Anna Wells – Medicine, Mountains and the First Woman to Complete a Winter Munro Round in Scotland.

Anna Wells is a mountaineer, former doctor, and outdoor instructor based in Inverness, Scotland. Her life has been shaped by a deep love of the mountains, beginning with indoor rock climbing at the age of 12 and growing through years of study, sport, and exploration.

Although she followed a traditional academic path—studying maths and medicine and later working as a doctor—Anna eventually realised that her true passion lay in the outdoors. After time spent living in Chamonix and working as a mountaineering instructor, she made the decision to leave medicine behind and pursue a life more aligned with her values and love of adventure.

In this episode, Anna shares her journey from medicine to the mountains, including her time competing in ice climbing, navigating injury, and rethinking what a fulfilling life looks like. We dive into her incredible Winter Munro Round in Scotland, inspired by Martin Moran, where she took on the challenge of climbing all 100+ Munros in winter conditions over just a few months.

She talks about the realities of spending long days in the mountains, averaging multiple Munros per day, dealing with weather, injury, nutrition, motivation, and the mental challenges that come with endurance adventure. Anna also reflects on the kindness of strangers who supported her along the way, and the importance of flexibility, self-belief, and listening to your body.

More recently, Anna has stepped into a new chapter of life as a mother, exploring how adventure, skiing, and time in the mountains can evolve alongside motherhood.

Listen to this episode to hear what it takes to leave medicine for the mountains, how a Winter Munro Round pushes both body and mind, and why thinking outside the box can lead to a life that feels truly your own.

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Show notes

• Who is Anna
• 36 years old 
• Based in Inverness in Scotland 
• Currently on maternity leave
• Her love for adventure and being outside 
• Growing up in Inverness and not coming from a particularly outdoorsy family 
• Starting indoor rock climbing at 12 years old and falling in love with the sport 
• The Girl Guides and the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme 
• Being addicted to rock climbing and feeling everything click
• Her progress in the sport 
• Meeting more like minded people at university in Aberdeen 
• Being a student for 9 years - studying Maths for 4 years and doing a medical degree for 5 years 
• Deciding to leave medicine after 2 years of working as a doctor a