Take your stories to new heights...

Stu passing rope down to help a climber below him

Behind Crag Stories is Stu Serrechia. Former librarian turned outdoor instructor, Stu has seen how stories help to shape the way we see ourselves and the world.

As a qualified climbing instructor and developing walking guide, he can help you find new stories to add to your own, at climbing walls, crags and hills.

If climbing is what you're looking for, Stu can offer...

  • Indoor and outdoor climbing options
  • Content to suit your needs
  • A flexible approach to timings and locations
  • One off experiences or developmental sessions
  • Sessions on skills, techniques, fear, confidence and more

For hillwalking, as a developing guide, Stu can...

  • Assist you with planning your hikes
  • Accompany you to support in making hill days happen effectively
  • Share his experience of mountain terrain and scrambling

Stu lives in Yorkshire, with the Dales and Moors on his doorstep, and the Peak and Lakes not much farther.

From the feed

Where to next?

  • Splendid recent day at Brimham Rocks, majestic in the sunshine, a birthday treat of a first outdoor climb for a regular indoor boulderer. I think they'll be back...
  • Working at Stanage Popular today, I thought I'd forgotten to take a single photo. BUT WAIT! Turns out I took this stunner. A recent arrival, it seems fair enough to me - good to support the agencies that make our activities possible. Bonus photo, a quiet moment between chaotic sessions... @peakdistrictnationalpark
  • A laser pointer is an excellent tool for climbing instruction. Mind you, it's going to run out of battery fast if I keep fiddling with it...
  • As promised more from the trip with the excellent navigation, primarily the path that did not go somewhere else. It went in fact to Moel Eilio, from what felt like the quieter side of Llanberis. In keeping, a fairly easy going mountain, but a mountain nonetheless, and wonderful to be part of its day. (Hope that tag is correct!?!?)
  • Navigation master class... On confirming on the map that we wanted the path on the right, someone in the group stated "I think the other path goes somewhere else." Yeah, I expect it probably does... More on this outing to follow...
  • Peak work yesterday... Zig zagged our way up a gorge, but didn't get too close to a crag...
  • Crack Fest 2024... It's a fairly novel experience anyway, but it was great to see them embracing novelty with the coffin climb, like some great dark grown up Clip n Climb. Honorary mentions to all of the other climbs, and all the fine participants too. Great day again, this year feeling like a freight train impact rather than a large amount of bricks 👍 Hopefully I'll be able to find my gloves before next year's...
  • Out out! March 21st before getting out on rock for the year. Yorkshire limestone, Robin Proctor's Scar, sport climbing... And a sporting spanking, as our rock rustiness and less than favorable conditions saw us fail to hit any grades of note. And to think we nearly went to Malham... The onset of rain was ultimately a mercy that allowed us to turn the day into a small hike. Though my greatest amusement was watching Tom retrieve his items that had rolled down the scree...
  • A nice little walk in the woods last week, centred on a preview of a tidy looking line a friend of mine is cleaning up...
  • Back in the climbing world, more setting, this time a traverse. The longest climb I've set, interesting to discover its shape, intriguing seeing others figure their way along it. Low lighting just for general supposed artsy style. And no, the place still isn't open...
  • And now for something a little bit different... Recently added another string (rope) to my bow (err, CV) by completing IRATA Rope Access Level 1. Not strictly relevant to my climbing work, but many of the techniques and equipment are adjacent to that which I've encountered in climbing. Might not quite count as CPD, but certainly didn't feel like it hurt... Other than literally, as it was a fairly intense week! I expect the work it will hopefully bring will be somewhat less whimsical than the world of outdoor pursuits, but hopefully there will still be some nice views... Now, how the heck to get started working...
  • So, sometimes strange things happen. This occurred on pulling a lead rope down after a climb, so it wasn't a hazard at this stage, but who knows when else such a thing or similar could occur... Stay frosty, folks. Edit: first clip, fairly easy to sort out.
  • Set another problem recently, this one under a time challenge - next session was starting in about 15 minutes! It's the spotty one, an adult beginner climb, quite happy with it again, especially given the time limit 😁
  • Possibly the best bit of climbing coaching I've ever done... Me with my beautiful son, Leo. He's 10 months, he's doing good ❤️ By the by, comparisons with stairs and your movements on them can be genuinely useful for beginner climbers...
  • Wordle 949 5/6* I enjoy a bit of Wordle now and then (read: every day). Playfulness, problem solving, comparing with friends, a bit of escapism... Familiar qualities, I feel...
  • Simply not getting enough climbing in lately, so trying to squeeze more (alleged) power hours in. Today I ended up at the wall with my wedding and engagement rings on. I wasn't planning on any belaying, so I popped them out of the way here and fastened the screwgate so that I wouldn't forget they were there and drop them... So why not just wear them during the climb? And why make a point of mentioning fastening the screwgate?
  • Nice to be on a NICAS session recently, been a while...
  • Ceiling Stu is watching you... make your way up to @roktfoundation 's abseil for the Healthy Holidays scheme this week. Lots of good kids enjoying this challenge alongside climbing, caving, and pizza eating... Great week. Note: Rokt is still not open to the public.
  • But aha! The climbing wasn't the activity with which I actually rounded off last year! It was this mountain hike in the Lakes on Friday. Aiming for Grisedale Pike, we instead selected Hopegill Head as our high point, with the trek west across Gasgale Crags a fine feature that had only initially been considered as an escape from another route that had been under consideration. And you'll all know which lake (or whatever category of body of water you prefer...) that is in the first picture, right? Oh, and happy new year of course! Here's to many mountains and countless climbs...
  • Nice couple of sessions at Big to round out the year, fine leading all round, albeit some leaden down by Christmas food and drink (not on the same day, obviously).
  • Merry Christmas! Classic gift action here... Was actually given them a week or so ago, not even been climbing in them yet! Yes, I so far prefer to wear socks... Hope everyone has been having just the day they wanted ❤️
  • From a recent soupy jaunt up Pendle Hill. Though we were jaunting down at this point... Seemed a good hill, would repeat on clear day!

Your next adventure is waiting for you

Get in touch with Stu to take the first step

A sunset from of a mountain view

What people are saying

I really appreciated the way you guided us through a lesser known trail in the Peaks. It was exactly what I was looking for, out of my comfort zone, away from crowds but amongst some interesting landscape. Thank you so much!!

Rebekah — New adventurer

I love the way you coach me through a range of options during a climb and help me feel in control of the route.

Tom — Hiker and new climber

My confidence has improved so much on outdoor climbs. He teaches me something new in every session.

Carla — Experienced climber & hiker