Our Story

wildswimbikerun.com was established in 2017 by Darroch Davidson following a 17 year career in the British Army and as a Security Advisor in the Middle East and Africa. Having enjoyed a life long passion for outdoor adventure, natural history and the history of the British Isles he has brought them together in a series of guided adventures and experiences.

Expect your guide to have a remarkable background, we believe that exceptional guided experiences require exceptional people to lead them.

We provide a range of guided walking, cycling and stand up paddle boarding (SUP) tours and weekend adventure breaks in Bath and the South West. We also provide a wider range of outdoor activities and challenges for private, school and corporate groups.

We focus on providing enjoyable and challenging experiences supporting the development of confidence, knowledge and the ability to meet sporting and lifestyle aspirations.

Our goals are very simple... provide clients with an amazing experience, take their fitness to the next level, equip them with real and practical skills to enjoy, thrive and succeed in their outdoor pursuits no matter what their goals.

T H E   T E A M

Your Activity Guides

​DARROCH DAVIDSON - OWNER/GUIDE

Darroch is a former British army officer and security advisor with experience operating in the world’s most challenging environments including Iraq, Afghanistan and West Africa. Darroch's military and security background combined with his love of endurance sports ensure that our holidays and guided activities are planned and supported with military precision. Having completed a military 88 mile ultra run across Hadrian's Wall twice, 4 ironman distance triathlons (Challenge Wanaka and Roth) and the 'Double Brutal' 463km mountain ironman finishing 7th in 37 hours 39 minutes he is constantly seeking out new challenges. Darroch is a qualified mountain bike leader, BSUPA level 1 SUP instructor, outdoor first aid practitioner and guide for our walking, paddle board, road cycling, mountain biking, adventure cycling and bikepacking experiences. He has also completed 'Child Protection in Sport and Active Leisure' training provided by Educare and a Disclosure and Barring Service check. 

WAYNE BUXTON - GUIDE

Wayne is a retired international athlete who represented Great Britain over the marathon distance and has a personal best time of 2:16:38. He has numerous victories to his name including the Bristol Half Marathon, Great Eastern Run and was bronze medallist in the English Half Marathon Championships. He is an experienced athletics coach who worked with the British Paralympic team at Athens and was honoured by the British Olympic Association for his coaching services for his work at the Sydney Paralympic Games. He was also a marathon guide runner at Atlanta for a visually impaired 2:31 marathon runner.
​Today Wayne is more likely to be seen on two wheels, whether that’s a road bike, gravel bike or mountain bike. He has a passion for travel and is always seeking biking and hiking adventures wherever the trails may take him.
Wayne is a qualified Mountain Bike Leader, Outdoor First Aider and has also completed 'Child Protection in Sport and Active Leisure' training provided by Educare and has an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.
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CHRIS GOODMAN - GUIDE

Chris spent 20 years as an Environmental Advisor and Consultant in the oil and gas industry, supporting projects all over the world. He also served as a British Army Reservist for 9 years, including an operational deployment to Kuwait and Iraq in 2003.
He started mountain biking when living in Scotland some 15 years ago and for the last decade has been a keen bikepacker, travelling off-road by bike across France, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Greece, Armenia, Colorado and Baja California Mexico.
After living and working in London for 10 years, Chris bought a 70ft narrowboat and cruised out of the capital along the River Thames and the Kennet & Avon Canal to the outskirts of Bath, where he now lives on the water.
Chris is a qualified Mountain Bike Leader, Outdoor First Aider and has also completed 'Child Protection in Sport and Active Leisure' training provided by Educare and has an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

GARY MOORE - GUIDE

​Gary is a highly experienced wildlife sound recordist, marine zoologist and naturalist who has worked on numerous landmark BBC wildlife documentaries. Major works include being a regular fixture on BBC Spring/Autumn/Winterwatch, numerous David Attenborough productions, Deadly 60 and other BBC natural history series. 
From a young age Gary’s interest in natural history and the outdoors has seen him combine his love of both. An avid outdoorsman and mountain leader at his university mountaineering club leant itself perfectly to his future career working in isolated and extreme filming locations all over the world. 
Outside of his filming career Gary continues to enjoy his passion for the outdoors being a member of Bath Cycling Club, supporting local forest school groups and documenting local wildlife species in the Avon valley.

RICKIE COTTER - GUIDE

Rickie Cotter is an elite cyclist with a number of titles to her name including the female National, European and World silver medallist at the 2014 World and UK Solo 24 Hour MTB Championships, previous female Highland 550 record holder. A seasoned adventure and endurance cyclist having completed the Transcontinental, Tour Divide, Tour of Aotearoa, Ironbike stage race winner and Trans-Wales stage race winner.
​She is currently training for the Tour Divide taking place in June 2019. An athlete with a reputation for utilising strategy and the ability to stretch mental and physical capacity beyond the competition. Rickie is a guide for our bike packing holidays and instructor, mentor and technical advisor on our adventure cycling holidays. She also has a sense of humour...