An actor turned mountaineer is aiming high with a new co-op offering walkers safe journeys as they scale peaks in the UK and Europe.
Michel Visser is founder of Made to Hike, an online marketplace where hikers book directly with nationally and internationally certified mountain guides. The co-operative only launched in July with 50 founding guides and members. There are now 80 verified guides and co-op members offering over 40 different outdoor adventures in four countries and 14 mountain regions, including the Italian Dolomites, Pyrenees, Basque mountains and Scottish Highlands.
It’s still early days for the co-operative, but Visser is very happy with the way things are going: “Our first focus was on creating the guide community and using this summer to test things out; now the hikes are coming in, and we are starting our new campaign around winter hiking. That will start in October, promoting places like Finland, the Dolomites, the Pyrenees and a lot of other places where winter hiking is possible. There are an awful lot of people who like to put their snowshoes on and go out in the mountains.”
All year round, the website platform is offering hikes appealing to all abilities, from easy walks on easy terrain to the most challenging peaks and mountain regions the UK and Europe have to offer. These include autumn escapes in the Pyrenees, ‘full moon’ hikes in Switzerland, complete with fondue, and a three-day mountain trek in Sardinia. The duration of the expeditions is also flexible, as all the registered guides create custom-made holidays for those taking part.
“There are hikes for any level, whether you’re just a starter or an experienced mountaineer. There are quite a few half-day hikes with some really easy terrain but also a lot more difficult and longer treks lasting several days. All kinds of mountain expertise are represented and there is something for everyone.”
It’s been quite the personal and professional journey for someone who originally wanted to be an actor, studied at theatre school and spent 10 years professionally on stage.
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“I had my own theatre company, then I was a tech entrepreneur, and in 2012 I went to work for a community platform, and ever since then I have been working in community and social enterprises.”
Currently studying for his IML – International Mountain Leadership – qualification, Michel did his initial training in the Lake District, which has become a favourite destination. Currently based in the Netherlands, he is looking to relocate with his family to the Dolomites. “There are not many mountains where I live,” he notes.
Michel says he has loved the outdoors ever since he was a boy scout, and he has and spent a lot of time in the French Alps and Pyrenees.
“Six years ago, it all really started for me when I completed the UK Mountain Leadership Training; it was during this that I first thought about working independently as a guide.
“A lot of people work with travel agencies and just end up getting a basic day fee while the agency benefits from all their expertise and knowledge. I know many who want to be independent and run their own business, but I believe we are stronger working together and sharing our resources. For example, to be a certified guide, you need expensive insurance and to keep up with the latest in training and mountain equipment. To negotiate all that, I think we are better off together.
“Ever since I have been an entrepreneur, it’s always been as a social entrepreneur, not working to a traditional business model. We are making sure we bring back value where value is created, by the guides themselves, not shareholders.”
There is no joining fee for the co-operative, but members pay a small commission of 2-5%, which goes towards conservation projects, continuous development and training for guides and development of the website platform.
Hikers signing up pay a 10% levy which also goes to fund development of the co-operative. Guides who have joined the co-op so far vary in age from younger ones to seasoned professionals with 20 years or more experience in leading expeditions across the globe.
The website is also very hiker-friendly, offering people the chance to find a hiking ‘buddy’ to go on holiday with, plus an online marketplace to swap gear and get good quality mountain equipment for a bargain price.
“We know that since Covid and a time when people were forced into lockdown, there has been a huge increase in the number of people going out and about, with a lot of influencers out there on social media promoting hiking, complete with beautiful images of the mountains,” says Michel.
“The problem is a lot of them don’t know what it takes to go into the mountains and be safe. There is always a risk, and you get a lot of people going up into the hills in just shorts and trainers. The weather can change, and even if you are an experienced walker, you need to be aware, have the right equipment and know how to get home safely.
“It’s really about building a community and helping people access affordable, exciting adventures with certified guides. As a co-op, we are working together and sharing and promoting safe mountain journeys, and if there is surplus money, we will invest it back into the co-op community, supporting sustainable mountaineering, conservation of the mountains, and a Continuous Professional Development fund to help keep up to date with training and renew the website, which is essential in a very competitive digital landscape .”
Made To Hike is registered as a co-op at the Chamber of Commerce in Amsterdam under the official name of Forcella, (the Alpine word for a mountain saddle). An annual general meeting is planned for July 2027 at which members will be able to attend in person or online and all of them will have a vote. The location is not yet decided but is likely to be one where most of the guides are registered.
Other online sessions continue as the co-op looks to grow. “We have been surprised by the amount of interest in the platform from all our guides,” says Michel, “and it’s been great to be able to explain what we are aiming to do, how they can really own their own tours and build their own business as well as help us improve the platform.
“They email us with ideas and their involvement and participation has been really great so far. Yes, a lot of people are OK working for travel agents but there is a breed of guides that want to own and set their own trips. Together we can do this in a better way.”
