Tom Hutton

It took Tom over 20 years to realise that he didn't look good in a suit and tie, and less than five minutes to resign from his day job to concentrate on writing and photography and later guiding. He's since won awards for his words and pictures and travelled extensively throughout the UK and abroad. He has been mountain biking since the sport's inception and as a natural explorer with an almost unhealthy fascination with maps, has been instrumental in documenting routes all over the British Isles.

He's best known as the person behind the pull-out routes section in MBR (Mountain Bike Rider) Magazine but also contributes to many other outdoor publications, covering everything from climbing to kayaking. He has also written and illustrated a number of guidebooks.

When he's not writing or exploring, he runs a mountain bike coaching/guiding/holiday business, Tom Hutton MTB, which offers everything from guided rides and weekend breaks in Snowdonia to full, week-long mountain bike holidays in Wales, the Lake District and Scotland.

He lives on the flanks of Snowdon with his partner, Steph - also a cycling fanatic - and their Labrador, Du.

www.tomhuttonmtb.co.uk