with ‘something of the wilder side’ each day.

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.

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.

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.

Anna Lupton

Anna loves racing over UK fells and Alpine mountains equally; she has represented GB and England twelve times over the last nine years and every summer is to be found in the Alps in her campervan with her collie dog, making the most of the European mountain running circuit. Her love of the mountains has taken her on long-distance cycle tours in the Rockies and the Alps and treks in the Himalayas, and when she’s at home in Kendal she loves nothing better than a proper Lakeland fell race.