Tamsin Caine

Tell us about your first Freshwalks?

It was November 2015. The planned walk was from Glossop to Bleaklow and back to Glossop. It was a beautiful but chilly day in Glossop. We headed out of Glossop, up a steep hill (inhaler required!), to be rewarded with one of the most stunning views of Woodhead Reservoir. Queue cameras. We then headed around a precarious path on the edge of a cliff and then the cloud or fog came in. By the time we reached the wilderness of the marshland at the top, we could barely see 5 metres. The plane crash site that haunts the top of Bleaklow was all the more eerie for the fog and the wreaths of poppies from Armistice day. My feet, as always, found some of the deepest bogs as we scrambled across the marshland, not entirely sure that we would make it back. I’m not sure that I have ever been so pleased to see Glossop! The camaraderie in the pub would have made a stranger think we’d successfully climbed Everest and returned. It certainly felt like that! This was networking in its most genuine form. A group of people with a common interest making new connections, without the need or desire for speed or selling, after all we had a good six hours in the hills.

How many have you attended?

I reckon about 30. My first was 6th November 2015.

Why do you come back?

As well as meeting new people and catching up with regular Freshwalkers, it has so many benefits. I’ve taken clients and team members to spend the day getting to know them better. It’s good for my own mental health to get out into the countryside, often in my home county of Derbyshire. I also get new ideas and a different perspective for driving our business forward. Definitely networking at another level.

What’s your favourite route?

That’s a tricky one, probably Grindsbrook Clough and across to Kinder then down Jacobs Ladder. It’s a tough one but there’s a huge sense of achievement at the end.

The one thing you always bring?

Spare socks, essential if your feet have magnets to bogs like mine do.

Favourite Freshwalks memory?

My fave Freshwalks memory is hiking up Loose Hill with John Shinnick, engrossed in conversation, to look back and find everyone else was miles behind us! It’s not happened since!!

Has Freshwalks led to any business or opportunity?

The thing about Freshwalkers is that if they can help, they will. I’ve had some valuable introductions and have worked with a number of people.

Recommend three people you have met on Freshwalks?

John Shinnick, Mike Pye and Michelle Pratt

How does Freshwalks challenge typical networking formats?

Networking is about growing the circle of people that you know. When they know, like and trust you, there is a greater chance of having a business relationship. Spending hours in the hills with the many challenges that brings, gives a brilliant opportunity to make that happen. There are also the health benefits of exercise and Gresham’s air.

Freshwalks is a combination of exercise, networking, sharing knowledge and thinking time. How do you balance those components?

The exercise is unavoidable! Networking happens naturally as you change pace, stop for a breather. Thinking time tends to be the steep bits, where I can’t speak! Everyone I have met on Freshwalks is open to help, advice and to offer the same to others.

Suggest one new place for us to go.

Dovedale.

Sum up Freshwalks in three words.

Invigorating, challenging, essential.

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