The Next Challenge


Stories from winners of The Next Challenge Grant and my own adventures…

  • Next month I am off to Norway on an expedition with the British Schools Exploring Society (BSES). It barely seems as though I have unpacked from Russia and I’m already gearing up for another expedition but I wouldn’t want it…

  • “In Israel young fanatics with explosives strapped to their bodies were wiping themselves and busloads of hated strangers off the planet; insect species were being extinguished every five minutes in the Amazon forest; military coups were being bloodily launched in…

  • Ran Fiennes’ recent summitting of Everest got me thinking about heroes. Even as a 26-year-old male, I think it is entirely acceptable to have a hero.   I have one. Several, in fact. The term might sound a little silly…

  • During my first year at University College London, I was lucky enough to live on Oxford Street. On the evening after my final exam of the year, I felt the urge to go for a big run and get all…

  • I recently got back from three weeks in the wilds of the Russian Altai mountains and am immediately faced with a problem: motivation or, rather, a lack of it. It affects everything I do, be it putting my shoes on…

  • As I type,  some good friends of mine are driving a clapped-out old banger to Italy as part of a charity race known as the Scally Rally. It’s just one of many charity car rallies that exist. They don’t generally…

  • This afternoon I returned from an excellent few weeks in the Russian Altai mountains. I went out there with a group of friends, with the aim of exploring somewhere new and in the hope of climbing some mountains that hadn’t…

  • I am currently on expedition in Siberia. You can read more about the trip here and it may be possible to see updates at www.twitter.com/nextchallenge I’m not anticipating much phone coverage in the depths of the Russian mountains but I…

  • I’ve just created some new pages for three challenges I’m involved with. Take a look: Kayak Clayoquot 21st Century Altai Coast to Coast Triathlon

  • As a young adventurer, it’s easy to become despondent in the belief that “everything has been done” and that there is nowhere left to explore. At least, that is, without doing something so extreme as to require decades of experience…

  • That’s right, the video you just watched shows two people hanging upside down trying to cook an omelette. I met Reg at a BSES training weekend in the Peak District last month. We were on site at an outdoors centre…

  • It’s been a hectic few days working several different projects as well as trying to prepare for my trip to Russia next week (details to follow!) but this little idea provided some much needed distraction when I found it… Ever…

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