The Adventure Podcast

Episode 178 of The Adventure Podcast features wildlife pilot, Denise Joi. Denise is one of four pilots for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, where she flies a small Cessna aircraft in rugged terrain conducting wildlife surveys and carrying out fish drops. In this episode, Matt talks to Denise about her life as pilot. She lets us into her past, and explains how she was drawn to flying as a means to escape early trauma. Denise talks about her life outside of work, and her love of trekking to the lakes she’s stocked from the air to actually go and fish them. They also discuss what a wildlife pilot does, and the challenges involved. This is a raw and sometimes difficult conversation to hear, but one that is full of meaning and purpose. It also gives a fascinating insight into a whole different style of adventurous life in the air.You can watch Denise's documentary here: https://www.gnarlybay.com/fight-or-flight.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode twelve of our specialist series Explore: How To Plan An Expedition, focuses on communicating scientific discoveries. In this episode, Matt speaks with Dr Heidi Sevestre about why science needs communicators, what science communication can look like, how to select your audience, and ideas for teaming up with other specialist communicators. They also talk about the importance of understanding your own science in order to communicate your findings effectively.Dr Heidi Sevestre is a glaciologist, working at the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme and teaches at The University Centre in Svalbard. She is an avid science communicator and has led numerous field research expeditions from tropical glaciers to the depth of the polar regions. Her focus is on science policy and outreach. Heidi recently featured in the National Geographic series, Arctic Ascent, where she collected crucial climate data whilst on a climbing expedition. You can find out more about the Royal Geographical Society and access advice and support for field research and scientific expeditions by visiting www.rgs.org/in-the-field or follow them on @rgs_ibg on socials.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 177 of The Adventure Podcast features general outdoorsman, climber and skier, Robert Lester. In 2023, Rob canoed 1300 miles down the Columbia River. He had very little knowledge of canoeing prior to leaving for this expedition. He also decided to take his completely inexperienced cousin, Braxton, along for the ride. In this conversation, Matt talks to Rob about the whole process. Why do this? What was the motivation? How did they plan it, and of course what actually happened. They speak about some bigger picture stuff too, like Rob’s fascination with the changing landscape around them, and the fascinating environmental and conservation elements of their expedition. Rob also talks about why Braxton decided to join the expedition, the impact it had on Braxton's mental and physical resilience, and how he hopes he's given a gift to his cousin.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode eleven of our specialist series, Explore: How To Plan An Expedition, focuses on storytelling. In this episode, Matt speaks with Leon McCarron about the need for stories, the nuances between journalism and storytelling, and how to get your story out there. They also discuss if everyone has the capacity to be a storyteller. Leon McCarron is an explorer, award-winning author, and a broadcaster. Known for his long-distance expeditions and immersive multimedia storytelling, in the past decade Leon has travelled over 50,000km by human power sharing stories to help us better understand the world.You can find out more about the Royal Geographical Society and access advice and support for field research and scientific expeditions by visiting www.rgs.org/in-the-field or follow them on @rgs_ibg on socials.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 176 of The Adventure Podcast features freediver, speaker, writer and ocean conservationist, Hanli Prinsloo. Hanli is the founder and executive director of I Am Water, an ocean conservation trust dedicated to conserving and protecting the world's oceans through human experience. In this episode, Matt talks with Hanli about her early life growing up on a rural South African farm, how she got into free diving, and what draws her to the ocean. They discuss why she left the competition circuit, motherhood, and conservation. Hanli also teaches us about the physiological effects of freediving, and why you can probably hold your breath for a lot longer than you think.Photo credit: Peter MarshallSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode ten of our specialist series, Explore: How To Plan An Expedition, continues our Camp Life mini series, where we speak to a single individual about a specific type of expedition environment. In this Mountains episode, our guest is Jon Gupta. We talk about navigation, food and water, coping with altitude sickness, and whether or not to use a guide. We also discuss the value in taking a couple of luxuries onto the peaks - after all, any fool can suffer.Jon Gupta is a mountaineering and climbing instructor, and high altitude expedition guide. He has organised and led over 100+ major expeditions around the world, including to Everest (4 times), K2, a winter ascent of Denali and the seven summits.You can find out more about the Royal Geographical Society and access advice and support for field research and scientific expeditions by visiting www.rgs.org/in-the-field or follow them on @rgs_ibg on socials.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 175 of The Adventure Podcast features journalist and adventurer, Mark Agnew. Mark has recently become well-known for his crossing of the Northwest Passage, as part of a kayak-based team, which we believe is the first recorded crossing of its kind. In this episode, Mark talks to Matt about his early life in Scotland and his decision to move to Hong Kong. They discuss Mark's ancestry and the pressure of living up to his adventurous roots, and intrinsic vs extrinsic motivations. He also speaks about two failed ocean rowing attempts and what that meant to him. This is a broad and far-reaching conversation which explores the psychology and head space of an adventurous mind.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 174 of The Adventure Podcast features alpinist, mountaineer and climber, Fay Manners. Fay is from the UK but is now based in Chamonix and spends all of her time in the mountains. Last year she put up eight first ascents. In this episode, Matt talks to Fay about her route into alpinism, and how it was defined by a lack of mentors, instead focusing on getting better in partnership with others of similar ability. They also talk about how her expedition to Pakistan was devastated by the news of one of her closest friends losing her life in an avalanche. They talk about how that affected Fay, how it changed her, and how she dealt with happened. It’s an honest and open chat, and a brilliant example of how you don’t have to be surrounded by superheroes to get good at the things you love.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode nine of our specialist series, Explore: How To Plan An Expedition, focuses on Health and Safety. In this episode, Matt speaks with Megan Hine, Waldo Etherington and Aldo Kane. They demystify the 'risk assessment' process, and go through in detail how to research and write one. They also discuss how to manage risk effectively in the field, medical preparation, emergency evacuation plans, and comms. It's not only an informative episode, but a pretty exciting one too.Megan Hine is a survival consultant, wilderness guide and expedition leader. She has been a health and safety advisor on some of the biggest adventure and survival shows on TV, and has led multiple adventures to remote wilderness environments. She has lived and learned from indigenous communities across the world.Waldo Etherington is a remote location climbing specialist. He has over 15 years of experience in remote-location rigging, and has been a health and safety advisor for countless expeditions and field-research projects. He also features in our Camp Life, Jungles episode. Aldo Kane is a former Royal Marines Commando and TV adventurer. He has been, both on and off screen, in some of the most extreme, high-risk environments on earth. His company, Vertical Planet, provides safety, security medical and risk management services to the film industry.You can find out more about the Royal Geographical Society and access advice and support for field research and scientific expeditions by visiting www.rgs.org/in-the-field or follow them on @rgs_ibg on socials.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a lot of thought and taking note of audience feedback, we've decided to categorise some of our features a little differently. Most of our episodes will be unchanged, but occasionally we feature guests who are definitely relevant to the worlds of adventure and exploration, but don't necessarily have rip-roaring tales of adventure and aren't adventurers in the truest sense of the word. Intro, The Far Reaches. In this new long-term series we'll speak to guests about subjects related to our planet and our place on it. These episodes will dig a little deeper, perhaps enter the realm of armchair philosophy, and will tackle some more existential questions surrounding adventure and exploration.In the first episode of The Far Reaches, our guest is Matt James. Matt is the Chief Animal Officer at Colossal, a start-up focused on de-extinction. Their goal is to use cutting-edge science to bring back lost species, and secure the health and biodiversity of our planet's future. Matt's job is, in part, to work out what to do with these species once they're back in the world. In this episode, they discuss in detail the meaning and realities of 'conservation', and what de-extinction actually means; the practicalities, methods, reasons, issues, ethics and controversies. It's a fully transparent conversation, and Matt doesn't shy away from the hard questions one bit. No doubt you'll hit play feeling a little skeptical, but hopefully this conversation will teach you about the potential positive impacts these initiatives could have on planet earth. As Matt James puts it, it's not if we can do this, but when.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 173 of The Adventure Podcast features climbing legend, Alex Honnold. Alex needs little introduction. He's arguably one of the best rock climbers in history, and is known for his solo ascent of El Capitan, documented in the Oscar-winning film 'Free Solo'. Matt has worked with Alex on two National Geographic documentaries, and has spent endless hours chatting with him at basecamps and on the mountains. In this episode, they briefly speak about Alex's background, but gloss over the more obvious questions that have been asked numerous times in podcasts and movies before. Instead they focus on Alex's transition to fatherhood, redefining adventure, and his partnership with Tommy Caldwell. They also discuss the Honnold Foundation, how he became an environmentalist, and his thoughts on the term 'activist'. They also tackle the question...is Alex Honnold turning soft?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode eight of our specialist series, Explore: How To Plan An Expedition, continues our Camp Life mini series, where we speak to a single individual about a specific type of expedition environment. In this Jungles episode, our guest is Waldo Etherington. We talk about the challenges of undertaking rainforest expeditions, and how to up-skill. Waldo goes into detail on navigational limitations, water, wet dry systems, recommendations for camping under the canopy, wildlife considerations, and jungle-specific prevention and emergency medical planning. Waldo is a remote location climbing specialist. He has over 15 years experience in remote-location rigging for TV and film. The main focus of his career has been in tropical rainforests, where he started as a tree climber supporting research conservation projects. You can find out more about the Royal Geographical Society and access advice and support for field research and scientific expeditions by visiting www.rgs.org/in-the-field or follow them on @rgs_ibg on socials.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 172 of The Adventure Podcast features climber, route setter, and 'Britain's Manliest Man', Jason Pickles. Jason is a proper underdog and a climber’s climber. He's proudly northern, and grew up climbing in Lancashire, Yorkshire and Cumbria before the climbing scene really exploded and turned into what it is now. In this episode, Jason explores his life as a climber, and how we went from young weekend warrior to full time, talented dirt bagger. He speaks to Matt in detail about first major expedition to climb Mount Agsard on Baffin Island, and his partnership with his best mate, Leo Houlding. They speak about ego and imposter syndrome, and how he’s more than comfortable being surrounded by people who are better at their sport than him. They also look closely at the transition from full time lifer climber to stay at home dad, and the realities of this new life Jason has built for himself. It’s an open conversation with a man who knows exactly who he is, who he isn’t and what he wants from life.Photographer: Adam LongSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode seven of our specialist series, Explore: How To Plan An Expedition, focuses on Ethical Fieldwork. In this episode, Matt speaks with Dr Alasdair Harris about getting started in field research and expeditions, the moral dilemma around travelling for fieldwork, and the critical need to forge meaningful partnerships with host communities and countries. Al also speaks passionately and thoughtfully about the impacts of environmental conservation on communities who depend on nature.Alasdair is a marine conservationist working at the interface of ocean protection and social justice. His organisation Blue Ventures grew out of his first RGS-funded expeditions in 2001, and focuses on developing locally led approaches to marine conservation that benefit people and nature. Blue Ventures is now helping many hundreds of thousands of people address overfishing and safeguard ocean life in fourteen countries across southeast Asia, Africa and the Indian Ocean. Alasdair holds a PhD in marine ecology and an honorary doctorate of science from the University of Edinburgh. He has spent more than two decades working with coastal communities to rebuild small-scale fisheries across the tropical Indo-Pacific.You can find out more about the Royal Geographical Society and access advice and support for field research and scientific expeditions by visiting www.rgs.org/in-the-field or follow them on @rgs_ibg on socials.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 171 of The Adventure Podcast features journalist, writer and climber, Andrew Bisharat. Much of Andrew's career has been focussed on writing about climbing, mountains and adventure. He is a leader in adventure journalism. Andrew is of Palestinian heritage, and was the subject of the film 'Resistance Climbing', which documented his first visit to Palestine in 2020 and a local climbing programme there. The focus of this episode is Palestine, and it's not a bright and breezy episode. It's raw, it's real and it's personal. This conversation purposefully does not shy away from the reality of things. We hope you can enjoy it in some way, that it teaches you something, and that it gives you a personal insight into the conflict, the people, and the place.At the time this episode is released, 'Resistance Climbing' is free to watch on Reel Rock's website: https://watch.reelrocktour.com/videos/rr17-resistanceclimbing.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 170 of The Adventure Podcast features a legend of the mountain biking world, Lee Craigie. Lee is a bike adventurer, director of The Adventure Syndicate, outdoor therapist and storyteller. In this episode, Lee talks to Matt about her champion-winning mountain biking career, competing in the Commonwealth Games, and the pro's and con's of winning. She goes into detail on her role as Scotland's Active Nation Commissioner, and the challenges she faced in this position. She also covers what happiness means to her now, community, and finding balance by changing her motivations. It's an honest and thought-provoking conversation which gives a gentle reminder on the importance of perspective and not trying too hard.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The sixth episode of our specialist series, Explore: How To Plan An Expedition, continues our Camp Life mini series, where we speak to a single individual about a specific type of expedition terrain. In this Polar episode, our guest is Felicity Aston. You may recognise her from our Five P's episode. In this episode, Matt talks to Felicity about polar accessibility, navigation, managing water, avoiding injuries, and her tips and tricks for dealing with extreme temperatures. Felicity is a British polar explorer, author, speaker and student research scientist. In 2012 she became the first woman to ski alone across Antarctica. Starting out as a Meteorologist with the British Antarctic Survey, her expeditions have included the first British Women’s crossing of Greenland, a 6000km drive to the South Pole, a 36,000km drive to the Pole of Cold, and leading international teams of women on ski expeditions to both the North and South Poles. In 2015 she was awarded The Queen’s Polar Medal and was appointed an MBE for services to polar exploration.You can find out more about the Royal Geographical Society and access advice and support for field research and scientific expeditions by visiting www.rgs.org/in-the-field or follow them on @rgs_ibg.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 169 of The Adventure Podcast features journalist and author, Taran Khan. Taran's work covers intricate themes of conflict, identity, displacement and belonging. The focus of this episode is her book, 'Shadow City: A Woman Walks Kabul'; over a series of long visits, Taran documents Kabul's changes as it begins to heal from conflict, before the Taliban regained control and she observed the cycle of transformation all over again. Her book shares intimate experiences and keen observations of Kabul, in its fragile yet hopeful state. Taran talks about her family connection to Afghanistan, why she chose to travel there, and what it means to walk in Kabul.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 168 of The Adventure Podcast features long-distance cyclist, and 'back-half' of SteLa tandem, Laura Massey-Pugh. Alongside her husband Stevie, Laura holds the record for riding a tandem bicycle around the world. Niche but impressive. Together they've also completed several ultra-cycling events, like All Points North and the Mille Pennines Audax. In this episode, Matt talks to Laura about and how she transitioned from being a commuter cyclist to a long-distance tandem cyclist, how the world record ride played out, and why they ride a tandem bike. They cover her and Stevie's roles on the bike, how taking on these challenges as a couple affects their relationship, and if the ride was for enjoyment or for the record.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The fifth episode of our specialist series, Explore: How To Plan An Expedition, focuses on leadership, teamwork, and competence. In this episode, Matt speaks with Lucy Shepherd, James Dyer, and Emily Penn about different leadership styles, what being a 'leader' involves, and the responsibilities that come with it. They also discuss female leadership, teamwork, the importance of showcasing vulnerability, and ultimately, if you have to be born a leader or if you can learn to become one.Lucy Shepherd has over 10 years of exploration, adventure and expedition experience. In 2020, she led a team of indigenous Amerindians across the Kanuku mountains in the Amazon jungle from South to North, and then went back the following year with them to cross from East to West. She regularly guides expeditions to the Arctic, and has climbed summits in Tajikistan, Alaska, and Chile.James Dyer is an adventurer, expedition leader, safety advisor and outdoor education practitioner. With a career spanning over 20 years, he has participated in and led expeditions all over the globe, covering all environments from the highest mountains, to the frozen arctic, spending time with indigenous peoples in the jungles of Borneo and the bush of Tanzania, climbing into the canopy of the Peruvian Amazon, canoeing rivers deep in Northern Canada and trekking across the deserts of the Middle East.Emily Penn is a skipper and ocean advocate. Emily founded eXXpedition - a non-profit organisation which runs pioneering all-female sailing research expeditions at sea and virtual voyages on land to investigate the causes of, and solutions to, ocean plastic pollution. She's sailed the Northwest Passage, been aboard Earthrace for 923 days, and is also the youngest and only female recipient of both the Yachtmaster of the Year and the Seamaster of the Year award.You can find out more about the Royal Geographical Society and access advice and support for field research and scientific expeditions by visiting www.rgs.org/in-the-field or follow them on @rgs_ibg on socials.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 167 of The Adventure Podcast features animal and wildlife photographer, sailor, and grandparents, Karen and Mark Bennett. They recently sailed from their home in the South of England, up past the Hebrides, through Northern Scotland and on to the Faroe Islands, all in pursuit of free-roaming wild ponies. In this episode, Karen and Mark talk about combining their two individual passions together, and integrating Karen's photography into their sailing adventures. They discuss how the journey came about, what happened when they were sailing, why they're so driven by their individual passions and what it was like bringing them together. It's a broad and far-reaching conversation with an under the radar couple who are quietly doing the things they love.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The fourth episode of our specialist series, Explore: How To Plan An Expedition, focuses on Camp Life, and specifically Deserts. Camp Life is a mini series within our series, and will feature five different experts on the subjects of deserts, oceans, mountains, rainforests and polar regions. In this episode, Matt speaks with Mark Evans MBE on the nuances of desert travel, how you navigate, source and carry water, mitigate against heat, as well as discussing Mark's top tips for camp craft, vehicle travel, emergency evacuations, cultural considerations and wildlife concerns. It's a fascinating insight into desert travel.Mark Evans is Executive Director of Outward Bound Oman, the first Outward Bound school to be established in an Arabic speaking country. He has spent 22 years living and travelling extensively in Arabia, backed up by 80 day camel expeditions, a 49 day crossing of the Rub Al Khali, a 55 day 1,700 km solo kayak journey from UAE to Yemen, and remote 4×4 journeys throughout Saudi Arabia and Oman. He's also an author, lecturer, and fundraiser.You can find out more about the Royal Geographical Society and access advice and support for field research and scientific expeditions by visiting www.rgs.org/in-the-field or follow them on @rgs_ibg on socials.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 166 of The Adventure Podcast features ultra-endurance cyclist, James Mark Hayden. James started by riding fixie bikes around London, before finding deep purpose in athleticism and training. He shifted his focus from road racing to unsupported ultra-endurance racing, and after two failed attempts, won back-to back wins in The Transcontinental Race. Pushing his limits again, he now focuses on off-road ultra-endurance racing, and events like the Silk Road Mountain Race in Kyrgyzstan. What makes this episode stand out is the more nuanced conversations Matt and James have around subjects like the transition to fatherhood, mental health, autism, personal ethics and living a life on your own terms. It's moving and motivating, and one of our favourite episodes of the year.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 165 of The Adventure Podcast features adventurer and author, Miriam Lancewood. Miriam grew up in Holland and travelled around Africa and India, before meeting her now husband, Peter. Peter was a 'modern nomad' and they spent the next few years hiking across mountain ranges, before ending up back in Peter's home country of New Zealand. After questioning the life they were living and the life they wanted to live, they gave up their possessions and moved into the wilderness with a tent and bow and arrow. One year turned into seven. In this episode, Matt and Miriam discuss how to survive in high mountains, what happens to the body and mind in wild spaces, and what it's like to go from a vegetarian to a hunter. Miriam is not a purist - she doesn't live by anyone else's rules or codes. This is a truly fascinating story and insight into a life that is very very rarely lived.Photo credit: Murdo MacLeodSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The third episode of our specialist series, Explore: How To Plan An Expedition, focuses on the reality of funding, and who's paying. Money is one of the least favoured things to talk about when it comes to expedition planning but it's unavoidably essential, as without it, your grand plan is very little more than an idea. In this episode, Matt speaks with Dr Eleanor Drinkwater, Ben Saunders, Tom Allen, and Shane Winser. They go deep into grant applications - how to write them, what to include, and how to review them. They also cover crowdfunding, corporate commercial funding, and even self-funding. They discuss how competitive it can be, how to stand out, and what work remains even when the expedition is over. Dr Eleanor Drinkwater is an entomologist, expedition leader, lecturer and science communicator. Having completed her PhD on invertebrate personality, she is fascinated by both invertebrate behaviour, as well as understanding how humans can work with and cultivate invertebrates in a sustainable and ethical way. She has worked both in the UK and further afield in Peru, Australia, Honduras and French Guiana. She is committed to science communication, and has also co-founded an entomophagy science festival group.Ben Saunders is a pioneering polar athlete and a record-breaking long-distance skier, who has covered more than 6,000km on foot in the Polar Regions. He's broken the record for the longest human-powered polar journey in history, and holds the record for the longest solo Arctic journey by a Briton. He has shared his story with a huge range of people, businesses and organisations, and his focus is now on climate technology investment.Tom Allen has been a full-time traveller, writer and filmmaker for over 15 years. He has undertaken adventurous journeys on 5 continents, runs a long-established adventure cycling website, and now describes himself reluctantly on his social media profiles as a 'self-unemployed creative explorer'. In 2016 he led the RGS-supported Land Rover Bursary expedition to explore and map the first long-distance hiking trail across the Caucasus. The Transcaucasian Trail, as it is now known, has since evolved into a massive international development project which he estimates will take a good decade or so to complete.Shane Winser works for the Royal Geographical Society where she curates the annual Explore symposium and Festival. A zoology graduate, she assisted in the planning and organisation of the RGS's own research programmes to the tropical forests of Sarawak and Brunei, the mountains of the Karakoram, and the drylands of western Australia, Kenya and Oman. She chairs the technical panel for BS 8848: the British Standard for organisers of a wide variety of ventures, including university and academic fieldwork, gap year experiences, adventure holidays, charity challenges and research expeditions.You can find out more about the Royal Geographical Society and access advice and support for field research and scientific expeditions by visiting www.rgs.org/in-the-field or follow them on @rgs_ibg on socials.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 164 of The Adventure Podcast is a special live episode recorded at Kendal Mountain Festival 2023. This is a definite deviation from our standard episode format, and instead of focussing on a single individual, this is the recording of a live panel discussion in front of a crowd. Matt co-hosted this discussion alongside Matt Barr, who runs the Looking Sideways podcast, and is joined by guests Adam Raja, Soraya Abdel-Hadi and Lauren MacCallum. The theme of this roundtable was The Power of Storytelling - New Perspectives, and covers vulnerability in storytelling, how to take climate storytelling out of the echo chamber, and is long-form content dying? This podcast gets a bit full on, and is emotional, deep and perhaps a little controversial. In a good way. There’s some regular fruity language as well, so consider that a warning...Photo credit: Joe KershawSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 163 of The Adventure Podcast features world-class geologist and polar explorer, Bruce Luyendyk. A marine scientist, Bruce expanded his interests over four decades into the geology of California, New Zealand, and primarily, Antarctica. In this episode, Matt and Bruce talk about his background and early inspirations, various field expeditions, and the global significance of geology. They also go into detail on the exploration efforts of Bruce and his team of geologists, which revealed important discoveries of an 'eight continent', Zealandia.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The second episode of our new specialist series, Explore: How To Plan An Expedition, focuses on The Five P's - Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance. In this episode, Matt speaks with Nigel Winser, Felicity Aston, and Stephen Jones about the importance of proper planning. The vast majority of the time, expeditions are won or lost in the planning stage, and often, the moment you step into the field isn't the start of your expedition, it's half way. Matt, Nigel, Felicity and Steve discuss common pitfalls in planning, methods of team selection, and advice and resources out there.Nigel Winser needs little introduction; his career directing interdisciplinary research and learning programmes in Africa, the Middle East and Asia spans decades. He was Deputy Director of the RGS, responsible for developing and managing 11 major field programmes, and Executive Director at Earthwatch leading its ‘citizen science’ programmes to support conservation and sustainable development priorities worldwide.Felicity Aston MBE is a British polar explorer, author, speaker and student research scientist. In 2012 she became the first woman to ski alone across Antarctica. Starting out as a Meteorologist with the British Antarctic Survey, Felicity has since been involved in many ground-breaking expeditions. She is currently undertaking research investigating airborne microplastic deposited on Arctic Ocean sea ice.Steve Jones is an Expeditions Manager for Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions. He also works as a speaker, and advises on safety management and crisis management to projects around the world. Steve is also a contributor to the Oxford Handbook of Expedition and Wilderness Medicine, and Vice-President for Expeditions and Fieldwork on the RGS Council.You can find out more about the Royal Geographical Society and access advice and support for field research and scientific expeditions by visiting www.rgs.org/in-the-field or follow them on @rgs_ibg on socials.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 162 of The Adventure Podcast features alpinist, climber, adaptive athlete, and kindergarten teacher, Kimber Cross. Kimber is an adaptive climber who was born with one hand, and now uses a custom prosthetic ice tool. She is compassionate, resilient, witty, and candid. In this episode, Kimber talks to Matt about her early life; when did she realise she was different, and how did that impact her? They go on to discuss how she got into ice climbing and alpinism, and the importance of belaying anyone and everyone she can.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 161 of The Adventure Podcast features lawyer and photographer, Rupert Grey. Rupert is, by his own admission, of a world that has now disappeared. His father and grandfather were both colonial governors overseas, and in this episode Matt and Rupert discuss his lineage and how his upbringing and that world impacted him. They travel through a number of Rupert's careers, and explore how his origins and travels shaped him. Rupert also explains how and why he fell in love with Bangladesh, and his work as a lawyer there.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first episode of our new specialist series, Explore: How To Plan An Expedition, focuses on Designing A Successful Field Research Project. In this episode, Matt speaks with Dr James Borrell and Professor Katie Willis about how to plan a field research project. They go into detail about their own experience getting into the world of field science, as well as explore and explain what makes a good research project. They also touch on the associated ethics and responsibilities.Dr James Borrell is a conservation biologist with research interests ranging from tropical ecology to evolutionary genomics. He’s been involved with expeditions and fieldwork in a diverse range of environments, including Lapland, Botswana, Borneo, Peru, and Madagascar. Katie Willis is Professor of Human Geography at Royal Holloway, and is a social and development geographer. Katie has conducted research in Latin America, East and South-East Asia, and the UK, and has taught field classes across the globe.You can find out more about the Royal Geographical Society and access advice and support for field research and scientific expeditions by visiting www.rgs.org/in-the-field or follow them on @rgs_ibg on socials.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to our new specialist series; Explore: How To Plan An Expedition. This series has been created for the Royal Geographical Society and, at its core, is an introduction to how to plan an expedition and fieldwork project, and how to get involved in these worlds. Our hope is that it will encourage you to undertake your own expeditions - be it big or small in scope, long or short in duration, and personal or altruistic by nature. In this introductory episode, Matt gives an overview on what an 'expedition' is, the RGS' role in adventure and exploration, and what to expect from this series.You can find out more about the RGS and use the Explore digital resources by visiting rgs.org/explore, or @rgs_ibg on socials.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 160 of The Adventure Podcast features adventurer and writer, Al Humphreys. For those of you who have been around for a while, you'll recognise Al as our first ever guest on the podcast. He was the originator of the 'micro-adventures' movement, and after many years adventuring further afield, now focuses on pursuing journeys a little closer to home. In this episode, Al talks about his Seven Summits (but not as we know it) expedition, his latest challenge involving an Ordnance Survey map, and what freeing up the definition of 'adventure' has meant. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 159 of The Adventure Podcast features climber, alpinist and high altitude mountain guide, Jon Gupta. Jon's made a name for himself as a Himalayan high altitude expert, and is responsible for organising and guiding multiple records and world firsts. He's spent most of his adult life in the greater ranges. In this episode, Matt and Jon chat about the world of high altitude, and how the niche of guided mountaineering has changed due to recent media hype. Jon was extremely open and was happy to be challenged, and challenged back. They also discuss the 'post-expedition comedown'.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 158 of The Adventure Podcast features mountaineer and filmmaker, Matt Sharman. Matt was on the podcast back in 2020 to talk about his life and experiences in the mountains, but this episode focuses on his recent trip to Pakistan. His latest expedition followed the trail of Shipton and Tilman in the Shaksgam mountains of the Karakoram. Adventures don't always go to plan, and this one derailed pretty spectacularly. They ask: does that matter? Does it make it better? And ultimately, was it a failure?Matt's previous episode is Episode 058, To Humbly Go.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 157 of The Adventure Podcast features Pip Stewart. Pip is a journalist, explorer, neglected disease campaigner, and mother. In 2013, after working as a political and travel reporter in Hong Kong, she decided she wanted to recalibrate her life and cycled 10,000 miles home to London. A few years later and she was heading to the Essequibo River in Guyana for a world-first source to sea expedition. On her return from the rainforest, she discovered she had a flesh-eating parasite. In this episode, Matt talks to Pip about her hard-won insights; from community and self-belief, to recognising and owning up to her mistakes.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 156 of The Adventure Podcast features the first person to travel to every country in the world unbroken without flying, Thor C. Pedersen. Originally Thor's trip was meant to take 4 years, but it went on for more than a decade. His story is full of determination, ambition and perseverance. Matt goes deep on Thor's motivations and the big 'why'. Did he do this for himself, or is he trying to live a life he wants to be seen living?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 156 of The Adventure Podcast features Jamie McDonald, a.k.a 'Adventureman'. Jamie is a fundraiser, speaker, author, and challenge-adventurer-extroadinaire. Jamie spent the first nine years of his life in and out of hospital with a rare spinal condition, Syringomyelia. In 2012, he began an adventurous fundraising quest to give back to the hospitals that helped him as a child by cycling 14,000 miles from Bangkok to Gloucester, using a £50 second-hand bike and cycling through more than twenty countries. He's since set multiple world records including static non-stop cycling, running 200 marathons across Canada, and spending 7 days straight on a treadmill. All while wearing a custom superhero outfit. Jamie is selfless, funny, determined, and the perfect example of creating something of yourself that seems impossible. Jamie founded the Superhero Foundation which supports families' fundraising missions - more information can be found on their website: www.superherofoundation.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the point at which this episode is published, Matt is on an expedition in Alaska directing a film for National Geographic. Instead of taking a break from weekly releases, we thought we’d share some of his favourite episodes from early on in the life of the podcast.Episode 154 is From The Archives and features Iain Miller. Iain is a sea kayaker and first-ascent sea stack climber. After twenty years sailing the world with the Merchant Navy, Iain made a home in western Donegal, and he has barely left since. Now, Iain's days are spent out in his kayak looking for unclimbed rock, and – in his own words – "Those moments in time that can't be replicated". This episode is a testament to the possibilities of a life of adventure close to home, but is also a deep reflection on the tolls of an institutionalised life that one feels trapped in, and how an eventual escape and reinvention can make all the difference. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the point at which this episode is published, Matt is on an expedition in Alaska directing a film for National Geographic. Instead of taking a break from weekly releases, we thought we’d share some of his favourite episodes from early on in the life of the podcast.Episode 153 of The Adventure Podcast is From The Archives, and was originally released in April 2019. It features one of the world’s most accomplished mountaineers, Conrad Anker. When Matt first decided to start a podcast, he wrote five names down on a piece of paper as ‘end game’ guests, and Conrad was the first to be ticked off. There is much to be said about Conrad, but he is perhaps best known for his truly epic ascent of Meru with Jimmy Chin and Renan Ozturk. Only two days before recording this episode, three of Conrad's friends and mentees were tragically killed in an avalanche in the Canadian Rockies. In this episode, Conrad reflects honestly, openly and at points heartbreakingly, on a life in the mountains which provides him with untold joy and a sense of identity, whilst also struggling with survivor guilt and the death of friends that has happened ‘far too many times’.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the point at which this episode is published, Matt is on an expedition in Alaska directing a film for National Geographic. Instead of taking a break from weekly releases, we thought we’d share some of his favourite episodes from early on in the life of the podcast.Episode 152 of The Adventure Podcast is From The Archives, and revisits Matt's conversation with Erling Kagge back in October 2019. Erling is an explorer, publisher and philosopher, who's feet have taken him from the ends of the Earth, to the sewers of Manhattan and across the world's oceans. His views on walking, silence and the philosophy of travel are still so relevant today, and will hopefully inspire you to lace up your boots and get out there.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the point at which this episode is published, Matt is on an expedition in Alaska directing a film for National Geographic. Instead of taking a break from weekly releases, we thought we’d share some of his favourite episodes from early on in the life of the podcast.Episode 151 of The Adventure Podcast is From The Archives, and revisits George Monbiot's first episode which was originally released as episode 9 back in 2019. George is an author and journalist who has views and opinions that can be very divisive. Whilst his early work was important journalistically, it was also full of unbelievable tales of adventure. In 1988, George bluffed his way into West Papua with forged travel documents. In this episode, Matt asked him one question, and George spent an hour answering with tales of rebels, of incredulous adventure through magical wilderness, and of a little-known story of dispossession and devastation. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 150 of The Adventure Podcast features Nat Geo explorer, biologist, and conservationist, Dr Rosa Vásquez Espinoza. Rosa is of Peruvian-Andean and Amazonian descent, and grew up learning about traditional medicine from her grandmother in their backyard’s "natural pharmacy". She now travels to the most extreme environments, from the Amazon Rainforest to Yellowstone’s acidic, boiling waters, to discover new antibiotics, stingless bees, and green chemistry tools. Rosa speaks passionately and intelligently about the importance of indigenous knowledge and involving local communities in scientific research. This episode is an insight into the incredibly exciting, varied and critical world of frontline field science. It's unlike any other episode we've done. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 149 of The Adventure Podcast features motorcycle racer and 4x4 rally driver, Vanessa Ruck. Vanessa was a self-proclaimed adrenaline junkie, but in 2014 she was hit by a car. It left her with a series of life-changing injuries and long-term chronic pain. In this episode Matt talks to Vanessa about her recovery and the mindset that forged who she is today, and how she eventually became a motorcyclist competing in some of the world's toughest Enduro events. It’s a frank, real and humbling exposé on what it’s like to live with chronic pain and long-term injuries, but it's also an exhilarating insight into what it takes to ride motorcycles in extreme and harsh environments.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 148 of The Adventure Podcast features adventurous zoologist, author and environmental campaigner, Sophie Pavelle. Sophie is known for putting a fresh twist on contemporary Natural History content. She's a first-class communicator, with a natural ability to break data-heavy, and often overwhelming science, into digestible truths. Matt and Sophie chat about her new book 'Forget Me Not', which recently won the People’s Book Prize for Non-Fiction, and took Sophie on a low-carbon journey across Britain in-search of ten rare native species threatened by climate change in the UK. They also discuss her work as a campaigner and activist, and delve deep into the benefits and challenges of beaver re-introduction. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 147 of The Adventure Podcast features overlander, Patty Upton. Patty is on a mission to share and tell stories of her husband, Loren's, adventures. Together they embarked on a number of sensational overland journeys. In 1966 Patty and her husband Loren, on their 4th attempt, completed the first overland crossing of one of the world's most dangerous, remote and roadless border crossings - the Darien Gap in Panama. Ultimately this turned into a bigger global journey which took decades to complete. This episode shows what partnership, companionship and love can bring to an adventurous life. It's a tale of loyalty, commitment and bravery.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 146 of The Adventure Podcast features endurance cyclist and adventurer, Leigh Timmis. Leigh holds the world record for the fastest cycle across Europe, breaking the previous record by an incredible eight days. He also recently set a new world record for the greatest distance cycled in seven days. As well as covering his background and early career, they discuss what motivated Leigh to set off on his bike in 2010 and travel 44,000 miles across 51 countries. He speaks openly and thoughtfully about his past struggles with mental health - what he was running away from, and if really, he was just carrying his problems around the world with him. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 145 of The Adventure Podcast features polar traveller, historian and environmental scientist, Tim Jarvis. Tim is clearly a polymath. From his work dealing directly with governments and policy makers as a climate change specialist, through to his expeditions tracing the journeys of Shackleton and Mawson using the same kit and clothing as them, this episode travels through a lot. Tim describes himself as a pragmatic optimist, and drops some note-worthy pithy one-line pearls of wisdom throughout.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 144 of The Adventure Podcast features polar explorer and adventurer, Eric Larsen. Eric is one of the most accomplished polar travellers and guides in the world. In this episode, Matt and Eric discuss the world of ice and snow, or as Eric refers to it, '1000km of white nothingness'. He speaks about his time as a dog sled musher, as well as getting value from different kinds of adventures. Eric also opens up about his cancer diagnosis, the effect that had on his life, and how it has changed his perspective and mentality. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 143 of The Adventure Podcast features climber, mountaineer, cyclist and endurance athlete, Jerry Gore. Jerry is also a Type 1 diabetic. He has been on an incredible list of expeditions alongside some titans of the game, was a Royal Marine, has broken his neck twice, was caught in an avalanche and even struck by lightning... then in 2001 he was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Jerry refuses to let diabetes be an excuse, and instead uses it as a motivator. This episode is a long one as there's so much to cover. As well as Jerry's early life and diagnosis, they touch on life and loss in the mountains, and disagree agreeably on a few more philosophical points.Jerry's charity, Action4Diabetes, provides free access to life-saving medical supplies and healthcare services to young people suffering from Type 1 Diabetes in South-East Asia. To support or find out more, head to: action4diabetes.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 142 of The Adventure Podcast features adventure coach and author, Anna Levesque. Anna has been named 'one of the most inspirational paddlers alive' by Canoe & Kayak magazine. She is a leading kayak instructor, and a champion for women accessing paddle sports. Anna is also a specialist yoga instructor for paddling. Matt talks to Anna about her journey to becoming a river guide, as well as touching on themes of mental resilience, grit and emotion. They discuss competition kayaking vs. kayaking white water in wilder places, and how to manage, control and overcome fear.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 141 of The Adventure Podcast features Zoologist and wildlife TV presenter, Megan McCubbin. Megan travelled the world from a young age and quickly became familiar with living in remote areas whilst searching for incredible wildlife. She found her passion and her cause early on, and went on to study Zoology. Despite the heavy themes this is an immensely hopeful conversation, and in many ways is a call to arms. Matt and Megan talk about the state of nature in the UK, our right to protest (including reclaiming the word 'activist'), and how IVF in animals might be able to bring lost and extinct species back to life...and the blurry ethical debate surrounding this. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 140 of The Adventure Podcast features cyclist, writer, environmentalist and academic, Kate Rawles. Kate has a pretty expansive background. She spent a decade working as a lecturer in Outdoor Studies, teaching big picture environmental issues, as well as being a freelance outdoor philosopher, writer, and environmental campaigner. In 2006 she set out to complete the first of her 'Adventure Plus' journeys, The Carbon Cycle, where she cycled from Texas to Alaska, following the spine of the Rockies and exploring North American attitudes to climate change. Matt and Kate also talk about her more recent 'Adventure Plus' journey, where she cycled from Colombia to Cape Horn on a self-built bamboo bike. Kate's determination, passion, and positive outlook on sustainability and finding suitably radical solutions comes across clearly. It's a thought-provoking, and at times, challenging conversation. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 139 of The Adventure Podcast features the return of award-winning writer, broadcaster and explorer, Leon McCarron. Leon is likely best known for his long distance expeditions; over the past decade he’s travelled over 50,000km on foot. Matt has spoken with Leon in a previous episode, however he's come back to talk about his new book which details his latest major expedition - in 2021, Leon journeyed the full length of the Tigris River, taking him through Turkey, Syria and Iraq. The river was the lifeblood of ancient Mesopotamia, and is now under serious threat. This episode is longer than normal, as there's so much to cover - from Leon’s personal views on modern day Iraq and why he chooses to live there, through to the intricate details of the journey and what he experienced and discovered on that river.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 138 of The Adventure Podcast features alpinist, cinematographer and photographer, Mikey Schaefer. Mikey is a big name in the climbing world, and is renowned for his world class ascents and commitment to the vertical life. You might also know him as part of the crew behind the Oscar-winning Free Solo. Matt met Mikey on a Nat Geo expedition last summer and they spent 6 weeks together navigating some of Greenland’s unclimbed walls. In this episode, they chat about Mikey's background and early days in Yosemite Valley, as well as discussing views on the world of alpinism, reflecting on where he's at with his climbing today, and what it means to find and place value.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 137 of The Adventure Podcast features photographer, Chris Burkard. Chris is an icon in the adventure world. His images showcasing untamed, powerful landscapes, have gone on to define a corner of the adventure photography genre. In this episode Matt talks to Chris about his humble background and his journey into surfing, adventure and photography. They drift into armchair philosophy mode, and go heavy on ethics and personal values.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 136 of The Adventure Podcast features para-alpinist, Tim Howell. Tim is an extremely accomplished base jumper and wingsuit pilot, as well as an expert rock, ice and alpine climber, and an ex-marine. In this episode, Tim speaks to Matt about becoming the first person to climb and jump from the six classic north faces of the Alps. They also discuss Tim's decision to head to the frontline of Ukraine. This episode is packed with adrenaline, but also features some more considered conversations on how to live a life on your terms, finding a niche, and doing what you believe to be right.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 135 of The Adventure Podcast features adventurer, charity founder, filmmaker, and singer songwriter, Sam Branson. Sam was born into a life of privilege, but as you will come to hear, is acutely aware of who he is and where he comes from. Matt was only willing to have this conversation if Sam was willing to go deep and be challenged with a few tougher questions. He is clearly comfortable with who and what he is, and his life and journey are fascinating in so many ways. They talk about the burden of privilege, the dangers of resentment, and the importance of personal growth.If you’d like to learn more about Sam, you can follow him on IG @bransonsam and music @wavesrushin.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 134 of The Adventure Podcast features ocean activist, conservationist, and surfer, Hugo Tagholm. Hugo spent over a decade leading Surfers Against Sewage, and is now Executive Director and Vice President of Oceana UK. He is knowledgable, accomplished, passionate and exceptionally committed. In this episode, Matt and Hugo discuss the state of our oceans, the issues which face them, and what needs to be done to protect the place where so many of us love to play. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 133 of The Adventure Podcast features climber, photographer, and activist, Adam Raja. Adam also works as a marketeer for Protect Our Winters UK. He first spoke to Matt almost a year ago but that episode was never released. After spending more time together, they became good friends and Adam opened up to Matt, resulting in this re-record. In this episode, Adam speaks honestly about what it was like growing up in Glaswegian gangs, and how he was arrested, and ultimately sent to prison for possession of Class A drugs. On his release, Adam decided to alter his life's path. He goes on to tell Matt how the discovery of Glen Coe changed everything. It's a raw, honest, and inspirational story.You can watch Adam's episode of Berghaus, The Ascension Series (created by Matt and the Coldhouse team) here: https://youtu.be/cpPWQwXdfow.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 132 of The Adventure Podcast features photographer Mike Guest. Mike has a particular passion for the ocean, waves and surfing. In this episode, Matt and Mike chat about the creative journey, and the impossible pursuit of perfection. Despite the deep and personal topics also covered, it's an incredibly uplifting conversation.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 131 of The Adventure Podcast features Natural History Director of Photography, Gail Jenkinson. Gail is a seasoned specialist, having filmed on all seven continents. She gives a humble insight into her journey from a drama camera trainee to filming while free-diving with sperm whales, and going behind the door 'marked private'. Matt and Gail really dive into what it was and is like to be a female in a heavily male-dominated industry and specialism. They also leave us with a little bit of homework.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 130 of The Adventure Podcast features author, broadcaster and correspondent, Jon Gower. Jon has published over forty books, and his passion for the Welsh language and landscape is contagious. This episode is a little different in the sense that it is not full of action-packed tales of exploration, but instead gives an insight into the importance of language, and how understanding the names of places can give us a deeper sense of the place we live or are visiting. Jon goes on to share some genuine tales of adventure, and also touches on his new book, The Turning Tide.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 129 of The Adventure Podcast features the Irish big wave surfing legend, Seamus McGoldrick. Seamus is a bodyboarder, surfer and surf coach, and was part of the crew that defined Irish big wave surfing. He was an early pioneer, seeking out some of the biggest waves in the world. This is a fluid informal conversation which spans many topics, from risk-taking, to surfing for locals, and the rugged Irish coastline.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 128 of The Adventure Podcast features mountaineer, teacher and mountain instructor, Alex Moran. He is the son of the late Martin Moran, who was killed in 2019 whilst climbing the unnamed, unclimbed peak 6477m in the Nanda Devi region in India. The Martin Moran foundation is our full-time charitable partner, and is founded in memory of Martin. This is a deeply honest, personal, and ultimately cathartic conversation for both Alex and Matt.The Martin Moran Foundation is a charitable foundation with a mission to elevate the lives of young people through purpose, passion and powerful experiences in the mountains. The Foundation works with young people aged 16-18 with a keen interest in the outdoors but due to their circumstances, they may face difficulties accessing them. They may belong to an underrepresented group with limited opportunities to explore the mountains, be facing financial barriers to adventure, or have limited family support to pursue these experiences independently. MMF provide fully funded mountain adventure programmes to young people who want to explore the beauty, freedom and value of our natural world. If you would like to get involved, head to the website www.martinmoranfoundation.com where you can nominate a young person for this opportunity, make a donation or fundraise to support their mission.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 127 of The Adventure Podcast features The Natural Navigator, Tristan Gooley. Tristan is an award-winning author and has spent decades hunting for clues and signs in nature across the globe. He has been nicknamed 'the Sherlock Holmes of nature' by the BBC. This conversation is an honest, humbling insight into the life of a man who has found his place outdoors, and the path that led him there.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 126 of The Adventure Podcast features Jamie Leibert and Sandra Zinovyev, a.k.a Captain Manicorn & Ladycorn. After addiction, alcoholism and prison, Jamie and Sandra are now in the midst of attempting a world record to do airsports in every country. This episode is full of wild stories, energetic explorations of adventure and beating the odds, and how to turn an impossible dream into a possible one. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this dispatch episode, Matt chats with Jon Moses; a writer with a PHD in geohumanities, and a campaigner for Right to Roam. We discuss the issues regarding access to wild space in the UK and why that needs to change. We also talk about civil trespass, what it is, how to do it, and why you should.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 124 of The Adventure Podcast features endurance athlete, presenter, public speaker and brand ambassador for Cotswold Outdoor, Jamie Ramsay. Jamie has completed over 43,000km of human-powered adventuring in 31 countries and over 25 different adventures. He is a runner, cyclist, hiker, ski tourer, paddleboarder and mountaineer. In this episode we go pretty deep into Jamie’s past life and what motivated his fairly sudden and drastic exit from the world he knew. We discuss micro-adventures, the importance of protecting the outdoors, and how his journeys have formed the person he is today.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 123 of The Adventure Podcast features Adventurer, Lucy Shepherd. In this episode of the podcast, Matt and Lucy talk about her life, her early exposure to adventure and her career in the world of exploration and expeditions. Lucy has done some incredible things, and she’s at the stage now where she’s really reflecting on her experiences to date, and the successes and some of the lessons learned. She’s clearly had a lot of time to reflect on what she’s achieved and how she wants to alter how she navigates her projects in the future. There are some rip-roaring tales of adventure in this episode, as well as some more philosophical commentary on the world of adventure and exploration.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 122 of The Adventure Podcast features glaciologist and science advocate, Dr Heidi Sevestre. Heidi invests a lot of her time in science policy and science outreach, believing that scientists and researchers have the duty to communicate about their work and tell the world about the wonders of the cryosphere and the threats targeting it. Matt met Heidi on an expedition to Greenland this summer for National Geographic. They became close friends quickly, and her passion and enthusiasm for her subject matter was obvious from the first second. She’s an incredibly talented expedition field scientist, and is at the cutting edge of glacier and climate science. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 121 of The Adventure Podcast features journalist, David Shukman. David has been a journalist for 40 years, and spent twenty of those year leading the BBC's coverage of climate change and other environmental issues. He has broadcasted from the Arctic, the Amazon, and most places in-between. In this episode we talk about how he accessed the industry, and the defining moments that profoundly affected his career and decision making, before looking at some of the issues we now collectively face, and ultimately his decision to become an independent speaker, writer and consultant with a focus on climate action.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 120 of The Adventure Podcast features teetotal thru-hiker, Person Irresponsible. It’s a very human story about an alcoholic who sought help and went on to thru-hike the Pacific Crest Trail. We think every human will find something in this episode to identify with. Matt and the anonymous PI talk about anonymity, mental health, feminism and so much more.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 119 of The Adventure Podcast features expedition guide and adventure and outdoor photographer, Ian Finch. Ian cut his teeth in the adventure world as a Royal Marine Commando. His desire to record, capture or lead expeditions in unfamiliar corners of the globe is clearly driven by his passion to learn about heritage and traditions from the native cultures that call it home. In this episode we talk about Ian’s life and his journey into the world of expeditions, as well as talking through the stories of his last major expeditions. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 118 of The Adventure Podcast features climber, mountaineer and author, Brian Hall. Brian has been a key figure on the big mountain scene, and has carried out expeditions to some of the bigger and bolder mountains of the world including Mount Everest (in winter), K2, Jannu, Nuptse, Makalu, Baltoro Kangri, Shivling, Ogre II and peaks throughout the Andes. He’s a mountaineers mountaineer, and has had a sensational career, often shying away from the fame and glory that often comes with climbing at that level.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 117 of The Adventure Podcast features the CEO of Shelter, a British homelessness and housing charity that campaigns for tenant rights, Polly Neate. This episode is a riveting one featuring in depth discussions from everything from homelessness in the UK to women’s rights to Polly’s life and taking up climbing in her 50’s.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 116 of The Adventure Podcast features author, photographer and adventurer, Davor Rostuhar. Davor has worked all over the world for a proud client list including years working alongside National Geographic. His early life is fascinating, and he tells the story of just setting out on his bike to explore the Middle East. He goes into detail on some of his past projects before explaining the concept of his latest project, an exploration of love around the world. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The Adventure Podcast and the final episode of our four part specialist series, Expeditsiya. When Charlie Walker got released from prison and finally arrived back in the UK, he woke up in the night and couldn’t get back to sleep. He, rather admirably, made the decision to make one final recording. How was he feeling now? How had the experience changed him? And that, without any fancy frills is episode four. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The Adventure Podcast and the third episode of our four part specialist series, Expeditsiya. In this episode, we pick up where we left off and cover the second half of Charlie Walker’s expedition. Enjoy!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The Adventure Podcast and the second episode of our four part specialist series, Expeditsiya. This series is an interwoven mix of studio conversations between Matt Pycroft and Charlie Walker, and his recordings from the field during an expedition to Siberia in early 2022. This episode tells the first half of the story in much more detail, exploring what literally happened on the ground, but also Charlie’s reactions, feelings, expectations and motivations. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re kicking off season 7 of The Adventure Podcast with Ekspeditsiya, a four part specialist series with writer and adventurer Charlie Walker.In February 2022, Charlie touched down in Siberia to undertake a long, Arctic expedition. A few days later Russia invaded Ukraine. Most journalists left the country, and so did most of the tourists. Charlie decided to stay.The series is an adventurous story of one man’s expedition, but really it’s so much more than that. Charlie’s journey tells the story of the changing way of life for Siberian reindeer herders. But for us, most interestingly, this story is a real life, on the ground account of what a remote part of Russia feels like in the weeks and months following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Part 1 is the abridged version of the full story of what happened to Charlie in Russia in Spring 2022.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to The Adventure Podcast, and this introduction to season 7. We have a sensational line up of guests to share with you over the coming months. The first thing we’re releasing is a 4-part specialist series that tells the story of Charlie Walker, an author who found himself on the wrong side of Putin’s Russia just after the invasion of Ukraine. It’s a new format of podcast that features recordings from in the field intercut with an interview I did with Charlie when he returned home from his eventful expedition. We’ve also got interviews with expedition guide and photographer Ian Finch, addicts turned adventurers Jamie Leibert and Sandra Zinovyev, glaciologist and science advocate Dr Heidi Sevestre, explorer and adventure Lucy Shepherd, CEO of Shelter, Polly Neate and mountaineer and author Brian Hall. There’s also an episode about what it means to love with Davor Rostuhar, and a wonderful chat with David Shukman who spent 20 years reporting on climate change for the BBC. Enjoy!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

That's all for season six! Matt is off in Greenland on expedition for the next few weeks so we'll be taking a little break and will be back in September for season seven! Thanks so much for listening. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 109 of The Adventure Podcast features award winning documentary filmmaker and investigative journalist, Katie Arnold.In this episode, Matt and Katie discuss her ascendancy into the world of investigative journalism and filmmaking, storytelling, the importance of bringing these issues to the fore, and the critical need for independent journalism.Katie’s latest documentary, is being screened on Channel 4 at 11.05pm UK time on the 25th July, and will then be available on 4OD.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 108 of The Adventure Podcast features world walker, Tom Turcich. Tom has recently become the tenth person ever to walk around the world after walking 18,000 miles with his dog Savannah (the first dog to walk around the world!). This episode was recorded in May 2022 on Tom’s last few days of his world walk. In it, Tom and Matt talk about the decision to step away from everything, that time in Azerbaijan two years ago when the world went into lockdown and what he has learned from his time on the road.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 107 of The Adventure Podcast features one of Britain's leading alpine and high altitude climbers, Kenton Cool. He has summited Everest 16 times and is the first person to climb Nuptse, Everest and Lhotse in a season. He is also the only Brit to have skied two 8000m peaks. In this episode, Matt and Kenton get deep, with candid discussions about being called a ‘sell-out’ and the current state of Everest.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 106 of The Adventure Podcast features British Explorer and founder of Explorers Connect, Belinda Kirk. Belinda has spent her life leading dozens of international expeditions and remote filming trips. She has walked through Nicaragua, sailed across the Atlantic, searched for camels in China’s Desert of Death, discovered ancient rock paintings in Lesotho and gained a Guinness World Record for rowing unsupported around Britain. In this episode, Matt and Belinda chat all things life and the importance of adventure.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 105 of The Adventure Podcast features climber and writer Zofia A. Reych. According to Zofia’s Instagram bio, they are the Director of the Women’s Bouldering Festival, author of the book ‘Born to Climb’, non-binary, queer and autistic. Born and raised in Warsaw, they now call Fontaine-Bleu in France their home.This is a proper mixed bag of a conversation in a really fun and brilliant way. There’s a time and a place for rip-roaring adventure stories, but this is not that time and this is not that place. In this episode we cover a vast swathe of topics, from Zofia’s backstory and life, feminism, autism, climbing, ethics, a little bit of philosophy amongst various other topics. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 104 of The Adventure Podcast features English fell running legend, Joss Naylor. We recorded this conversation in November 2021, but delayed its release due to Joss suffering a stroke just before Christmas. He is now back home in Wasdale, but is on a huge road to recovery. Apparently he’s in good spirits and is still ‘same old Joss’. We’ve been in touch with his friends who have sought permission to release this episode, as obviously the conversation happened before such a radical change to Joss’s life.But the conversation is still extremely relevant and poignant. For those of you who need an introduction, Joss is, and we use this word extremely specifically a ‘legend’ in the fell running community. Hailing from the remote Wasdale Valley in the Lake District, Joss has been not just a pioneer of fell running, but also one of its most infamous athletes. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 103 of The Adventure Podcast features Kenyan mountaineer, whitewater kayaker, mountain biker and outdoor instructor, Schaniela Wright.Ella is a former professional hockey, water polo and athletics player, who moved to the UK (after some solid advice from none other than Reinhold Messner) to get her outdoor qualifications. In this conversation, host Matt Pycroft and Ella talk about overcoming fear in the mountain, the culture shock of moving from Kenya to the UK, and the ultimate goal; to stand on top of the world’s highest mountain.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 102 of The Adventure Podcast features Adventurer and Award Winning documentary filmmaker, J.J. Kelley. J.J is best known both for his work with National Geographic and his coverage of stories about environmentalism and conservation. His career began when at age 19 when he had the thought that there has got to be more to life and he loaded his pickup truck up with camping gear and drove to Alaska. From there, life only got more interesting…Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 101 of The Adventure Podcast features athlete, adventurer, activist, and author, Ana Zirner. Ana grew up in the Bavarian foothills of the Alps and is a former theater director turned mountain guide. Once a year, Ana takes on a big adventure in the outdoors. In 2017, she crossed the Alps on foot from east to west, followed in 2018 by the Pyrenees in the same direction. In 2019, she walked and packrafted the Colorado River from its source in the Rocky Mountains to the ocean in Mexico. In 2022, she set off on a crossing of the High Caucasus on horseback (while pregnant).In this episode, Matt and Ana dive deep into topics like slow and sustainable travel, the effect social media has on the outdoors and becoming a parent.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In episode 100 of The Adventure Podcast, host Matt Pycroft sits down with Vaughan Smith. Vaughan introduces himself, but in overview he’s a conflict journalist at heart. He’s also the founder of The Frontline Club, a charity he set up to support freelancers in honour of the many friends and colleagues he lost doing the job he has done. Please do listen this conversation with Vaughan, and if the story resonates with you then please do donate to the #straightfromthefrontline campaign here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/frontline-ukraine-support-courageous-reportingSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 099 of The Adventure Podcast features ultra-endurance cyclist, Lael Wilcox. Her story is jaw dropping. She tells it brilliantly herself so we’ll leave her to it, but suffice to say Lael doesn’t seem to have anything in her head holding her back. She just seems to get up and get on with whatever she feels like doing next. We loved this conversation, mostly because it’s a rip roaring adventure story of a woman who found long distance adventure by chance, accidentally became a competition winner, and has now gone on to inspire a whole new generation of cyclists.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 098 of The Adventure Podcast features two world class rock climbers and alpinists, Renan Ozturk and Freddie Wilkinson. In terms of quick intros, both Freddie and Renan are world class rock climbers and alpinists. Freddie is also a historian and writer and Renan is a filmmaker, photographer and artist. They are currently on their PR tour for their latest film 'The Sanctity of Space’."More than eighty years after Brad Washburn first photographed Denali in Alaska, climbing buddies Renan Ozturk and Freddie Wilkinson look at some of Washburn’s images and have this crazy idea: rather than go up, their dream is to go sideways — across the range’s most forbidding peaks, the Moose’s Tooth massif. It’s a decidedly new school way to explore the same landscape Washburn first discovered.As they pioneer the route over the course of two expeditions, enduring freezing bivies, cut ropes, and rockfall along the way, their desire to be the first to complete the audacious line grows into an obsession." It's a wonderful and really authentic piece of filmmaking. Find out where you watch ‘The Sanctity of Space’ on their website: https://www.thesanctityofspace.com/Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 097 of The Adventure Podcast features climber and alpinist, Thomas Bukowski. We first stumbled upon Thomas when we were on the hunt for stories to tell for Pertex, one of our outdoor brand clients. We worked really closely with photographer Ted Hesser to find and then shoot a story based in the US and Thomas was the subject of that story. You can read that article here: https://pertex.com/2022/01/28/visibility-matters/. Thomas does a brilliant job of introducing himself but to quickly outline who he is, he is predominantly a rock climber and an alpinist. He currently lives in his van full time but at the time of recording this, he was down in Patagonia on a climbing trip. He grew up in Hong Kong and in this episode he tells me about how his life has being shaped and changed by not being from the place he now calls home, as well as by being a gay man. We dig into the philosophy of all I’ve just mentioned fairly seriously and despite the sketchy connection and background noise of the cafe he is in, it’s a great chat. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 096 of The Adventure Podcast features whitewater kayaker, James Shimizu. This episode is a return to our rarely featured dispatches. The dispatches are our shorter form episodes that usually focus on one particular story, a moment or a theme. In this episode, we chat to James about a recent experience getting knocked out in a kayak in tricky white water and the ensuing rescue that changed his life. We got the idea for the episode after seeing the video of James' encounter that went kind of viral on instagram. You can watch the video here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CaAUh9Gpv8T/ . We also dig into a bit more detail and talk about James' childhood in Asia and how that influenced the person he is today. Enjoy!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 095 of The Adventure Podcast features Donna Carpenter. Donna was one of the founders of Burton Snowboards, alongside her husband, Jake Burton. It’s not overstating things to say that as a pair, Donna and Jake are responsible for launching the modern snowboard and turning a largely unknown hobby into a mainstream sport.Donna has spent her entire career building, shaping and growing the business they founded in 1977, and she eventually took on the role of CEO, leading the company to become the icon that it is today.In this episode we talk about Donna’s origins and how it was she turned from a young rebel into a Forbes listed power woman. We discuss what she’s learnt along the way, and what makes the business special, as well as the tragic story of Jake passing away from cancer in 2019. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 094 of The Adventure Podcast features freight train rider and author Ed Davis. Ed began his writing career over forty years ago, pausing in boxcars, under street lamps, and in hobo jungles to record the beats and rhythms of the road as he caught freight trains and vagabonded around the Pacific Northwest and Canada. If you’re a fan of the words of Kerouac or Steinbeck or ‘suffer’ from wanderlust, you’ll love this episode.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 093 of The Adventure Podcast features the founder of TDA Global Cycling, Henry Gold. The son of a Holocaust survivor, Henry was born in Czechoslovakia and moved to Canada at 16 years old . After years spent managing an international NGO that delivered humanitarian assistance to disadvantaged communities in Ethiopia and Sudan, he set up Tour d’Afrique (a Cairo to Cape Town cycle expedition) at 50 years of age. Tune into this riveting episode for stories of empathy, immigration, identity, civil disobedience and so much more.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 092 of The Adventure Podcast features the founder of the London climbing community, Clmbxr, Rotimi Odukoya. Rotimi grew up in London, and spent the majority of his childhood outdoors, albeit within the confines of the city, as well as playing traditional sports to a high standard. Rotimi took up climbing a couple of years ago and almost accidentally created a club that has grown into a community of black rock climbers. In this episode, we talk about Rotimi’s childhood growing up in inner city London, his exposure to the outdoors and how it was that he discovered and ultimately fell in love with rock climbing.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 091 of The Adventure Podcast features Dave MacLeod. It’s hard to summarise who and what Dave is, but if you had to condense it into three words, he’s a climber, a filmmaker and an author.  Dave was born in Glasgow but now lives in the Highlands where he spends as much of his time as he can climbing in one way or another. What separates Dave from most climbers is his ability as an all rounder. He spends just as much time adventurous traditional rock climbing at an elite level as he does winter climbing, bouldering, sport climbing and running in the mountains of Scotland.  He’s incredibly well travelled, but as time has gone by Dave has found that Scotland gives him practically all he needs, and as you’ll hear in this episode he feels like there are multiple lifetimes of unclimbed rock to work with. We also touch on environmentalism in the highlands, and how his outdoor pursuits have led Dave to a wider understanding of the world around him.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 090 of The Adventure Podcast features Colin Prior. Colin is known as one of the world’s most respected landscape photographers. He was born in Glasgow, his ability to get out and into the Highlands is definitely what shaped his passion for the outdoors and fostered his interest in photography. His photographs are sensational, and capture real sublime moments of light and the landscape, which, as you’ll find out in the episode, are the result of meticulous planning and preparation and often take years to achieve. Colin is a photographer who seeks out patterns in the landscape and the hidden links between reality and the imagination.  In this episode we talk about his origins as a photographer, how his craft has taken him around the world, and discuss his latest project in the Pakistani Karakoram. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 089 of The Adventure Podcast features world-renowned British mountaineer, Victor Saunders. The 71-year old IFMGA guide has completed each of the Seven Summits, summited Everest six times and ticked off many first ascents including the North Pillar of Spantik.In this episode, Matt and Victor discuss climbing partners, the rules of mountaineering, and quitting your stable job as an architect at 46 to become a mountain guide. It’s a philosophical one and opens up the floor for some interesting discussions around the current state of mountaineering. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episiode 088 of The Adventure Podcast is features ex royal marine sniper, turned adventurer, explorer and TV rigger and safety specialist, Aldo Kane. This is Aldo’s third time on the podcast and there’s a reason we keep inviting him back. In this episode, we talk about his latest expeditions and experiences as well as adapting to fatherhood and the inevitable changes that being a parent brings. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 087 of The Adventure Podcast features author, illustrator and outdoor adventurer, Teddy Keen. Creator of the magical and intrepid children’s books, The Lost Book of Adventure and Journey to the Last River which follow the journey of the mysterious Unknown Adventurer. In this episode, host Matt Pycroft and Teddy chat about Teddy’s own adventures, growing up in a family of explorers, ex-military and storytellers, and living a life of interest. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 086 of The Adventure Podcast features 19-year old Alishba, who grew up in inner city Manchester under difficult circumstances and was introduced to the outdoors and hill walking by a local youth group. She went on to lead others as part of the same group as well as excelling both academically and in various sports before eventually becoming head girl at her school.Her story is unbelievably inspiring and host Matt Pycroft spent the whole thing awestruck and gobsmacked at how much one young woman could achieve in such a short space of time and with so much working against her. There’s no doubt that Alishba is a self starter that has carved her own way in this world but she’s also the first to acknowledge that the support and mentorship of others has been a huge factor in her life, particularly when it comes to her discovery of an adventurous and outdoor life. This conversation digs into some harder details. We talk about whether the outdoors really is as accessible as many of us think it is. Do people from ethnic minorities believe that to be the case and how much can we who take that unchallenged access for granted do to help others feel include. It’s an eye-opening, educational and ultimately hopeful episode.Listen for determination, resilience, passion and hope.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 085 of The Adventure Podcast features the legendary British rock climber and mountaineer, Paul Pritchard. Paul dominated the climbing scene of Britain and beyond in the 80s and 90s, until Friday the 13th of February 1998 when everything changed. A fallen boulder on The Totem Pole in Tasmania left Paul facing the prospect of never walking or speaking again. This conversation between Matt and Paul is a powerful one, retracing Paul’s life from a wayward youth trying to find his path in life to the thriving ‘rock and roll’ climbing scene of North Wales where he found solace, to the day when everything changed. It’s a story of mortality, resilience and optimism.Listen for inspirational, heavy-hitting but hopeful stories of disability and climbing.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 084 of The Adventure Podcast features big wave surfer Andrew Cotton. Back in August, Coldhouse teamed up with Sidetracked Magazine on a rather exciting project for Porsche featuring Andrew Cotton. At the end of the week, Matt Pycroft sat down with Andrew to dig a little deeper. What followed was quite a lot of introspection and rumination to discover what is the appeal and motivation to do this sport and what it will take to sate that voice in your head that constantly shouts ‘you can do better’.Listen for introspection, inspiration and stories of commitment and dedication.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 83 of The Adventure Podcast features the Founder and Executive Director of Plastic Tides, Christian Shaw. An avid water man and professional kiteboarder with a mission to inspire and catalyse action toward a plastic-free future through adventure, education and youth empowerment.In this episode Matt and Christian discuss living life in a way that causes less harm, the ocean plastic pollution crisis and how adventure can be used as a tool for change.Listen for passion, perseverance, and activism.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 082 of The Adventure Podcast features Chris Dyer,  a Crofter/Archaeologist/Historian/Firefighter, who lives on a smallholding on the Shetland Isles off the coast of Northern Scotland. We met Chris while working on a project in the Shetlands for Best Made Co. He moved there from England some time ago and has built a life for himself amongst the once derelict stone walls of Garths Croft, the property he bought and has since renovated. In this episode, Matt talks to Chris about his life on the island, the traditions of the place and why living a quieter, simpler, deliberately harder life might be the way forward.Listen for stories of island life, living in harmony with the land, and escapism.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 081 of The Adventure Podcast features one of the world’s elite alpinists, Conrad Anker. Some of Conrad’s achievements in the world of mountaineering include summiting Everest without the aid of supplemental oxygen, a first ascent of Meru’s “shark fin” route, numerous Antarctica expeditions, and multiple ascents of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. He’s much more than just a climber though, he’s an activist, a mentor and a family man.In this episode, host Matt Pycroft hands the stage over to Conrad to discuss topics and issues important to him. What ensues is a meaningful, rather thought-provoking conversation between two friends touching on everything from long-debated topics like footfall on Everest to mentorship to living up to people’s expectations. They talk about the accessibility of the mountains, how mountaineering has changed over the years, and reflect on the stages of life. It's Conrad Anker as you've never heard him before...Listen for tales from a legend, an insight into the inner workings of the world of mountaineering and Conrad's views on the world.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"In a humanitarian context, in war zones or on a ship rescuing refugees, I think it is very important to really show the people that amidst this great, great suffering that you are a fellow human and that you are with them."Episode 080 of The Adventure Podcast features Slovakian human-rights journalist Sara Cincurova. Sara’s work focuses on migration, human rights, humanitarian issues and women’s rights. Her work has been featured in The Guardian, BBC, Al Jazeera, and Huffington Post. In this episode, Sara and host, Matt Pycroft, discuss finding the balance between acting as a passive observer to difficult and often tragic situations and showing compassion to people who are suffering. They discuss the term ‘adventure’, ethics and the human psyche, in this intense and riveting episode of The Adventure Podcast.Listen for humanitarian stories, migration, refugees and current affairs journalism.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At a young age, Gail was diagnosed with muscular-skeletal issues; she was told she’d likely be in a wheelchair by the age of forty. Chronic illness dominated her life for fifteen years and almost destroyed her, yet she never lost hope. Since 2019, she has thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, the South West Coast Path, the Continental Divide Trail and the Tour Du Mont Blanc and she is just getting started. This is her story...Listen for overcoming adversity, emotional rollercoaster, uplifting and heartwarming.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sean Conway is an ultra endurance adventure athlete who is keen to champion the athletic side of adventure. Born in Zimbabwe, his childhood was spent in the bush and chasing elephants out of his garden. Sean has swam the length of Britain, cycled across Europe and came second in the famous cheese rolling competition - all this while breaking world records and pushing himself to the absolute limit. In this episode Sean explains how he strives to lead a unique and interesting life, plus have enough stories to bore the grandchildren. Listen for breaking records, pushing the limits and embracing the extraordinary.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anna McNuff is an adventurer, speaker and self proclaimed ‘’mischief maker’’. Anna has run the length of Britain in bare feet, cycled the 50 states of the US and run the length of New Zealand (amongst many other achievements). Anna’s energy is infectious; raised by two Olympians she explores how this has shaped her outlook and forged her never-quit attitude. In this episode Anna is honest about how hard it is to follow your dreams and how these things take time. She tells Matt what adventure means to her, the sacrifice it takes and how having a baby changes all that. Listen for motivation, inspiration and positivity. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick Hayes is an illustrator by trade and the author of ‘The Book of Trespass’ which details how we, the public, have been excluded from nature throughout history. Living on a canal boat Nick is passionate about public access to the countryside and our right to roam, actively encouraging people to trespass in a responsible manner. In this episode Nick explains what his rebellion involves, how he wants all of us to be able to better connect with nature and how it is the power of the people which will change government policy. An ardent believer in his cause - Nick is punchy, articulate and opens up the debate around our right to roam. Listen for debate, protest and challenge the status quoSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lara Maiklem is an author with an obsessive hobby: Mudlarking. Also known as the ‘London Mudlark’ she spends hours searching the Thames foreshore for items left behind by the river from the past 2,000 years. Strictly never using a metal detector she patiently hunts for what the river chooses to reveal. From discarded engagement rings, to a glass eye and even a tudor shoe. In this episode Lara tells Matt about her fascination with these objects, the indescribable excitement of finding items which link us to the past and the human connection they bring. Listen for hidden treasures, local adventure and perspective.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Megan O’Neill is an Irish Singer-Songwriter who has opened for Sir Tom Jones as well as performing with the Lighthouse Family and Jamie Cullum. Her love of music has led her on numerous adventures from arriving in Nashville fresh out of university to performing at private Oscars parties in L.A. In this episode Megan tells Matt how pushing herself physically is integral to her song writing - she is always exploring her limits whether it’s trial running or writing her next album. Listen for alternative adventure, running and music. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emily Penn is a Skipper and an Ocean Advocate. During a sailing trip around the world, Emily was having a swim and surfaced to find she was surrounded by plastic - from lighters to toothbrushes. Since this moment Emily has dedicated her career to solving the issue of plastic pollution. In this episode Emily tells Matt about how we’re all contributing to the plastic problem and the impact it is having on us. Emily shares some sobering facts about the plastic crisis whilst offering a message of hope, ‘’it’s just about everybody doing something’’. Listen for a ‘green’ education, solutions and hope for the future.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 072 of The Adventure Podcast sees a return of our dispatches - shorter form content where we delve into a specific subject, issue, idea or story. In this episode Matt speaks with Sophy Roberts (who featured in Episodes 50 and 51). Sophy is an author and journalist, currently in isolation in Portugal having just been evacuated from Nepal due to the rapid spread of the Indian variant of COVID 19. In this dispatch Sophy offers commentary and opinion on the situation on the ground in Nepal, and from the valleys below Mount Everest. Sophy explains how the last 12 months may have changed travel forever.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Corin Smith is a fly fisherman, photographer and salmon farm campaigner. Born in the highlands of Scotland, Corin's working life has taken him from a tech startup in London to fly fishing in the Seychelles. He's never been one to sit still. Now back in his homeland, Corin has taken up the role of ‘activist’, exposing the harsh realities of salmon farming. In this episode Corin talks about the high and lows of remote fly fishing across the world, his complicated relationship with alcohol and his determination to fix salmon farming.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robert Martineau has many strings to his bow, most recently adding ‘author’ to his list of achievements. His book ‘Waypoints - A Journey on Foot’ is about his 1,000 mile walk across West Africa. Robert is also the co-founder of Tribe, a natural nutrition company, running community and charity which fights human trafficking. In this episode Matt and Robert talk about his trip but quickly delve into the reasons we’re drawn to wander. From religious pilgrimages to just putting one foot in front of the other - we’re talking flow states, spirituality and the beauty of exploring on foot.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Henry Fletcher is a facilitator, storyteller and maker. As a facilitator, Henry helps people immerse themselves in nature. As a storyteller, he seeks a positive narrative around our relationship with our surroundings and the environment. As a maker, he creates beautiful cairns – a pile of stones, which when carefully structured, can last centuries. In this episode Matt and Henry discuss concepts of freedom, our ‘eco-identity’ and how nature plays a vital role in finding meaning within our lives. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An ultra-endurance cyclist, Emily Chappell started her biking adventures as a cycle courier in London before cycling from Wales to Japan. The cycling feats didn't end there and in 2016 Emily was the fastest woman home in the 2016 Transcontinental Race. In this episode Emily draws on her Masters in Gender Studies as she discusses the importance of not being defined by your gender and why it's now time for men to join the conversation.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Yarrow is a fine art photographer, conservationist and author. David is best known for his iconic monochrome wildlife photography, as well as for capturing celebrity portraits including Cindy Crawford and Cara Delevingne. David has many boasts, from taking the historic image of Maradona at the 1986 World Cup to his work in wildlife conservation. He calls himself  ‘an artist’ but is also emphatically a businessman, and his commercial success has been built on an earlier career in banking. In this episode Matt speaks to David about his life as a photographer, his process for generating ideas, and how failure has been an integral part of his work.  Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reza Pakravan is an explorer, filmmaker and writer. In a past life Reza was working the 9 to 5 but today he documents his epic adventures. From travelling the full length of Africa via the Sahel region to earning a Guinness World Record for crossing the Sahara Desert by bicycle. In this episode Reza is incredibly frank about the commercialisation of exploration, his attitude to breaking world records and how he deals with the necessary risks associated with his work. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

George Butler is an award-winning artist and illustrator who specialises in documenting reportage and current affairs in ink rather than with a camera. In 2012 he walked into Syria from Turkey where he started to capture the war-damaged town of Azaz as a guest of the rebel Free Syrian Army. Since then, his work has taken him to Afghanistan, Ghana, Yemen, Belarus and Myanmar, and in this episode George speaks about the extraordinary moments he has witnessed, the pressure to get his art ‘right’ and how he struggles with the concept of bravery.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Describing himself as a "biologist with a lot of other interests", Dr Niall McCann works on the frontline of conservation, and in his spare time has skied across Greenland, rowed the Atlantic and cycled through the Himalayas. In this episode Niall talks to Matt about the accessibility of adventure if you're willing to look for it, his recovery from a near fatal speed flying accident, and the importance of conservation for the future of our planet.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steph Jeavons is an author, journalist and adventurer from Wales. The first person to circumnavigate the globe and ride a motorbike on all seven continents, Steph has always led an unconventional and adventurous life, embracing even the ‘darker adventures’ from her youth. At the age of twenty she found herself in prison – looking out of her cell window and making herself a promise: get off drugs, get out of jail, travel the world. And that’s exactly what she did.In this episode Steph talks to Matt about her round-the-world journey by motorbike, how to start again and what it means to travel alone as a woman.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leon McCarron is a writer, broadcaster and adventurer - originally from Northern Ireland, he now calls Iraq home. Leon’s championing of ‘slow travel’ has taken him across China on foot, walking through the Empty Quarter Desert and riding across Patagonia on horseback. Now based in Iraq, he uses storytelling to address the myriad misconceptions around this country and its people, and in this episode Matt and Leon get philosophical discussing what ‘home’ really means, the importance of relationships and the responsibility of telling someone else’s story.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robert Swan is the first person in history to reach both the North and South Poles on foot, and undertook both of these pioneering expeditions in an era before GPS or satellite phones. He has gone on to dedicate his life to protecting Antarctica, and to preserving it as a unique natural reserve for science and peace. In Episode 061, Robert shares his extraordinary experiences of the polar regions, the promise he made to Jacques Cousteau 26 years ago, and how he appears to have a knack for staying alive against all the odds.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cal Flyn is a writer and journalist who lives on Orkney, off the north coast of Scotland. Her latest book tells the story of a dozen abandoned places around the world, from Chernobyl to the volcanic Caribbean, and particularly at how nature reclaims and rebounds after humans leave.Cal’s conversation with Matt explores the peculiar connection humans have to abandoned spaces, as well as the concept of ‘jolie laid’ – or ‘ugly beautiful’ – and how awe and wonder can be found in the bleakest and most desolate of landscapes. We apologise for the audio quality in this episode, recorded remotely via an online app. The conversation is extraordinary, but the sound quality leaves a little to be desired at times. We’re already working on improving this for future episodes that we’re unable to record in the same room.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Acclaimed journalist and author Ed Ceasar has written on subjects as varied as gorillas in the Congo, an imprisoned Russian billionaire and the world’s longest tennis match. Most recently, his book 'The Moth and the Mountain' tells the extraordinary tale of Maurice Wilson's 1935 attempt on Everest. In Episode 059, Ed shares his stories – and his love of stories – from the quirkier and less conventional corners of the world.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are many reasons to venture into the mountains. Matt Sharman is the antithesis of the ‘conqueror’. A gentle but accomplished mountaineer, this episode of the podcast details Matt’s life as a mountain guide, and the formative experiences he’s had at high altitude, and how they’ve changed him. He also tells the story of his personal attempt at Mount Everest and his views on the ever-changing mountain.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Explorer, endurance athlete and renowned speaker, Ben Saunders holds the record for the longest polar journey on foot, and has skied more than 7,000km in the polar regions. In this episode he tells the story of these vast journeys on foot, and of the parallel journey of internal exploration over two decades. Ben shares what inspired him at the outset of his career, and what continues to motivate him now.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, cold water swimmer, rock climber, and deep thinker, Gilly shares her unique, heart-warming and enlightening perspective on the world. Her story takes us through a diverse career path (including stints in a knitting shop in Edinburgh and a fashion brand in NYC) and face-to-face with profound loss and grief that changed her, and how she now sees the world.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hunter describes himself as a ‘fencing contractor, deerstalker, turner of stones and walker of paths’. Brought up in the woodlands of Gloucestershire, Hunter lives with his hands in the earth. Heavily influenced by the poetry and prose of those who have wandered the countryside before him, Hunter took it upon himself to canoe the length of the Yukon river with no past experience, and entirely on his own.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Randall used his student loan to trade the stock market and pay his way through university, before moving to London and dividing his time between a brake-neck-paced stockbroking career and more than a dozen climbing trips to Yosemite. Deciding to turn his back on the City, Tom moved to Sheffield to focus on rock climbing full-time, and is now both an accomplished professional athlete and an entrepreneur with multiple climbing-based businesses on his roster. In this episode we explore Tom’s past, as well as hearing about his attempt to combine two of the Lake District’s hardest endurance challenges, and his struggle to stitch together a life at the extremes.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael Turek has been taking photographs since he was eight years old. In this conversation with Matt Pycroft - that ranges from a close encounter with a Siberian tiger to a lifelong affection for the Yorkshire Dales - he makes an eloquent case for photography being one of the closest things we have to teleportation. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a fourteen year career in the British Army, Jay Morton found himself catapulted from clandestine special forces secrecy to household-name celebrity. In this conversation with Matt Pycroft, Jay talks about growing up on active military service in Afghanistan in his early twenties, as well as the roles that both commitment and suffering have to play in a life well lived.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the second half of this two-part interview, Sophy Roberts shares the epiphany that led to her debut book The Lost Pianos of Siberia, and the ‘pursuit of an object’ that ultimately took six expeditions, thousands of miles of travel and three years of her life. Sophy eloquently describes an odyssey through communities living by the rhythm of the earth, and the surprising freedom she found deep in the Siberian wilderness.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sophy Roberts cut her journalistic teeth reviewing luxury hotels for glossy magazines, before turning her back on the world of ‘infinity pools, free lunches and free flights’ to tell the story of a vast swathe of Russia – eleven percent of the earth’s landmass – that is arguably the least luxurious destination on the planet. In the first half of this two-part interview Sophy looks back on the path that led to Siberia.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Filmmaker and producer Emma Crome specialises in adventure and documentary film production. Following an unexpected insight into the decline of Britain’s wild spaces, Emma embarked on a long-term documentary project exploring the contemporary and precarious state of nature in the UK. Along the way she discovered the story of the father and son subjects of John MacDonald’s book ‘The Last English Poachers’, and set about tracking them down. In this episode we hear their tale, and that of Britain’s shrinking pockets of wilderness.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick Bullock describes himself, in a self-deprecating manner that is a refreshing hallmark of his storytelling, as “someone who likes to go climbing”. Preferring off-the-radar mountains to well-trodden summits, his 24th expedition was to the rarely-climbed 7555m Mount Gongga, in the Sichuan region of China, “a massive mountain that launches up into the sky out of nowhere.” In this conversation with Matt Pycroft, Nick talks honestly and movingly about his own relationship with risk, ego, ambition, conflict, and the ‘lack of imagination’ that he feels is hampering the newest generation of alpinists.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Five weeks after first arriving in the UK to study, Vedangi Kulkarni set off on her bike with the aim of discovering the country she had chosen to call home. Three weeks later, she stopped pedalling in John O’Groats, having cycled the length of mainland Britain. The story of how she got there is far from the usual bike-packing tale - with no sleeping bag, and an accidental foray onto the M27 - but one of dogged resilience, brave determination and an unwillingness to give up; qualities that were stretched to breaking point when she set out to cycle around the world the following year, aged nineteen.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1989, George Monbiot travelled to Brazil to explore the troubling stories emerging from the rainforest. He lived in Manaus - in the heart of the Amazon - for two years, learning Portuguese and immersing himself in the country. George describes this time as “the beginning of my political education”, and his story spans a series of encounters that trump any Hollywood film, with investigations into local Brazilian land seizures leading to his reported death in the national press, and his dogged scrutinization of the gold rush finding him in a Wild-West-style shootout in the Amazonian hinterland.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Still climbing in his ninth decade – and with nearly 30 first ascents under his belt – Sir Chris Bonington’s appetite for adventure has made him both a trailblazer and a mainstay of the mountaineering community. This conversation spans the peaks and valleys of a life well lived, and offers insight, humour and pathos. From an unsuccessful boyhood attempt on Snowdon to breaking new ground on distant Himalayan summits, Chris shares his hard-won wisdom on triumph, tragedy and the ingredient he calls ‘the most important thing in life’.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Iain Miller might just be the only professional sea stack climber on Earth. After twenty years sailing the world with the Merchant Navy, Iain made a home in western Donegal, and he has barely left since. Now, Iain's days are spent out in his kayak looking for unclimbed rock, and – in his own words – "Those moments in time that can't be replicated". What follows is an extraordinary collection of Iain's stories from a life on the high seas in a time gone by. To watch 'A Feather in the West', head over to Pertex.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The eighth episode in this lockdown series is with Jenny Tough.The Solitude Specials are a new series of shorter conversations with adventurous souls who know a thing or two about managing their physical, mental and emotional energy in peculiarly challenging and stressful times.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The seventh episode in this series is with Dr Beth Healey. The Solitude Specials are a new series of shorter conversations with adventurous souls who know a thing or two about managing their physical, mental and emotional energy in peculiarly challenging and stressful times.Image: Lorenzo MoggioSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The sixth episode in "The Solitude Specials" is with Dee Caffari.The Solitude Specials are a new series of shorter conversations with adventurous souls who know a thing or two about managing their physical, mental and emotional energy in peculiarly challenging and stressful times.To hear more from Dee, check out Episode 024 in our archive!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The fifth episode in "The Solitude Specials" is with Tim Howell.The Solitude Specials are a new series of shorter conversations with adventurous souls who know a thing or two about managing their physical, mental and emotional energy in peculiarly challenging and stressful times.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The fourth episode in "The Solitude Specials" is with Aldo Kane.The Solitude Specials are a new series of shorter conversations with adventurous souls who know a thing or two about managing their physical, mental and emotional energy in peculiarly challenging and stressful times.Listen to Episode 006 in the archive for a longer conversation with Aldo.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The third episode in "The Solitude Specials" is with Hazel Findlay.The Solitude Specials are a new series of shorter conversations with adventurous souls who know a thing or two about managing their physical, mental and emotional energy in peculiarly challenging and stressful times.Listen to Episode 019 in the archive for a longer conversation with Hazel.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The second episode in "The Solitude Specials" is with Ben Saunders.The Solitude Specials are a new series of shorter conversations with adventurous souls who know a thing or two about managing their physical, mental and emotional energy in peculiarly challenging and stressful times.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first episode in 'The Solitude Specials' is with Megan Hine.The Solitude Specials are a new series of shorter conversations with adventurous souls who know a thing or two about managing their physical, mental and emotional energy in peculiarly challenging and stressful times.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having spent years working for the Royal Flying Doctors in Australia, and a season at Everest Basecamp, Tash Burley spent the 2019-2020 Antarctic season as camp medic for Antarctic logistics specialists White Desert. Amidst tales of hanging out of helicopters, and nighttime landings at remote bush airstrips lit by burning oil drums, Tash considers fear, the importance of staying true to yourself, and following the career path less travelled. Image: Kelvin TrautmanSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first episode in our Antarctic mini-series is with fourth-generation South African farmer Kobus Stadler, who spent the end of 2019 in Antarctica, helping maintain the camp and ski-way for Antarctic logistics specialists White Desert. Given the current global crisis, Kobus's tips for surviving an Antarctic whiteout in isolation are perhaps more relevant than we foresaw.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the 1960s, Ian (Spike, to his mates, his family, and pretty much everyone else) Sykes spent two years as a dog sled driver for the British Antarctic Survey. With no previous experience, he boarded a ship South and learnt to drive the dogs as he went.In this episode of The Adventure Podcast, Spike regales us with tales of calling mayday on the radio, stitching a dog’s eye socket back together, and listening to the moon landing on his wireless in one of the wildest environments on the planet.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anna Taylor had never travelled further than Germany when she boarded the plane to Guyana to join Leo Houlding on a world class expedition to Mount Roraima. The day after the helicopter whisked her away from the summit, Matt sat down with Anna to talk candidly about her experiences throughout the month in the jungle, looking at what has changed, and what has remained the same.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 4th December 2019, Leo and the team stood on top of Mount Roraima in the darkness. With everyone on the summit, all that was left to do was haul the bags to the top and await the helicopter. This episode of the Roraima Expedition series is a montage of conversations with Leo, Waldo and Wilson as they describe the journey from Invisible Ledge to the summit, and their closing remarks on the expedition as a whole.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The team are now living on the wall, and finding their way up it. Waldo talks us through the route so far - right at Tarantula Terrace, right again at Invisible Ledge and round The Anvil - and the roles each team member plays in getting the expedition to the top of Mount Roraima.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Advanced base camp has been established, and it's time to head up the wall. Before they do, here's an in-depth expedition update from team leader Leo Houlding.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One week in to the Roraima Expedition, Matt sits down with the youngest member of the team, Anna Taylor, to talk about her jungle experience so far.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahead of Kendal Mountain Festival 2019, Matt spoke to festival director Steve Scott about what's in store for you this year, and how he ended up running one of the world's biggest mountain festivals. From the Lake District to the Norwegian slopes, via the French Alps, Steve has his own fair share of adventurous tales to tell.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An update from Guyana. In this episode, Matt talks to Waldo Etherington (of Episode 002) as they trek through the Amazonian forest, en route for Mount Roraima. Waldo describes the nature they're walking through, and how to survive in this difficult climate.Producer's note: The sound is somewhat muffled due to the compressed files that were necessary in order to send these audio files out of the jungle!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is it: our first expedition podcast, sent back from Guyana where Matt is on expedition with Leo Holding and team, heading for Mount Roraima.We hear from all of the team, in Georgetown, as they get their kit ready for the parachute drop and the ensuing jungle trek to the base of the wall.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first woman to sail solo, non-stop, around the world in both directions, Dee Caffari's honest tales of breaking boundaries as a female sailor are pertinent to the idea of adventure in the 21st century. Having faced Mother Nature on the Southern Ocean, Dee reflects on how to enjoy what life throws at you, and offers a few suggestions on how we can help #turnthetideonplastic.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our first episode of Series Two is with explorer, publisher and philosopher Erling Kagge. We spoke to him earlier this year about his book 'Walking' and the importance of the strides we take in life, "A good example that some of the greatest things in life are free". Erling's feet have taken him from the ends of the Earth, to the sewers of Manhattan and across the world's oceans. Sit tight for a conversation that we hope might inspire you to put down your phone and lace up your walking boots.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A podcast update from Matt, and what's in store for you in Series Two. @theadventurepodcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Al reads the final chapter from his new book 'My Midsummer Morning'.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following in the footsteps of Laurie Lee, Al set out to walk through Spain with only a violin, and a modest repertoire of elementary tunes. Along the way he experienced vulnerability and uncertainty, but also extraordinary kindness on "The most frightening adventure I have done in years".Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hazel grew up climbing the limestone sea cliffs of Pembrokeshire. In the twenty years since those first adventurous forays, she has travelled, and climbed, the world, making numerous first female ascents en route. Now, as a coach, Hazel draws off her training in psychology to help climbers train mentally, and overcome that 'fear of falling'.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conrad Anker is one of the world’s most accomplished mountaineers. He made a name for himself in the 80s and 90s undertaking cutting edge first ascents with climbing partner Alex Lowe. There is much to be said about Conrad, but he is perhaps best known for his truly epic ascent of Meru with Jimmy Chin and Renan Ozturk. In 2016 Conrad suffered a heart attack whilst climbing with David Lama on Lunag Ri in Nepal. Tragically, David was killed on 16th April 2019 in an avalanche in the Canadian Rockies alongside Hansjorg Auer and Jess Roskelley. In this episode Conrad reflects on a life in the mountains that provides him with untold joy and a sense of identity, whilst also struggling with survivor guilt and the death of friends that has happened ‘far too many times’.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jóhannus Kallsgard lives on Kalsoy, one of 18 islands in the North Atlantic that make up the Faroe Islands. Sheep farming in the Atlantic Ocean, where they have recorded windspeed of up to 280km/hr, is not without its challenges, but it does offer a peaceful existence.Matt was in the Faroe Islands working on a commercial shoot, when he met Jóhannus on a ferry. They got chatting and it transpired that not only was it his land that they’d like to film on but also that he’d be able to guide us if needed. During the shoot, Matt and Jóhannus were able to sneak away to record this interview while the rest of the team sat down to lunch. If you want to visit the Faroe Islands, start your search here - hiking.fo.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Erling Kagge has been walking since he was thirteen months old. He has walked to the North Pole, to the South Pole, and to the top of Mount Everest. He has walked through the sewers of New York and the tunnels of Los Angeles, and he walks to work everyday in his hometown of Oslo. Erling's new book, Walking, is about the love of exploration, the delight of discovery and the equilibrium that can be found in this most simple of activities. Published by Viking, Penguin.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sophie Darlington’s thirty-year career as a wildlife cinematographer has borne witness to the effects of climate change – and the decline of endangered species – across the world. From 78 degrees South to 78 degrees North, Sophie’s BAFTA-winning visual documentation of our planet’s wildlife has been the mainstay of productions including Planet Earth, Dynasties, Wild Plant and Netflix’s forthcoming Our Planet.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With a paraglider, bought via eBay, and a marathon of YouTube tutorials, Waldo taught himself to fly. In this dispatch, Waldo recalls one of his 'whimsical' speed-flying adventures in Chamonix.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A raw, honest and poignant conversation with acclaimed polar photographer Martin Hartley. In 2009, Martin was nominated as one of Time magazine's Heroes of the Environment for his work documenting the state of the Arctic Ocean's pack ice. A decade later, he's setting off to photograph the last of the multi-year Arctic sea ice, before it's all gone.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sidetracked's Director of Photographer, Martin Hartley, speaks about the joy The Sidetracked Journal brings him. Sidetracked Issue 14 is out now.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Survival expert Megan has travelled far and wide in her search for answers and adventure. Serving up a healthy dose of outdoors enthusiasm, Meg talks about bushcraft and the importance of 'dirt time', as well as the need for more transparency on social media.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In an age when the ping of an email or the silent buzz of a social media notification can interrupt you almost anywhere on the globe, how do we find solitude? For George, the answer is his sea kayak.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1988, investigative journalist George Monbiot bluffed his way into West Papua with forged travel documents. What follows is a tale of rebels, of incredulous adventure through magical wilderness, and a little-known story of dispossession and devastation.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is urban exploration? The tabloids would have you believe that it’s teenagers dangling from cranes on building sites, but the reality is very different. Over decades, a group of larger-than-life characters have carved out a lifestyle that you might consider a work of fiction. For now, this particular guest would like to remain anonymous. However, he has agreed to a full length feature interview that we’ll record and release when the time is right. In this introductory dispatch ‘Fish’, as we’ll call him, tells us about the time he climbed the Great Pyramid of Giza and escaped from the Egyptian Army on the back of a rented camel.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this dispatch, Aldo dives deep into his experience in West Africa helping document the 2014 outbreak of the Ebola virus, and talks about his appetite for risk, and how the reality on the ground differed dramatically to the story the world's media were telling.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you deal with fear? For former commando sniper Aldo Kane, it's about understanding that that feeling is normal, a physiological reaction to get you ready for what you need to do next. From navigating the raging rapids of West Papua, to abseiling into Congolese volcanoes, Aldo is no stranger to unnerving situations and this conversation is overflowing with tales of courage, determination, and humility.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first in our ongoing series of book recitals, climber Nick Bullock reads from his 2018 book Tides; a treasury of his antics with some of the world's leading climbers, pushing the limits on serious routes around the globe.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our first dispatch, self-proclaimed extreme recreational tree-climber Waldo Etherington reveals the secrets of the rainforest canopy, and its mysterious inhabitants.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A series of chance encounters, and a whaling ship, led Tony Howard from the rocky outcrops of Yorkshire to a first ascent of Troll Wall, the tallest vertical rock face in Europe. Howard then turned his sights east, to the sandstone towers of Jordan.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve ever wondered how to become a professional tree climber, then this conversation with Waldo Etherington covers the basic necessities for getting started; a love of nature, a passion for “questing out”, and a hand-me-down sleeping bag.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re looking for ways to live more adventurously, step away from your screen and spend more time in nature, then this conversation with Al Humphreys – around-the-world cyclist, ocean rower, desert walker and the inventor of the Microadventure – is chock-full of wisdom and inspiration.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A few words from Matt on the origins of this podcast, and his hopes for its future.@theadventurepodcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.