As we lay swaddled in our tent, a loud rumbling noise echoed around us. For several seconds it seemed the world was collapsing beneath us, until a decisive cracking sound ended the show, and we breathed again. A couple of years ago, Laura and I... Read more
I am delighted to announce the winners of this year’s Next Challenge Grant. Every year it’s inspiring to read about so many amazing expedition ideas and hard not being able to support them all. But we have 13 fantastic and deserving... Read more
65 year old architect and Perthshire resident Sue Manning recently went walking in the mountains with her pack pony Kirsty. She won a Next Challenge Grant in part because she wanted to show that it is possible to have an adventure at any age, tr... Read more
I tend to call the winning ideas from my grant “adventures” rather than “expeditions” because I don’t like to throw around the term “expedition” lightly. Like the word “epic”, I think it gets... Read more
For its sixth year, the Cycle Touring Festival is focussing on the near abroad: bicycle adventures that don’t involve flying. The festival is organised by my wife, Laura. It is the only festival in the UK aimed specifically at cycle tourin... Read more
Next Challenge Grant winner Chase Lewine and his partner, Eve, recently completed the Te Arora Trail, a 3,000km walk that runs the full length of New Zealand’s two main islands. They encountered mud baths, cyclones, cheeky Kea birds and wild pig... Read more
The Next Challenge Grant is open to applicants of all ages but I especially like receiving applications from young people. I never stop being impressed by the ambition and boldness of youth, and today’s grant winner is no exception. At fir... Read more
When I started going on expeditions, I was a student and had all the time in the world for travelling over the long summers. I disappeared to Central Asia for a month, around the world for two months and the Americas for 10 weeks. Then I got a j... Read more
I was interviewed last week for The Outdoors Station podcast. Started by Bob Cartwright in 2005, it is the longest running podcast of its type. We discussed my approach to expeditions (cheap and simple), my ethos (adventuring is no better or mor... Read more
Meandering down the banks of the Elbe on a sunny May morning, we were surrounded by cyclists of all tribes. Parents and children rode next to old men on novelty bikes. Lycra-clad women flew past at speed as young couples gossiped on sit-up-and-b... Read more
We all know about the British Three Peaks Challenge: climbing up the highest mountain in each of Scotland, England and Wales. But what about a Three Lakes Challenge? Crossing the largest lake in each of the British nations. Grant winner Jo Laird... Read more
Three years ago, Laura and I walked across Ibiza and called it an “EasyJet expedition”. The idea was to do a trip somewhere you wouldn’t normally associate with adventure (Ibiza = clubbing, right?) and somewhere that you could get to easily and... Read more
