About me

Welcome 

I am a British doctor and mountaineer living and working on the edge of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park, Wales.

I am an Emergency Medicine Doctor and Expedition Doctor specialising in trekking and mountaineering in high altitude mountain environments.

Personal Travel & Mountaineering

I am very fortunate to have grown up on the edge of the Peak District with parents who introduced my brother and I to the outdoors as young children, regularly taking us 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 have worked, travelled and climbed in thirty countries across six continents, from solo adventures in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest, trekking in the Bolivian Andes and the Nepal Himalaya, to ski touring in Switzeland and ice climbing in Italy.

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

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

Medical Career

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

I am a Senior Clinical Fellow/Registrar in Emergency Medicine working at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor where I have worked for over seven years.

I am a specialist medical advisor for the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation, a volunteer organisation.

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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 2023: Doctor for a group trekking and mountaineering in Ecuador, including summiting Cayambe (5790 m).

I am available for international expedition work – please get in touch if you’re looking for a doctor for your expedition team.

Teaching

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

In May 2023 I launched my own online course called An Introduction To Humans At High Altitude. The aim is to share knowledge and give people confidence to look after themselves and others in high altitude environments. Find out more here.

I regularly teach for the following organisations:

  • University of Central Lancashire Diploma in Mountain Medicine, since 2020
  • World Extreme Medicine (WEM), since 2022 – on their Expedition and Wilderness Medicine Courses and on their Alpine Medicine Course in the Slovenian Alps.

I am available for talks and workshops – 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. 

I am no longer involved in research.

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/