Language is full of sayings and quotes about time. ‘Time is of the essence, ‘Time is money’, ‘Time marches on’ etc. This unending continuum drives many people’s lives at a relentless pace and without respite. For some, it rules their lives, but should it..?
An Article from the Daily Star from October 2014 “The family of one man feared dead in the Himalayan snowstorm disaster celebrated last night that… Read More »‘Mr Frostbite’ escapes Nepal disaster but many Brits remain missing
The next morning the wind had died and weak rays of sun fought their way through high, wispy clouds. I dug out my tent, packed my pulk and all of us set off on skidoos to the valley of Kalkdal.
Months of planning, teams coming and going, injury, frustration, kit buying and chaos came to an end when I boarded the flight to Iceland.
Here’s the TEDx Derby presentation I gave asking the question “Is modern communication is destroying adventure..?” Whats do you think..?
Here’s the seventh and final miniblog about my Seven peaks – Seven Islands challenge…
From the islands capital – Antananarivo (known locally as Tana), you fly north to the coastal town of Diego Suarez to begin the trip. Diego is one of the world’s largest natural harbours and is a quiet town, full of crumbling French colonialism, 2CV’s and graced with wonderful sunsets. Here you depart by 4 x 4 as far as the road will go (weather and mud permitting), before the trek begins.
Read More »Seven Peaks – Seven Islands part VII – Madagascar
Here’s the sixth miniblog about my Seven peaks – Seven Islands challenge…
Carstensz Pyramid (4884m-16023ft) is a classic in the mountaineering world. First sited in 1623 by Dutch explorer Jan Carstensz, it is the highest island peak in the world.
Last friday I sat and watched the Channel 5 programme ‘The Limbless Mountaineer’. It was the story of Climber Jamie Andrew’s attempt to climb the Hornli Ridge on the Matterhorn, but it also covered much about his fateful accident in the Alps in January 1999. It seems that year was life changing for us both…
Here’s the fifth miniblog about my Seven peaks – Seven Islands challenge…
Climbing Gunung Kerinci is one thing, but just getting there is another. The bus journey from Padang can be anything between six and nine hours, and crosses the spine of Sumatra. Be prepared for an arduous, but hilarious time! You usually arrive in the village of Kersik Tua after dark, but the dawn brings extensive views of well manicured tea plantations and the peak itself – cloud permitting. Rain and hailstorms are not uncommon here as you are already at 1500m.
Technology has entered our modern lives with a vengeance. Whether we like it or not, the digital age has crossed the globe and there seems little escaping it. I recently spoke at TEDx Derby, and challenged an audience of creative and technology driven people to think differently about the umbilical cord of the mobile phone, wi-fi and worldwide web…
Here’s the fourth miniblog about my Seven peaks – Seven Islands challenge…
As the highest point between the Himalayas and Iran Jara, Mt. Kinabalu stands at 4095m (13,435ft) and towers above the surrounding hills and jungles. First climbed in 1851 by Sir Hugh Low she is now a huge visitor attraction and climbed by over 30,000 people a year.
I wonder how many times you have made plans, only to find them falling apart around your ears..? As Robert Burns once wrote “The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men, Gang aft agley”.
Here’s the third miniblog about my Seven peaks – Seven Islands challenge…
Most of the worlds mountains were first climbed in the Victorian era, but Mt Fuji (3776m-12388ft) must hold the oldest recorded 1st ascent – 663AD..! Japan is an ancient country with deep-rooted traditions and I would urge a little research into etiquette before you visit.
I had been watching the weather and avalanche forecast for weeks before I headed north to the Cairngorms with my friend Ian. The web was full of reports of horrific looking conditions, with deep snow and driving winds battering the highlands. Thankfully the journey north was swift and ridden with only with tea and pies, but the first night was a bit disjointed…
Read More »Old Friends, High Winds and Clotted Cream – The Fourth Frostbite Report…
Here’s the second miniblog about my Seven peaks – Seven Islands challenge…
Climbing in Greenland is an honour that few have experienced. The flight from Iceland over the Denmark Strait is enough of an eye opener, particularly as you approach the teeth like mountains of the coast, but the Watkins Mountains are a magnificent range of ice-capped peaks.
Here’s the first miniblog about my Seven peaks – Seven Islands challenge…
Named after the British explorer William Baffin – Baffin Island sits in the province of Nunavut, which has a landmass equivalent to Western Europe, but contains only 27,000 people. It is a true arctic wilderness.
Read More »Seven Peaks – Seven Islands part I – Baffin Island
The Seven peaks – Seven Islands challenge encompasses freezing Polar ice to burning tropical savannah, ski touring to scrambling, volcanoes to glaciers and everything in-between. It may not have the altitude of the Seven Continents climbs, but brings huge challenges and rewards for those will to take up the baton.
Now, don’t think I’m being morbid, but death is one of the three definite happenings in life (after birth and incurring tax). One day it’s going to happen, perhaps tomorrow, perhaps next week, perhaps next year, but it’s coming. What’s important is how you live your life until that point, and how people remember you. The recent passing of Nelson Mandela is a prime example. Here was a man who worked tirelessly for peace and reconciliation, and his name has forever been etched into the annuls of history.
Here’s the second part to my Kenyan climbing trip…
My alarm sounded at 2am, and with some intrepidation I opened my tent and looked up at the sky. The stars I had hoped to see were hidden by thick, wet cloud. Gloomily I dressed and set off at 3am with Cyrus, my mountain guide. He was full of excitement as, in his opinion, the weather was ideal. I take my hat off to him now as by 4am the skies were clear. A dense layer of fresh snow had fallen over the last 24 hours which made progress very slow, particularly as it was knee-deep and wet. To a Kenyan this is unknown, but to a British winter climber like myself, this is perfectly normal.
Read More »No Picnic on Mt. Kenya part II – Here comes the sun..?
I have travelled the world for over 20 years. In that time I’ve been lucky enough to climb high mountains, hack through dense rainforest, and meet wonderful people. I’ve had a few scrapes and come home with tales of adventure that few would survive, and had my heart broken many times because of my ramblings, but I still love to travel. When I was young, I would happily do all this alone, with the world as my oyster and nothing able stop me. As I’ve got older, I’ve realised that it’s not just the journey, but the sharing of experience that matters. It was with this in mind that I happily planned an ascent of Mt. Kenya with my friend Mandy. Why am I telling you this..? Because of a tearful phone call I received that day of our departure. Mandy was unable to join me because of a sudden family emergency. What do you say in such a situation..? Whatever words I could muster seemed pointless, and it was with a heavy heart that I left the shores of this sceptered isle alone, on a plane, bound for East Africa.Read More »No Picnic on Mt. Kenya part I – Still falls the rain (and snow)…