Rob Hayward
Expedition Lead / Co Founder
Find me on: Instagram / LinkedIn
As one of the co-founders of Outlier Ascents, Rob has a deep passion for the outdoors and adventure. Originally from London and growing up in Buckinghamshire, he couldn’t have been further away from the mountains. But university in South Wales changed all that — those first wet, cold years exploring the Brecon Beacons and North Wales ignited a lifelong passion.
For Rob, it always comes back to inspiration and perspective. A bad day in the mountains instantly grounds you in the here and now, whatever life is throwing at you, and leaves you with a sense of feeling truly alive. A clear day can blow you away emotionally, while a brutal, wet, high-wind expedition tests you to the very limits — stripping you down and rebuilding you with a strength you didn’t know you had.
Since those early years in Wales, he’s travelled the world climbing and mountaineering in far-flung places including the Atlas Mountains, the Andes, the Himalayas, South East Asia, and of course the European Alps. Ask him for his most epic experience and, wife and kids aside, he won’t hesitate: summiting his first unguided 6,000m peak, Stok Kangri in the Himalayas — a trip that, 15 years on, he still counts as the one he laughed hardest on and came away from the most physically broken, mentally tired and emotionally exhilarated he’s ever been.
Fast forward to today and, with a wife and two young children living in St Albans, he’s still hoping to inspire adventure in others while driving the Outlier Ascents team forward. Rob works closely with clients, supporting them through the programme day to day and running many of the UK mountain training sessions, as well as making regular guest appearances in the Alps to help teams achieve their goals in the mountains.
Outside of work, life mostly means wrestling and negotiating with his two young kids, with the odd escape on his motorbike when he can get it — or convincing an unsuspecting local in a St Albans pub that what they really need to do is climb a mountain.
What’s Rob got to say?
Why the mountains?
Inspiration and perspective… Simple as that. A bad day in the mountains will not only instantly ground you in the here and now, regardless of what life in general is throwing at you, it will also leave you with a sense of feeling truly alive. The sheer size and relentlessness of the mountains and the weather systems around them is truly awe inspiring. A clear day will blow you away emotionally, where as a brutal high wind, wet and cold expedition will test you to the very limits of who you are physically and mentally. It will strip you down to the very core and rebuild you with a strength you didn’t know you had.
What’s the biggest challenge you face with the mountains?
Being away from the family and being exposed as a creaking over 40 year old on long mountain days and climbs.
What’s your most epic experience to date?
Aside from wife and kids of course, it would have to be summiting my first unguided 6000m peak in the Himalayas, Stok Kangri. Although a straight forward climb, the views, altitude, team and trip to get there were amazing and have stuck with me for life. Never have I laughed so much, made such great friends, been so physically broken, mentally tired and emotionally exhilarated as I have on that trip, even some 15 years on.
What does life outside of Outlier Ascents look like for you?
Mainly wrestling and negotiating with my 2 young kids and every now and again escaping on my motorbike for an hour or so. You’ll also occasionally find me in one of a few St Albans public houses, convincing unsuspecting locals they should climb a mountain!
