Tony Howard

Started climbing in 1953 and was very active in the Peak District in 1950s and 60s, writing guides to gritstone and limestone. In the early 1960s he worked as an outdoors instructor in Wales and the Lake District, qualifying as a British Mountaineering Council guide in 1965, the year he was on the first ascent of Norway's 1000m Troll Wall, "the biggest unclimbed rock wall in Europe". He then worked as a Mountain Guide in Romsdal from 1965 to '70. Elsewhere, he has climbed in most north African and Middle Eastern countries from 1963 onwards, and climbed and/or trekked in Greenland, Canada, America, South Georgia, India, Nepal, Thailand, Madagascar and Iran.

He was a founding partner of Troll climbing equipment in1965. In 1984 together with Di Taylor he founded the adventure travel consultancy N.O.M.A.D.S. (New Opportunities for Mountaineering, Adventure and Desert Sports), when they discovered the climbing potential of Wadi Rum in Jordan.

Tony has worked with Austrian and BBC TV, filming in the mountains of Jordan and is a regular contributor to outdoor magazines and travel guides. He wrote 'Walks and Climbs in Romsdal, Norway', 'Treks and Climbs in Wadi Rum, Jordan' and, together with Di Taylor, 'Jordan - Walks, Treks, Caves, Climbs and Canyons' and 'Walks in Palestine with the Nativity Trail'. They return to the Middle East every spring to enjoy the hot rock, great trekking and the companionship of their many Bedouin friends.

Photo caption: Di and Tony with H M Queen Noor who sponsored their explorations in Jordan.