About me

Welcome 

I am a British Emergency Medicine Doctor, mountaineer and Expedition Doctor specialising in trekking and mountaineering in high altitude mountain environments. I’m based on edge of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park, North Wales.

Personal Travel & Mountaineering

I am very fortunate to have grown up on the edge of the Peak District with parents who regularly took my brother and I  hill walking, rock climbing, cycling, camping and skiing. My Dad introduced me to Alpine Mountaineering when I was 18 and my passion remains high.

I’ve held the UK Summer Mountain Leader award since 2014.

I have worked, travelled and climbed in over thirty countries across six continents, from solo adventures in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest, trekking in  the Nepal Himalaya, mountaineering on Ecuadorian volcanoes, to ski touring in Switzerland and ice climbing in Italy.

You can usually find me playing in my local mountains of Eryri/Snowdonia, usually accompanied by my partner, Tom and our dog, Dylan.

Medical Career

I am a Senior Clinical Fellow/Registrar in Emergency Medicine working at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor where I have worked since 2016. I have a range of medical experience from General Practice, Paediatrics to Intensive Care.

  • BSc (honours) in Chemistry, University of Leeds, 2012.
  • MBChB (Master of Medicine and Surgery), University of Warwick, 2016.
  • UIAA Diploma in Mountain Medicine, 2018. 

Event & Expedition Medicine

I thrive on empowering people to push their limits whilst providing them with the reassurance of experienced medical support.

  • 2015-2016: Provided medical cover at various UK based ultra marathon trail running events.
  • 2015: Medical student elective in Northern India including working for the Himalayan Health Exchange providing medical clinics in rural areas.
  • 2016: Altitude research expedition to Ecuador with the BMRES. I led a project studying cognitive function at high altitude and was a participant in the other studies into human physiology.
  • 2018: Doctor (one of a team) providing medical cover for athletes on the Nepal Impact Marathon.
  • 2018: Doctor for a group trekking to the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro (5895 m), Tanzania, via the Machame route.
  • 2019: Doctor for a group trek and mountaineering trip in Ladakh, Northern India. We aimed to summit Stok Kangri (6153 m) but heavy snow and high avalanche risk meant we did not go higher than base camp at 5500 m.
  • 2019: Participant and assistant on an altitude research trip to the Green Lake (5000 m), Sikkim, India with the BMRES.
  • 2022: Doctor for a group trekking in the Atlas Mountains including summiting Mt Toubkal (4167 m).
  • 2022: Participant and assistant on an altitude research trip to the Annapurna region, Nepal with the BMRES.
  • 2022 – 2023: I was a trainee team member of the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation for 8 months, undertaking training and rescues during this time. Unfortunately I could not continue this role due to other work commitments. I now help provide training for the team.  
  • 2023: Doctor for a group trekking the Laugavegar Trail, Iceland.
  • 2023: Doctor for a group trekking to the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro (5895 m), Tanzania, via the Northern Circuit.
  • 2023: Doctor for a group trekking and mountaineering in Ecuador, including summiting Cayambe (5790 m).

Teaching

I am passionate about teaching mountain medicine and can provide tailored lectures, online webinars, group discussions and interactive workshops for students, medical professionals, outdoor professionals and outdoor enthusiasts. 

I have a range of teaching experience including teaching on university courses, commercial wilderness medicine courses, training mountain rescue volunteers, providing training to expedition leaders and creating my own online courses. 

Please get in touch if you’re interested in organising a session.

Research

I was a member of the Birmingham Medical Research and Expeditionary Society (BMRES) from 2016 – 2023. I have participated on altitude research expeditions in Ecuador, India and Nepal with the BMRES in which I was both research assistant and study participant, gaining data on the effects of altitude on human physiology. 

Publications:
  • Nocturnal Saturation Variance Is Related To Lake Louise Scores During Ascent To 4,800 metres. Kelsey E. Joyce, John Delamere, Chris Bradley, Kimberly Ashdown, Rebekah A.I. Lucas, Owen Thomas, Hannah Lock, Will Malein, Abigail Letchford, Arthur R. Bradwell, Samuel J.E. Lucas, and Birmingham Medical Research Expeditionary Society, High Altitude Medicine & Biology: 13 Dec 2021, Volume 22, Issue 4 Online: https://doi.org/10.1089/ham.2021.29024.abstracts
  • Nocturnal oxygen saturation is related to increased urinary alpha-1 acid glycoprotein during ascent to 4,800 metres. Joyce KE, Delamere J, Ashdown K, Bradley C, Lucas RAI, Thomas O, Lock H, Talks B, Malein W, Lewis CT, Cross A, Letchford A, Bradwell AR, Lucas SJE. 2020. Conference: 25th Anniversary Congress European College of Sport Science. 265.
  • Proceedings of BMRES Altitude Medicine Conference: November 26th, 2016, Birmingham, United Kingdom. Lauren E Gault, Christopher T Lewis, Hannah E Lock. High Altitude Medicine & Biology: DOI: 10.1089/ham.2016.0146
  • Evaluation of Cognitive Function at Altitude Using the King-Devick Test. Hannah E Lock, Christopher HE Imray and Owen Thomas. Poster Presentation: BMRES Altitude Research Conference. Eds: Bradwell AR and Wright AD. 2016: p11.
  • Journey from the Centre of the Earth. Christopher Imray and Hannah Lock. Chimborazo: The Adventure Medic. March 2016. http://www.theadventuremedic.com/adventures/bmres-chimborazojourney-from-the-centre-of-the-earth/