Exploring Magazine Edition 4 Quarter 4 2014

Channel 4’sWorst Placeto be a Pilot Mark Challender

recounts hisexpedition to

Indonesia to filmWorst Place to

be a Pilot.

3 LakesChallenge Andy Torbet and

Monty Hallscomplete theirown unique

version of thethree peakschallenge.

Ash Dykes Join Ash Dykes ashe tells all abouthis unsupported

solo crossing of Mongolia.

Gaping Gill Natures

undergroundhidden treasure

exposed.

AccessibleAdventure

in the Lakes Robin Ashcroftgives us the low

down on accessingadventure here

in the UK.

FREE

Image courtesy of Andy Torbet

STORES NATIONWIDE | COTSWOLDOUTDOOR.COM

Editor’s Letter

CONTRIBUTORS

First let me start by welcoming all our newreaders from the Cotswold Outdoor fold. Ihope you enjoy your first edition of ExploringMagazine. It should have something ofinterest for every lover of the great outdoors.

I have been incredibly lucky this year,spending most of the first five monthstravelling and adventuring abroad. I went toLaos for the first time. If you’ve never been,go now before it gets too spoilt by developedtourism, it was magical - just like Thailand 30 years ago!

Then by luck I ended up being in the UK forseveral months and lo and behold we’veactually had a proper summer! Knowing wehad lots a fabulous British adventures in thisedition, I thought it was a good time to goand visit my favourite UK haven, the LakeDistrict.

I am no stranger to the Lakes as I often goup for the Kendal Mountain Film Festival, inlate autumn, but this time it was flamingJune and the weather was absolutelyperfect. I went hiking, trail running, eveningrowing and didn’t once reach for mywaterproofs! The Lake District is truly anational treasure; it was wonderful toexperience this magical place in full sunlitsummer bloom.

Enjoy!

Mark ChallenderMark is a television producer andself-shooting director based inLondon. He has a great passion for natural history, anthropology,travel and adventure programmes

and documentaries that tell otherwise untoldstories to new audiences.

Robin AshcroftRobin has been climbing andwalking in Britain and the Alps for over twenty-five years and has been involved with expeditionwork in Antarctica. He is a Fellow

of the Royal Geographical Society. He is anaccomplished writer who has featured in, TRAIL Magazine, The Guardian and Visit England publications.

Ash Dykes At 23 years old, Ash Dykes brokea world record by becoming thefirst person to walk more than1500 miles, solo, as he walked

unaided across Mongolia, from the AltaiMountains to the Mongolian Steppe.

Other ContributorsAlex StaniforthAndy RowlandAndy Torbet

Anna HeywoodDan Wedgewood – The Adventurists

Lynne Edwards Mountain RescueRobin Everleigh

CONTACTEmail - editor@exploringmagazine.co.ukWebsite - www.exploringmagazine.co.uk

Twitter - @exploringmagTelephone - 01270 620 902

Designed by: www.bzmarketing.co.uk

®

The TrailProofTM Range of duffels, backpacks and drybags gives youultimate protection from water, sand, dust and dirt.

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CONTENTS Edition 4 October 2014

20 - 23Ride ONTaking you on a recreation of Genghis Khan'sancient postal system with an Adventurists twist.

10 - 12Going Underground Join Andy Rowland on his journey intothe void below the Yorkshire Dales.

14 - 16Men Behaving Madly436 Miles, 36km, 3 Lakes and 1 Goal. TVPersonalities Andy Torbet and Monty Hallscomplete the three lakes challenge.

24 - 26Discovering the Bale MountainsLocated 400km southeast of Addis Ababa, the BaleMountains National Park contains a spectacularlydiverse landscape.

28 - 30Mongolian AdventureAn interview with Ash Dykes, as he tells us all abouthis solo and unsupported trek across Mongolia.

32 - 36The Worst Place to be a PilotTV Producer Mark Challender recounts his filmingexpedition to Indonesia to film Channel 4's WorstPlace to be a Pilot.

38 - 39Mountain RescueOn call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

40 - 43Accessible AdventureRobin Ashcroft shows you that some of the bestadventures can be found in our very own Lake District.

48

Alex Staniforth Keeping you informed on the plans for climbingEverest in 2015.

49 - 50Basecamp FestivalA recount of a festival organised by people who loveadventure, for people who love adventure.

Image courtesy of Mark Challender

06

Mt. Kilimanjaro, a 7 summit challengeJoin Charlie on this unforgettable, amazingadventure to one of the “Seven Summits” andone of the most favoured Mountains and challenges.

Gain a unique experience as you trek through fivedifferent ecological zones to the roof of Africa.

Live above the clouds for days and experience theAfrican sunrise and sunsets over the African plainsas you trek above the clouds towards yourultimate goal to the summit of - ‘UHURU’ (Peak ofFreedom) otherwise known as Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Places still available for March 2015, June 2015,and August 2015.

Mount Elbrus -The highest peak in EuropeCharlie will guide you to the peak of Mount Elbrusin April 2015 and July 2015. Mount Elbrus is thehighest peak in Europe, and one of the SevenSummits -the highest mountains on each of thecontinents. It is located just inside Russia, thoughit is only a few miles/kilometers from the border ofGeorgia. Although Elbrus is the highest summitin Europe, it is one of the technically easiest of thehigher peaks on the continent.

Fancy a challenge in 2015? Then let Former Royal Marine, Mountaineer & Polar Adventurer Charlie Patontake you on a trip of your lifetime.

Charlie is renowned for planning and leading Expeditions to the most extremeenvironments, with over 20 expeditions in the Arctic with 100% success!

Get in touch for a once in a lifetime experience that you will never forget and a challenge that will remain with you for the rest of your life.

Contact Charlie @ Charlie@extremeoutdooradventures.co.uk www.extremeoutdoorfood.co.ukwww.extremeoutdooradventures.co.uk or mobile 07817 337528

PLANNING & PREPARATION, GUIDING, LOGISTICAL SUPPORT, ADVENTURE RACES, TEAM EVENTS & CORPORATE PRESENTATION

Charlie PatonExtreme Outdoor Adventures

ADVERTORIAL

07

On April 23rd 2014, we were saddened to learnof the sudden death of Mark Shand. Only weeksearlier Mark had given an inspiring interview toour journalist Robert Tomkinson published inedition 3 of Exploring Magazine.

Mark was the chairman of the wildlife foundation'Elephant Family' and his life’s work was dedicatedto the plight of the Asian elephant.

Elephant Family was set up to halt the massivedecline in numbers of the endangered Asianelephant. In the past 100 years it is estimated theworld population of Asian elephants has declinedby up to 90% down to a population of 40,000-50,000. With a corresponding loss of up to 95%of their available habitat over the same period,people and elephants have been forced into the

same areas creating intense conflict betweenthem. Elephant family are working on the groundwith local communities finding solutions for bothwildlife and people. They are working where itmatters most: tackling the greatest threats toAsian elephants from loss of habitat, the brutalityof poaching and illegal capture from the wild.The Asian elephant is a flagship species and otherextraordinary wildlife flourishes in its habitat,including tigers, orang-utans and rhinos.

In memory of Mark and his extraordinary lifewe urge you to look at ways you can helpElephant Family continue their work. Detailsof ways you can help can be found at:

www.elephantfamily.org/how-you-can-help

Mark ShandInformation Sourced from Elephant Family. Photo Credit Mary Powys and Elephant family

28th June 1951 – 23rd April 2014

08

10 Facts That MakeAwesome Walls Awesome!

www.awesomewalls.co.ukwww.bit.ly/earlyramblings

1- We love what we do!Our staff are employed for their friendliness,enthusiasm and customer service experience.After these important items have been assessedwe'll then look at the qualifications!

2- ExperienceOver the last 15+ years we have been deeplyinvolved in climbing walls. During this time wehave learned a great deal about the climbing wallmarket. Seven climbing walls later and we’re still as keen as ever! Sure we can’t pleaseeveryone 100% of the time but this won't stopus from trying!

3- The Awesome FamilyContrary to popular belief we're not a hugecorporate business that has a head office withplentiful staff milling around all planning climbingwall world domination! The business is run by oneperson with a team of enthusiastic staff in eachwall.

4- No membership feesNothing sucks more than visiting a wall for thefirst time and being asked to pay an annual orextra daily membership fee for your first visit. Youhaven’t even tried the wall so why part with moremoney than you need?

5- Loyalty Card for everyoneWe don’t take this too seriously like Tesco or Bootsand our Loyalty card is definitely more fun!

2nd visit- SWAG*, 5th visit- Hot Drink+SWAG,10th visit- Awesome cake, 15th visit- HotDrink+Awesome cake, 20th visit- 50% off AWCCMerchandise and 25th visit- A free climb.

*SWAG= Super Wonderful Awesome Gear, (miniAWCC karabiners, drinks coasters, mini magnets,stickers.)

6- Route and Problem settingWe pride ourselves on regularly setting newroutes and problems. The problem is that thebigger the centre (and ours are quite big) thelonger it takes to reset everything! We aim toreset lead routes every three to four months andboulder problems every four to six weeks.

7- Free Wi-FiAll our centres have free Wi-Fi. This is great forsurfing the net whilst resting, updating yourFacebook status or just keeping in touch with theworld.

8- HeatingSome people love it, some people hate it, but atleast we have the option to put it on when weneed it! We use radiant heating in all our walls.This means that we can heat only the areas of ourcentres that need it, rather that circulating warmarea around the building, and into the roof space(where it's least wanted)!

9- FeedbackWe love to receive feedback as this keeps us ontrack with what we do. Whilst we may think weoffer a great service, your views may differ andwe can only put them right if you let us know firsthand.

10- Free waterThis is only a small one but it means a lot to haveaccess to free water whenever you want or need it.Use one of our recyclable cups or fill your own waterbottle. Ice and Lemon, now you're pushing it...

10

Going UndergroundWritten by Andy Rowland. Photo Credit Andy Rowland

Having stood in line on a metal gangplank for 20 minutes watchingnervous looking people in yellow safety hats disappear one by one, it wasfinally my turn. A young man with a long goatee and a clipboard beckonedme forward, checked the number on my wristband and I was safely lockedin the yellow perch and cold water immediately dripped down my neck, ataste of things to come? The floor disappeared below my dangling, nervousfeet and I dropped into the cold, dark void below.

11

Going Underground

When considering things to do on an AugustBank Holiday weekend, the usual Theme park,shopping trip, bike ride or walk in the hills andlong pub lunch comes to mind.

But, have you ever considered being wincheddown a 110-meter (360 Ft) abyss, through theflow of Britain’s highest unbroken waterfall, deepinto the heart of The Yorkshire Dales, emerginginto the largest cavern in Britain?

Formed over hundreds of millions of years by thecorrosive effect of water on the surroundinglimestone plateau, Gaping Gill is a famouspothole situated on the South West limestoneflanks of Ingleborough, within the Three Peaksarea of the Yorkshire Dales. The roughly squareshaped mouth lurks at the end of a shallow scarformed by the meandering Fell Beck and from itslair it swallows the stream where it plungeshundreds of feet, crashing to the floor of thecathedral sized main chamber deep below.

Only experienced cavers would normally be ableto enjoy this astonishing natural wonder.However, thanks to the considerable efforts oftwo local potholing clubs it is possible over twoBank Holiday weeks in May and August foranyone (some restrictions apply) with a head forheights and three five pound notes gripped tightlyin their clammy hands to descend Gaping Gill viathe reassuringly solid yellow cage on the end of avery, very long wire.

The start of my journey to the bottom of thecavern began in the nearby village of Clapham. Iarrived bright and early, as the walk to Gaping Gilltakes around 90 minutes and the first winch wasat 9.00am. I followed the Ingleborough EstateNature Trail (after first paying the small tollcharge), past The Ingleborough Show Cave, (wewere later told this cave forms part of The GapingGill cave system and is ultimately where theswallowed waters of Fell Beck emerge into thedaylight) and continued on through the impressiveramparts of Trow Gill, a wooded limestone ravinethat is a haven for rock climbers.

The track continued until Ingleborough filled the horizon and I began to ponder where thissubterranean natural wonder might be.

Suddenly the tops of brightly coloured tents cameinto view and almost immediately I heard thesound of machinery.

A banner announced that I had arrived. “Join usat Craven Pothole Club” it read.

Although I had arrived early, after collecting mynumbered wristband, I noticed there was alreadya bit of a queue for the main event, so I joinedthe other cavers sitting on the banks of Fell Beckand ate my packed lunch. The beck wastemporarily damned to reduce the flow of thewaterfall. Considerate of them to keep us all dryon the way down and not drown us immediately.

12

When the number on the board matchedthe number on my wristband it was myturn to don a yellow hat and wait for theyellow cage to take me down. As the cagedescended with the wet rock and mossinches from my nose, I realized that it waseither by accident or design there was stilla substantial amount of waterfall racing meto the bottom. The 60 second ride speededup and the sunlight faded away to nearpitch black and I became aware of a vastspace opening out around me.

Without realizing it, I was at the bottomand feeling slightly disorientated, I washelped out of the chair so it could return tothe surface for air.

It was cold down in the cave and my eyesfought to become accustomed to the dimlight as I desperately tried to takeeverything in. The ground was rock, andmud and spray filled the air. There werestrategically positioned spotlights, whichgave an eerie glow like streetlights on afoggy night, but the cavern was very dark.

My guide Andy, a newly qualified historyteacher and part-time caver clad in a plasticsuit, greeted me from my descent andshowed me around, shouting over theconstant noise of the waterfalls whilepointing out different features and giving aquick history of this amazing place.

After the tour I wandered around on myown, peering into the dark recesses withmy head torch and taking dampphotographs for posterity whilst watchingcavers slowly emerging from hiddenpassages following their torchlights. Aftera couple of hours underground I reluctantlydecided it was time to return to the surface.

The return journey to the surface was even more exhilarating than the earlierdescent and I emerged with a real feelingof achievement.

This was a truly memorable experience andas my eyes blinked in the sunlight I decidedthere and then that I would have to bringthe kids next time.

Going Underground

The origins of freeze-dried food go back to the1950s and the Cold War. After becoming animportant part of an astronaut’s space diet, theyare now indispensable for all types of outdooradventure.

During freeze-drying, the product is frozen andthe surrounding pressure lowered, with the watermoving from solid to gas through sublimation.The process is also known as LYOphilisation andtakes 16-24 hours depending on the size. 90%of original meal weight is lost and the watercontent is reduced to 2%, inhibiting growth ofmicro organisms and enzymes. Hermeticallysealed, the product can be stored at roomtemperature for many years. Freeze-dried foodretains all of the food’s natural vitamins andminerals and has a high calorie count.

Lyofood was established in 1998 to satisfy theneeds or climbers, sailors and backpackers.Increasing demand for healthy and tasty freeze-dried meals from outdoor athletes led to Lyofoodbecoming LYO FOOD and the range LYOExpedition Food was born.

Free from added preservatives and artificialadditives, LYO Expedition Food contains 100%natural ingredients. LYO cultivate some of the fruitand herbs in their own fields, with other fruit andvegetables coming from farmers they knowpersonally.

Every meal is cooked, as per a normal dish, beforeit is freeze dried, with all pieces cut as per a home

cooked dish. Meals are checked twice at the LYOin-house laboratory, once after being cooked andthen again after the freeze drying process,ensuring the highest safety standards.

The meals can be prepared in the speciallydesigned, resealable, lightweight packaging.

In 2013, LYO Expedition Food won Gold at theprestigious OutDoor Industry Awards. The judgesstated “These freeze-dried meals are the tastiestcurrently available on the market”

Paul Lewis, founder of Peak Mountaineering, usesLYO Expedition Food saying "I have beenexploring the mountains of the world for the last25 years and have used a wide range ofexpedition foods. LYO Expedition is by far myfavourite. They are easy to prepare, lightweight,nutritious, have a broad menu and, mostimportantly when you are in the mountains, theyare delicious. They have become my first choicefor all mountain adventures".

LYO Expedition Food is onlyavailable at Base Camp Food in

the UK www.basecampfood.com

13

ADVERTORIAL

BASE CAMP FOOD

14

MenBehavingMadly Written by Lynne Edwards, Photo Credit Lynwen Brown

On a chilly November day in 2007, two adventure hungry guys stood ina car park, donning some seriously heavy packs, eager to start theirquest to climb three very big hills in less than 24 hours, one in Scotland,one in England and one in Wales.

15

Men Behaving Madly

Sounds familiar, right? Wrong: these were nottwo adventure hungry guys who wanted to tick“the three peaks” off their bucket list; they hadalready achieved that feat. This was two nutterswho decided that they would add their own twist tothis classic tale of adventure by diving to the bottomof the 3 highest lakes, one in Scotland, one inEngland and one in Wales and all in under 24 hours.

Andy Torbet and Monty Halls are no strangers tothe spirit of intrepid adventure. Both are regularson our TV screens. Andy describes himself as anunderwater explorer, extreme diver, climber,kayaker, skydiver and adventurer, whilst Monty isa BBC TV presenter, marine biologist, travel writer,public speaker and diver. Between them they havea back catalogue of seriously impressive stories ofexploration. So on the surface of it you may thinkthe three lakes escapade could be comfortablytaken in their stride, yet nothing could haveprepared them for this physically gruelling andlung busting challenge.

The clock started ticking in a small visitors car parkat Loch an Eilein in the Cairngorms. Andy and Montyhauled on their 30kg plus back pack full of theiressential diving gear and set off for Loch Coire AnLochan, 3268ft up and approx. 13 km from the road.

3 hours and 40 minutes into this crazy challenge,Andy and Monty had reached their first destinationand swiftly stripped naked and slipped into theirdiving gear. With an outside air temperature of 2°C and a water temperature of 4°C, Andy andMonty dipped in and out of the barren loch asswiftly as possible. With a dive prerequisite of 10minutes and 5 meters, it wasn’t too long beforethe guys were packing away their wet gear, whichhad now increased in weight, and were trudgingback down the way they came so as to drive totheir next destination.

Heading for Red Tarn Lake on the Eastern flankof Helvellyn, a tired Andy was craving water andcarbs as well as a few hours of shut eye, butinstead he got a 3.8km hike at 1:30am in themorning carrying a wet kit including a 5 litrecylinder, and a painfully stiff body.

Upon arriving at Red Tarn lake they were greetedwith a wind speed of 50 miles per hour and anair temperature with wind chill of -16 °c, not themost perfect of diving conditions. So brutal werethe conditions they almost made the call not todo the dive, but these two are made of stern stuffand where others may have wimped out, Andyand Monty gritted their teeth and just did it.

16

Men Behaving Madly

So with two lakes down and one to go, Andy andMonty hauled their weary bodies back into theircar and headed on down through the night to theOgwen Valley in the Snowdonia National Park.

Lake three was Ffynnon Lloer. This lake lies in theCarneddau in the heart of Snowdonia. It is nestledbetween the peaks of Pen yr Ole Wen and CarneddDaffyd. This lake is a true visitor attraction as theremains of two wartime aircraft lies on its slopes.A 2.1Km walk will get you to the lake. Howeverfor Andy and Monty this was a 2.1km walkcarrying a pack the weight of what Montydescribes as a “fruit machine”.

Climbing to a height of 650 meters, the daytimetemperature of 10 °c made this a somewhat morepleasurable dive, in what only can be describedas a depth challenged lake. Now whether it wasthe overwhelming realisation that the guys hadnow dived three lakes, even though the trek backto the car still awaited them, or whether they hadturned slightly mad with exhaustion, it wassurprising to hear that at the time they describedthe third lake as “actually quite a nice little dive”and if nothing else, a pleasant motivation to spurtheir descent back down so they could completetheir formidable challenge.

So after 436 miles driven, 36 km trekked, 3 lakesdived and 27 flapjacks consumed, Andy andMonty reached their car back on the A5 in theOgwen Valley after 23 hours and 10 minutes witha new record set.

As bonkers as these boys are, the 3 Lakes challengewas all in the name of a good cause as Andy andMonty raised funds for Help for Heroes. Andwhilst anyone can do this challenge Andy pointsout that they need to be aware that “this is aphysically arduous exercise in the British Mountains.Participants should only attempt if they considerthemselves fit enough to undertake hard walkingand they should ensure they are correctlyequipped with due consideration for safety,terrain and the weather.”

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A random draw will be made on December 30th2014 and the winner will be notified by email.

Exploring magazine has managed to get hold ofa 90L version to give away to one lucky reader.So if you want to be in with a chance of winningone of these amazing holdalls then just emailyour details to editor@exploringmagazine.co.uk

Find out more about VAUDE bags and packsat www.adventureavenue.co.uk

17

OUTDOORS IS EVERYWHERE

The first rays of sun blink over the horizon, their warmth dispersing the tatters of mist of the blue

hour as we rest after our pre-dawn ascent. It’s moments like these that inspire us to do what we

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WELCOME TO THE BLUE HOUR

Ride ONWritten by Lauren Conen. Photo Credit Richard Dunwoody

20

After 8 days, 2 hours and 12 minutes riding, the world’slongest and toughest horse race had its first everAustralian winner. Sam Jones, a 40 year old miningoperator, won the 6th Mongol Derby in emphatic style.

Galloping across the line Sam said: “[it’s] pretty awesome...I feel I could do another 1000km”. Considering how toughthe race is and how many injuries are sustained across thefield she was full of energy and pretty much unscathed:“The only thing I have to recover from is the vodka!”.

21

Ride ON

The Mongol Derby is a recreation of GenghisKhan’s ancient postal system; a mammothnetwork of horse stations that relayed messagesacross the Mongol empire at devastating speed.Riders replace the horse-messengers now and therace-course is a network of 25 stations set around40km apart. They’re manned by local herders andriders swap horses at every one.

The route of the Derby across the Mongoliansteppe is designed to give the riders a mix ofterrain in a stunning yet harsh environment. Theyencounter everything from cold mountain passesto sandy desert-like conditions and extrememidday heat; one extreme to the other.

Each horse is used only once, meaning 1200horses were involved in this years race. They arecarefully selected and trained before the race theninspected by an equine vet at every station. Therace rules ensure horse welfare is the paramountconcern and a penalty is in place for any riderswhose horse fails the veterinary inspection or are

found to be placing the horse under stress. Thevets follow the race and a team of expeditionmedics from Prometheus Medical are also onstandby at all times for the welfare of the riders.

Race winner Sam said: “The toughness of theMongolian horses is phenomenal. I’ve ridden atspeeds during this race over ground I’d hesitateto walk over before this. Sometimes I wasn’talways given a choice, sometimes they just boltout of the station and it would take you 5km tojust get in control.”

Swiss rider Silvia Simonin was also a fan: “They’reabsolutely amazing horses and could go all day. I don’t have words to describe how greatthey are.”

Out on the steppe the riders camped with thelocal nomadic herding families at the stations orcamped out under the stars and the food theyencountered is certainly unique. American riderJess Kipp said:

22

“There were definitely chunks of fat in savourydishes, but it all smelled very good and if youpicked around, tasty. I also had a couple ofbreakfast dishes that consisted of a sort of riceporridge with fresh milk, sugar, and raisins. Theairag [horse milk] though... not TOO terrible untilyou have an open vat of it fermenting next toyour pillow while already feeling nauseous!!”

Fellow American Jade Sevelow-Lee said: "I'd beena vegetarian for 19 years before coming on theMongol Derby. Honestly the food at first wasn't sobad, but then when you're on your 3rd day, it'snoon, it's bloody hot as hell and someone shovesANOTHER hot bowl of mutton fat stew in yourface, you waffle between wanting to vomit orthrow it in a fit of rage.

“My low was either: finding out that the meatpockets I was eating were made of entrails, (Icould have done without that information andnever consumed another one after that), or, wheninstead of warm sweet rice pudding for breakfastwe got rice and goat, and I made the mistake of

walking over to the cooking area only to find allof the intestines in a bucket. Breakfast at the ger(a portable Mongolian dwelling) went un-eaten.I'm going back to being a vegetarian!”

A total of 11 riders from the 48 that started therace had to withdraw, mostly as a result of injuriessustained by being thrown off their horses. Otherswere hit with dehydration and illness proving howtough it is to complete the Mongol Derby.

28 female and 20 male riders from around theworld took part in the race with 15 nationalitiesrepresented. The youngest was 20 year old LukeBerry (UK) and the oldest was Barbara Smith at 60(USA). Luke was helicoptered to hospital from thesteppe but given the all clear with severe bruising.Barbara finished a very respectable 9th place.

The official race photographer is former championjockey Richard Dunwoody, who sent images andupdates back from the remote racecourse withsatellite communication equipment provided byAST Systems in the UK.

Ride ON

23

Ride ON

Applications for 2015 are open now if you fancythrowing your hat into the ring. Until next year, ride on.

mongolderby.com

24

Discovering theBale Mountains

Written By Anna Heywood.Photo Credits Anna Heywood

I’m gasping for breath as the icy water gushesover me, the skin on my scalp tight with cold.

Who knew a shower could be this painful? It’s myfirst wash for a week, though, so I pluck up thecourage to dive in for another five-second sluicing.

Water is one thing that’s in plentiful supply here inthe Bale Mountains, a remote territory insoutheastern Ethiopia. In fact the rain, the lushgreen landscape and the mountainous terrain area bit of a shock to the system - as a child of theeighties I realise the Ethiopia of my imaginationowes a lot to Live Aid. I envisaged scorched,famine-wracked desert. The reality is green,beautiful and a lot wetter!

Having left London on a bicycle a year before(bound ultimately for South Africa) it’s fair to saythat my travelling companion and I are gettingused to life on the road. Yet Luke is apparently stillwildly optimistic about the state of the “roads”marked on our maps. In our wisdom we’ve leftthe smooth tarmac of the main highway andjourneyed eastwards for three days along adiabolical dirt road featuring high passes, rockydescents and perplexingly hostile children - on daytwo a diminutive shepherdess waves at us from aclifftop before launching a rock into our path!

25

Discovering the Bale Mountains

After 100 miles of dirt road we exhaustedly reacha small village under cover of darkness. This isDinsho, the trailhead for the Bale MountainsNational Park, a 1200-square mile reserve in thehighlands of Ethiopia.

In the chilly dawn, we fortify ourselves with anEthiopian breakfast of dabbo and enculal tibs(bread and scrambled eggs to you and me)washed down with sweetly-scented tea, and go insearch of a local guide.

It doesn’t take long before we’re drinking moretea with the very courteous Kemal - the localguide co-ordinator - and settling on a 6-day trek.We knew a guide would be compulsory but areslightly alarmed when Kemal announces that we’llneed horses to carry our stuff, a horse handler tokeep the beasts in check, and a scout equippedwith an ancient rifle “for protection”.

Protection from what, we’re not sure, but at £2per day the salaries don’t seem extortionate, evenon our shoestring expedition budget, so hands areshaken and we head to the village shop to buyprovisions ready for departure the next day fromthe national park lodge.

Loading the horses takes a while but by 11amwe’re underway, with a trainee guide in tow forgood measure, and heading for the alpine sceneryof the Sanetti Plateau.

We tread a smooth turf track flanked byshimmering blue meadows of harebell-likeflowers. Red hot pokers rise like sentinels allaround. A river rushes by on our left and theskyline is dominated by a jagged range of peaks,above which the sky steadily darkens until wehear the rumble of thunder and the rain sets in.

We have lunch beside the Finch Habera waterfall,an impressive foaming chute, shyly watched by apair of soggy herd boys. Shoeless and draped inplastic sacks, with a slit for the face, they look likesad little bin bags battered by the weather. Bigeyes peer longingly at Kemal’s umbrella as the rainpours down.

Kemal is a veteran guide and has spent manymonths in the mountains, accompanying touristslike us as well as research teams. As we walk hetells us about a 12-week stint he spent withGerman botanists, studying the local flora.

26

Discovering the Bale Mountains

Sadly his encyclopaedic knowledge of helichrysumis a little lost on us, especially as all the names arein Latin and German! We use the Teutonic basecamp as our rest stop for the night and as wehunker down in the wooden shelters an absolutestillness and silence descends. The sky is ablazewith stars and it’s tempting to stay up and gaze,but we’ve an early start planned. Dawn is the timeto hunt wolves.

Aside from the stunning landscape, Bale(pronounced baa-lay) has a particular claim tofame - it’s the home of the Ethiopian Wolf.

Also known as the Simien Fox, the wolf isendemic to Ethiopia and an endangered specieswith a population of just 500. The Sanetti Plateauis the very best place to catch a glimpse of thisred-coated rarity and is packed with theirfavourite food - giant mole rats.

Fat and oddly flat, a bit like a guinea pig that’sbeen whacked with a spade, the burrowingrodent has been very much in evidence on thefirst day of our trek. We head for a ridge abovethe camp, it’s heavy going through the frost-rimedheather and, after a fruitless hour, we’re about togive up when suddenly there’s a flash of russet inthe valley below, and then another. Wolves!

We drop into a dip and, keeping our distance,follow the pack to a rocky spur where we losethem among the tangled vegetation. Elated, wehead back to camp for breakfast.

This was to be our only sighting of the elusivewolf but Bale’s “other” wildlife is more thanenough for me. As we traverse the plateau, skirtvolcanic cliffs and cross swollen streams I ammesmerised by the flora and fauna. The landscapeis so pristine and the almost total absence of

humans makes Bale feel untouched, undiscovered- walking here is truly an adventure.

I keep wishing my ornithological dad was with usas the birdlife is fabulous - choughs chack-chackoverhead, buzzards hunch grumpily on the lichen-crusted rocks, a francolin scuttles within inches ofmy feet and, just beyond the rocky heights ofMount Batu, two golden eagles put on a breath-taking display of aerial acrobatics.

In fact my breath seems to be taken at every turnbut, as the path nears 4000 metres, the altitudecould be playing a part. The sun is certainlyintense, and I’m grateful for my floppy hat, arather unlikely pre-departure purchase at Dinsho’svillage shop. I found it nestled among the dustytins of mackerel, biscuits and sacks of carrots.

By day five we’re growing quite fond of our littleband, equine and human members alike, and

decide to sacrifice our last two carrots to the horses. Unfortunately it turns out Ethiopian horsesdon’t eat carrots, so Kemal and the crew fallabout laughing.

Sharing our food rations with the two-footedmembers of the team goes down a lot better andwe’re all in a fine mood as we set off on the finalday for the descent to Dinsho. Of course it’sdrizzling but as we reach the lodge the rain stopsand a rainbow appears. A fragrant cloud risesfrom the damp thyme underfoot as the valley isbathed in sunlight. All seems well with the world.

Back at base, with the ice-shower over, warmthstarts to return to my limbs as I lie tucked in ourlittle green tent. Tomorrow we’re back on ourbikes and there’s a long road ahead, but thispeaceful side-trip through the Bale Mountains willlinger long in the memory. It’s a walk to remember.

Drover Holidays believe Wales is best exploredslowly - on foot or by bike. By travelling at walkingor cycling pace we see, hear, smell and experiencemore. Drover’s self-guided and escorted cyclingand walking holidays cover the length andbreadth of Wales and the Welsh Borders, and varyin length from two nights to two weeks.

Drover offer everything from romantic weekendtandem breaks to challenging, hardcore mountainbiking and family weekend walking holidays.Fancy riding from one end of Wales to the otheron the Lôn Las Cymru - they’ve got that covered.How about a multi-day epic on the Offa’s Dyke Path? They can do that too. They haveelectric bike mini-breaks, tours exploring thePembrokeshire Coast Path and trips meanderingthrough the heart of Mid Wales and the beautifulWye Valley.

But Drover stress clients should think of theirbrochure as a guide - they’re not about ‘off the

peg’ holidays and pride themselves in tailoringtours to suit individual requirements - let themknow if you’d like them to put together an extra-challenging MTB weekend, a charity bikeride or a long-distance walk with dog-friendlyaccommodation - they’ll do their best to make ithappen.

All Drover walking holidays include quality B&Baccommodation, luggage transfers, custom mapsand detailed route descriptions. Cycle tours alsoinclude bike hire. You can even leave the car athome and get picked up from and dropped off atthe nearest train or bus station at the start andend of your holiday.

Visit the Drover Holidays website for touritineraries or to find out about bike hire. Droverhave a fleet of over 100 hire bikes for on and offroad use - including battery-assisted electric bikes- as well as trailer buggies and child seats forfamily cycle trips.

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www.droverholidays.co.uk Tel: 01497 821134Email: anna@droverholidays.co.uk

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Mongolian Adventure Photo Credit Ash DykesAn Interview with Ash Dykes

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Mongolian Adventure –An Interview with Ash Dykes

1. What is it about adventure andexploring that really appeals to you?I love learning things first hand, I can’t really sitthere in a classroom and listen to someone elsetry to teach me through their experience. I have toget out there and witness it for myself; thethought of venturing through a new country trulyexcites me. Now if I can challenge myself at thesame time (cycling, walking etc) then not only doI learn and experience the country and its culture,but I also learn about myself, how I handle certainsituations & what I’m capable of doing, it’s thefreedom and what makes me feel truly alive!

2. So how did the idea to walk solo and unsupported acrossMongolia come about?I was working as a scuba diving instructor inThailand. I loved the life style, teaching peoplehow to dive morning and afternoon, then learningand competing with the locals at Muay Thai in the evening. It was great, but I was missing

all those adventures I had previously undertakenon my travel beforehand. There was never a daywhen I didn’t think about leaving to challengemyself and explore a new country and I could nolonger ignore this feeling. I wanted to dosomething huge, bigger than I had ever done byfar, I also knew I wanted to do a long walk oversome tough terrain and through crazy weather

and not along tarmac roads if you like –completely out in the wilderness!!

I got the world map out (as you do!) and afterlooking at different parts of the world, Mongoliastood out as that wild place. I had never comeacross anyone at that point who had been there.That last part really excited me, with it being thesecond largest landlocked country in the worldand the most sparsely populated – I knew itwould be the challenge I was looking for.

I contacted a friend of mine called Rob Mills, whoended up being my expedition manager. He haddone his research with his team members andthey advised me that whilst a solo and unsupportedcrossing of Mongolia had been attempted it hadnever been completed and that “if you completethis walk, you’ll be the first ever known person towalk the length of Mongolia, solo andunsupported”. This is when it turned truly solo, Iwas never in it for any record, just for theadventure, but I was hoping that if I made it, therewould be some sort of career, that I had alwaysdreamt about that may kick off.

3. How did you cope with the changeof cultures that you encountered andhow difficult was it for you to immerseyourself within these cultures?I had been living in Asia for two years andtravelled around for four years prior to thisexpedition, so adapting to a new culture was

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Mongolian Adventure –An Interview with Ash Dykes

never an issue, but in fact something I enjoyed &absorbed.

The locals were also so hospitable and welcoming,if I ever passed a Ger without stopping they wouldoften come after me on their horse, or sometimestheir motorbike, to offer me some snacks orMongolian Chi (tea) to take away with me. Therewas only one incident that occurred, when a localstole my solar panel which I had used to charge allof my electronics.

4. What was the hardest part of the journey?The hardest part of the journey was crossing theGobi desert, which I was in for around four to fiveweeks. I suffered from heat exhaustion, duringwhich I was three days away from my next small

settlement. It was around 40°c and there was nonatural form of shade, which led me to seekshade under my trailer. The water was hot, notsatisfying to drink and there was also no breezewhatsoever. I had a high temperature, hugeheadache, my eyes were painful and I wascompletely dehydrated. I truly don’t know whatwould have happened to me if I didn’t have it inme to push on to the settlement ahead. Luckily Imade it to the settlement, but it took me 7 daysto fully recover, in order to continue.

5. Throughout the expedition when did you feel at your most adventurous and why?I would say the start of the expedition, walkingthrough, up and over the Altai mountains, fully

clothed, face wrapped up due to it being so cold.Being told I was going to be eaten by wolves,then a bit further down the line, being offered alocal Nomad's wife! It was an extreme place tobe, I was blasted by a snow blizzard, the wind wasnever ending, and I would get frost nipped fingersquite often when I set up my tent.

6. Looking back on the journey was there one encounter or day that stands out for you?The whole expedition has merged into one, therewere so many days that stood out, but it alwaysseems to be the most challenging days that Imanaged to fight through that stand out themost. These include a near miss of when I almoststood right on a venomous snake, my solar panel

being stolen and the local Nomad who offeredme his wife I didn’t really know what to say or do,so I laughed, hoping they would join in, whicheventually they did.

7. Did the world first element appeal to you?I was never originally in it for any record, that wasa bonus factor that came with it and I guessprovided me with further motivation to succeed.

8. So what is next?I would love to tell you, but right now, I’m unableto reveal it at the minute unfortunately. However,it will be BIG, and may even be another world’sfirst, I just need it to be clarified by the Guinnessbook of Records.

Ranulph Fiennes

"I applaud every endeavour toachieve an adventuring "first", afeat which is becoming harder allthe time. This young man'scompletion of a "first" solo trekacross Mongolia, from the Altaito the Steppe, will have provedboth physically and mentallychallenging and is an example of great determination".

onfireadventure.com info@onfireadventure.com @onfireadventure

BORED?HAVE AN ADVENTURE.

Worstplace tobe a pilot

Written by Mark Challender.Photo Credits Mark Challender

and Gembong Nurassa

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TV Producer Mark Challender recounts his filming expedition to Indonesiato film Channel 4’s Worst Place to be a Pilot. He was part of the first filmcrew in 10 years to be granted permission to film in Papua.

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Bang! A loud gunshot echoed through theHampshire woods as my colleagues and I ran forcover, trying to find the nearest tree trunk to hidebehind. I’d only been in the job for a day so beingshot at seemed a bit harsh, but then why was I in the woods of Hampshire head to toe in my waterproofs on a cold January morning in thefirst place?

‘Hostile Environment’ training was the answer. Inpreparation for our three month expedition toIndonesia I was at a country house in Hampshirewith five other producers and directors being shotat. Needless to say we weren’t being shot at forreal, but as I’d never been to Indonesia before it’sfair to say my colleagues and I started to feel likewe might not make it back. Guns, plane crashesand how to deal with mass trauma were allscenarios we discussed on the course.

Ninety-six hours later and we were en route toHeathrow (with a remarkable amount of filmingequipment and a hefty excess baggage bill toboot) bound for Jakarta. We were setting out tomake a Channel 4 documentary series about SusiAir, a small Indonesian airline that operates acrossmany of the 17,000 islands that make up theIndonesian archipelago. The interest for a Britishbroadcaster is that the airline attracts a lot ofBritish pilots who are looking for flyingexperience, adventure or both - plus the location

offers plenty of potentially dramatic scenarios,which was what we were hoping to capture.

We finally arrived at Pangandaran on the southcoast of West Java a mere forty-eight hours afterleaving London. This small fishing village offerednothing more than beach bars, fish and surfing –paradise for some. It was home for the next few weeks.

Worst Place to be a Pilot

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Worst Place to be a Pilot

Within a day or two we’d started filming for theseries and did so every day, interviewing pilots andrecording simulator sessions. But before long weenjoyed a rare day off and took a trip to the‘green canyon’ – a beautiful lagoon about anhour from Pangandaran. En route, we werecaught in a huge thunderstorm and we tookshelter in a local mechanic’s garage. He didn’thave much choice as we skidded up the ramp intohis inspection bay. The rain was like I’veexperienced in the Amazon… heavy andrelentless. It was still the wet season andafternoon thunderstorms were a daily occurrence.

Indonesia is a developing nation and I saw roadsgo from being bone dry to being one foot underwater in a matter of minutes. Happily for us wewere soon off the road and on a boat to completethe final bit of the journey. On a clear day thewaters at Green Canyon are crystal green incolour and after the thirty minute boat ride, anddespite the water looking more brown thangreen, I took the opportunity to cool down witha jump into the lagoon from the surroundingrocks. Indonesia, being in the tropics, is hot andhumid and normal temperatures were anywherefrom 32 ° up to 40°+ so a cooling swim was anecessity more than luxury.

Our team had been en masse in Pangandaran butit wasn’t long before we dispersed into ourfilming teams (we had three teams of two peoplespread over various parts of Indonesia), this way

we could cover more stories from a variety oflocations. I remained in Pangandaran with mycolleague Steve and we would remain togetheras a two-man team for the remainder of theshoot. We started to pick up bits of the locallanguage, Bahasa, and sample the local foods –mainly Nasi Goreng. The other guys on theexpedition headed off to Sumatra and to Papuarespectively.

Steve and I were there to film the new recruits atthe airline going through their training and beingput through their paces. We would eventually filmthem on their training flights in the CessnaCaravans. It usually entailed a 1hr drive to thelocal airport which was only 20km away by roadbut the roads in Pangandaran were not like roadsin Jakarta and not only did we have traffic tocontend with, but the roads were essentially dirttracks. The drives to and from the airport werehot, bouncy and uncomfortable affairs. We spent

35

days at the remote and basic Nusawiru airport inthe baking heat filming on and around theairstrip. Snakes, spiders and other bugs all lurkedwithin hangers but real concern came fromwatching locals running or cycling across therunway as planes were coming in or taking off!

Pangandaran may not have offered much in theway of recreation but it did offer stunning sunsetsand I hoped, stunning sunrises. I got up early onemorning and with my tripod on my shoulder andmy camera in hand, set out at 0330 to walk tothe beach. I knew the direction of the beach butI hadn’t walked that way before and after 30minutes, fearing the sun would rise before I wasset up and ready to film, I convinced a local manwith a scooter (who happened to be sat by theside of the road in the early hours) to give me aride to the beach, which he did. I was thankful forthe ride as it would have taken longer thananticipated before I reached the beach. I arrived intime and captured some fantastic shots.

Filming everyday continued and days off were tobe relished – I spent my final one snorkeling offthe Javan coast. As I was changing and sortingmy gear out a group of macaques came on to thebeach. They had wandered down from the junglenature reserve that spills out on to the beach. I had been warned about them but didn’t expecttoo much trouble. They were about to prove mewrong… I tried to send one on its way as it wasstood quite close to me but instead of backingoff, it clearly sensed my aggressiveness and itcame at me, attacking my leg. The attack didn’tlast long and I didn’t sustain any injuries, but I was

bemused. I carried on packing my kit and had asandwich in my mouth when I suddenly spottedsomething in my peripheral vision – it was anothermacaque on its way to jump up and try and stealthe sandwich right from my jaws. Luckily I saw itand pulled my head back just in time. Credit tothe little chap for his audacity. The snorkeling wasa relief to the monkey madness and the warmtropical waters were an ideal place to relax andnot have to think about filming for a few hours.

I spent a total of seven weeks in Pangandaran andhaving filmed the end of our stories it was time tomove on. The experiences here were relativelysedate compared to where we’d be going andwhat we’d be filming next.

We travelled from Pangandaran back to Jakartaand from Jakarta we took a six hour flight toJayapura, the provincial capital of Papua. Uponarrival we met our government escorts - withPapua’s political situation a concern for theIndonesian government, our escorts would ensureour safety and would remain with us for ourentire stay in Papua.

The flights we filmed in and around Papua carriedrice as well as Papuan passengers, most of whomwere taking advantage of the ‘perintis’ orgovernment subsidized flights. Unable to affordthe full cost of flights, a lot of indigenous Papuansused Susi Air’s subsidized flights to come toTimika when they needed services or provisions.Having spent their lives in the mountains andjungles a lot of Papuan passengers often don’tknow how to fasten and unfasten seatbelts andwould often look bemused and seek our help.

Worst Place to be a Pilot

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Worst Place to be a Pilot

We’d now be flying and filming in Pilatus Porterplanes – incredibly agile short take-off and landing(STOL) planes.

The majority of the landing strips here weresimple grass or shale strips on the top ofmountain ridges, usually banked by steep dropscovered in dense trees. We experienced somethrilling scenery and breath taking views. We werein the tropics yet still flew high enough to seesnow on top of glaciers!

My most exhilarating experience came when wewere filming on one particular strip at Pogapa (inNabire) and upon landing it was clear that therewere two crashed planes there already. They werea long time crashed but the logistical implicationsof removing them was difficult and expensive sothey remained where they were. The contrastbetween the technology and complex flyinginstruments in the planes against the relativelybasic way the indigenous Papuans appeared tolive was stark.

It was the time of the Indonesian nationalelections and a large number of local Papuans haddescended upon Pogapa to vote, talk andcelebrate. Many people from different tribes wereall mixing together. We filmed what we neededto, most notably with the only white man thatlived there full time, a man named John Cuttswho grew up in the area and whose firstlanguage was ‘Moni’, the local tribal tongue.

As we were about to leave Pogapa there was asense of commotion and the locals startedrunning in all directions – including towards us.Accusations of vote rigging between differentfactions had led to a tense face off. At the adviceof our pilot, we ran back to the plane and readiedourselves to leave. Men, women and boys were allgripping rocks in their hands ready to use as

weapons. The runway was scattered with people,but in a scene reminiscent of an Indiana Jonesfilm, we boarded the Porter and hurtled down therunway and were up in the air before we neededto call upon our hostile environment training skills.

Ten and a half weeks had passed since we arrivedin Indonesia and we’d seen a lot of places andpeople but somehow we’d saved the best bit untillast: filming from plane to plane.

Having made our way to Wamena in the Papuanhighlands – which would be our final filmingdestination of the trip, and with the help of thegreat Susi Air pilots there, we had 20 minutes inwhich to shoot our ‘plane to plane’ shots. Thismeant Steve would go up in one plane, theCaravan, and I would go up in the Porter. Once inthe air, we’d communicate with the pilots andtake turns to get shots of each plane.

Once Steve had what he needed, it was time forme to film the Caravan from the Porter andhaving strapped myself in with the safety strapsnice and tightly, I got the OK from the pilot toopen the door on the left. The Porter has slidingdoors that should have made things easy only Icouldn’t lean forward far enough to reach thehandle. With the clock ticking I decided to loosenoff the safety straps that which enabled me tolean forward, release the handle and slide thedoor back.

The door was is about 120cm in length so thereis a huge void once it is open. With undulatingjungle 500ft below passing by very quickly I gaveSteve the cue and the Caravan moved in toposition for me to get my shots. Holding a steadyshot was difficult however… but achievable, andwe managed a couple of take-off and landingswith the door open too – a thrilling experience!

All in all, our filming trip was one that won’t beforgotten easily.

Worst Place to be a Pilot is available now on 4OD.

Find out more information and keep upto date with Mark Challender and his

television projects at:www.markchallender.co.uk

or on Twitter: @MarkChallender

38

In recent years, they've recovered climbers (andsheep) from precipitous crags, reunited lostwalkers with their friends and ensured injured andsick casualties have been treated and transportedinto vital hospital care.

They've searched for and found missing childrenand vulnerable adults, on and off the hills, whilstadministering sympathetic support to theirfamilies.

They've searched river banks and swift water,aiding swimmers and kayakers – and a few whoclearly never intended to get wet.

And they've gone out in all weathers, in thetoughest of conditions to all manner ofinaccessible places to do what they were set up todo – to rescue.

All this while continuing to practice, train andhone their skills in first aid and casualty care,technical ropework, water rescue and searchmanagement and maintaining their bases,equipment and vehicles – not to mention takingtime to maintain their own fitness and to raisevital funds to keep this service going.

They are Mountain Rescue andtheir work is about so much more than mountains.There are over 60 Mountain Rescue teams acrossEngland and Wales, divided into 9 regions andwith one umbrella organisation, Mountain Rescue

On call, 24 hours aday, 365 days a year

Feature supplied by Mountain RescuePhoto Credits Neil Hoyter & Paul Burke

On call, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year

39

England and Wales (MREW). There are specialistsearch dog and cave rescue units under the samenational umbrella and teams range from Cornwalland Exmoor in the south to Cleveland and Penrithin the north. With over 3500 volunteer membersand a network of supporters and fundraisers, theservice is completely free to the rescued andcompletely voluntary too.

That puts a lot of pressure on fundraising as itcosts from £20k to £50k per year to run a localteam.

Neil Hayter is the National Fundraising Officer(and a member of Edale MRT): “We are verydependent on supporters who raise money for usand also very grateful to our employers whoenable us to respond to calls for help no matterhow inconvenient it might be.”

“Lots of people raise money for their local teamand that’s essential for every one of us. We alsohave some great national supporters of MREW,including GO Outdoors and several equipmentand outdoor clothing manufacturers, who enableus to build awareness right across the country andto access the best kit available.”

MREW is also actively involved in lobbyinggovernment for financial support and taxexemptions to keep costs down. Mike France isChairman of MREW (and a member ofWoodhead MRT): “I spend quite a bit of time ontrains to and from London, keeping in touch withthe All Party Parliamentary Group that supportsthe rescue services and making sure that keypeople are aware of the needs of mountain rescueand its voluntary status. It’s paying off as theTreasury now understands our situation and we have benefited in recent funding decisions butwe still need the support of every person whoenjoys the hills to make sure that the servicesurvives and thrives.”

If you’re not close to a particular Mountain Rescueteam, the best way to become a supporter is tojoin Basecamp. You’ll be supporting MREW andyou’ll receive the quarterly Mountain Rescuemagazine and other benefits too. Check outwww.mountain.rescue.org.uk/basecamp.

Advice for the winter months ahead:

Take a torch

Whenever you’re out and about, but particularlyas the nights draw in, make sure that you have atorch (and batteries) so that you can get yourselfdown from the hills if darkness falls sooner thanyou expect.

Be prepared

If it’s cool and a bit frosty in the valleys, it is almostcertainly icy underfoot and cold with strongerwinds on the tops. Take crampons and an ice axe ifit is at all snowy – and know how to use them –and keep spare food and a hot drink in your pack.

Charge your mobile

No one in mountain rescue would recommendrelying on apps for navigation but your mobilecan still be invaluable in an emergency. Calling forhelp can be more immediate (999 and ask for thePolice) and the latest technology means that yoursmartphone may help rescuers to locate you too.But it all relies on a signal and on the battery somake sure that you have the back up of a torchand a whistle.

AccessibleAdventure

Written by Robin Ashcroft.Photo Credit Robin Ashcroft

A far-flung journey need not be a pre-requisite for adventure.

Robin Ashcroft looks at how to get the adventurous best from thecompact, but perfectly formed and surprisingly varied wilderness of theEnglish Lake District.

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Accessible Adventure

It is often said that ‘familiarity breeds contempt’ –well this has proved not to be the case in mypersonal relationship with the Lake District.Having the good fortune to have travelled to far-flung wilderness, I still remain inspired by whatthe Lakes inspirational landscape continues toshow me year-after-year.

Historically, the Lake District crags were thebirthplace of rock climbing as a distinct pursuit.While many of the early, classic climbs don’tfeature in the modern, technical climbing fashionthey still have a lot to offer, especially if you arelooking for a day’s multi-pitch expedition that willsee you summit as well. Conveniently they can bedefined as ‘mountaineering rock climbs’.

Climbing Scafell Pike’s Grooved Arête will takeyou close to England’s highest peak. Despite thepopularity, which comes with this peak’s status, itis still a wild, lonely place, imparting a sense ofthe high mountains. This summit buttressingclimb, while graded at a modest ‘Hard VeryDifficult’, is satisfyingly remote, committing andlong. It makes for a very full day!

At a lower grade both Dow Crag’s ‘C’ Ordinaryand Devil’s Crawl are multi-pitch, committing andexposed, but go at an accommodating grade of‘Difficult’ (but have stings in their tails when wet).Pushing the grade further to ‘Severe’, Arête,Chimney and Crack is also another satisfyinglyextended and even more exposed route. Theledge that is Gordon and Craig’s Traverse follows

a remarkably accommodating line that neverthelessleads you out, into a steep and hugely exposedsituation – with a very adventurous drop beneathyour feet - giving access to a soaring crack-linethat boldly goes direct to Dow’s well definedsummit. It is the stuff of dreams and there are lotsmore routes like these on other Lakeland cliffs.

In its fullest sense ‘mountaineering’ encompassesclimbing on rock, snow and ice and even withclimate change there’s seldom a shortage of thelatter two during a typical Lakeland winter.Helvellyn always sees the season’s most consistentsnow cover, the massif is transforming into a trulyalpine crucible. The classic course is the traverse ofStriding and Swirral Edges (although I recommendSwirral as the ascent). This is traditional, albeitlower grade alpinism. More technical ambitionscould see you on the three gully climbs graded atI, II and III, which rise above Red Tarn and upHelvellyn’s East Face, taking a direct line throughits rock band before leading to the airy snowfieldbelow the summit plateau .

Helvellyn is not the only mountain that readilylends itself to winter mountaineering – althoughthe easterly fells are, typically a better bet thanthose towards the coast. Blencathra has its aptlynamed Sharp Edge – a consummate rock arête that,under winter conditions, has made experiencedalpinists wish they’d brought a rope. And HallsfellRidge should not – for both quality and exposure- be dismissed too lightly either.

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Accessible Adventure

For very accessible water ice adventure look nofurther than the icefalls of Red Screes. Incredibly,just twenty minutes from the Kirkstone Inn carparks, you’ll find stunning ice formations.

Alpinism isn’t just about climbing, and many ofthe Lakeland fells readily lend themselves to bothalpine ski mountaineering and Nordic ski touring.The Helvellyn massif is well favoured for the skier,not least because of the excellent ski tow and hut- of the “Lake District Ski Club” on Raise. Butrather than letting this lift served piste seduce you,use it as a warm up and way station for wider skitouring adventures. A full traverse of the range –from Dollywagon Pike in the south to Great Doddin the north – is a great expedition.

Magnificent ski touring can be found on many ofthe classic Lake District fell walking rounds – theKentmere Round and the Fairfield Horseshoespring to mind. With a good fall of snow theLakeland forests – much of it readily accessibleForestry Commission woodland – lends itself toclassic Nordic cross-country touring. The foresttracks, paths and breaks lend themselves to‘skinny skis’ and there are few things moremagical than ‘langlaugh’ through the stillness ofsnow covered trees.

There’s more to the Lake District than mountains– otherwise it wouldn’t be called the Lake District!A kayak, or ideally a Canadian canoe, opens upthe riverine network that connects lake with riverand then lake again. Borrowdale’s River Derwentis an accessible paddle past a marvellous backdrop

of old growth woodland and towering rock – butthe paddling is ‘grade 1’.

A more exciting river trip - which at ‘grade 3’ willstretch your skills in a Canadian canoe – is adescent of the River Rothay. The wild water startsas soon as you leave Grasmere, but there’s achance to catch your breath as you paddle RydalWater, before to taking on the ‘grade 3’ water atPelter Bridge rapids. The river empties intoWindermere and it’s readily possible to overnightat the National Trust campsite at Wray beforefinishing off the trip with a full paddle along thelength of England’s largest lake.

Outside the Lake District, but still in Cumbria isthe River Lune, suitable for both Canadian canoes

and river running kayaks - the Lune Gorge has a stunning wilderness feel. In contrast the rapidsby Kirkby Lonsdale couldn’t be more convenientto access.

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For the kayaker, Keswick’s River Greta, ConistonWater’s River Crake, the test section of Windermere’sRiver Leven and the River Brathay all provide goodquality ‘grade 3’ paddling. All can be more seriousat high water levels and Skelwith Force on theBrathay and Backbarrow Bridge Falls on the Leven,are way above the grading for their parent rivers.For those looking for urban adventure, then thetown section of the River Kent is easily accessedand a novel alternative to shopping in Kendal.

There’s a popular misnomer that – for the seakayaker - Cumbria’s coast is the very poor relationof the Lake District’s interior. Certainly it’s not asspectacular as the West Coast of Scotland – fewcoastlines are – but it has some interestingsections. Rounding the magnificent sandstone ofSt Bees Head is a committing adventure byanybody’s standard.

The inland seas of Morecambe Bay, Ravenglassand The Solway all provide fascinating paddling,created by sand banks and tidal flow. Here it’s seatof the pants navigation as the shifting sands andmeandering channels make the Admiralty Chart and Tidal Flow Atlas of little use. A set ofTide Tables will, however, help you sniff outinteresting tidal conditions as the sea sweeps overthe sands creating fascinating standing waves andtidal bores.

The first Englishman to climb Everestonce told me that his definition of anadventure

‘was a journey withouta certain outcome’. Well those can be found throughoutCumbria and all are accessible in aweekend.

Accessible Adventure

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A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

Summit Clothing can boast that it is the onlyonline Social retailer in the outdoor market,manned completely by volunteers, who pledgearound 50% of their profits to outdoors charitiesand social projects.

However, turning traditional business models ontheir head, Summit Clothing has just launchedtheir most recent and exciting project that really ismaking both consumers and charities stand upand take notice.

Summit Clothing knows that lots of its customerbase already takes part in charity walks, treks or climbs to raise huge sums of money for their chosen charities. In order to complete these amazing adventures Summit Clothing hasrecognised that the participant needs to have thecorrect outdoor gear and many purchase thisthrough their online store or through anotheroutdoor retailer.

So in addition to the amazing fund raising workSummit Clothing has already done, they nowwant to go one step further and help youcomplete your fantastic challenges by rebating10% of the profit from your spend in their online

store to your fundraising page on the VirginMoney or Just Giving platform.

Summit Clothing told us that they understand thehard work and sacrifice people put in to maximisetheir fundraising efforts and the expenditure onequipment can sometimes make this feel like areal ‘uphill’ struggle, therefore they want to makesure that all consumers can maximise thisopportunity to boost their fundraising potentialno matter how big or small the purchase.

In order to qualify for a 10% rebate, all SummitClothing asks is that you simply add your VirginMoney or Justgiving address into the commentsbox when placing your order online.

One satisfied customer, Linda Wales, told us"Summit Clothing was probably one of the bestservice experiences I've ever received from anyretailer. To then receive a donation from SummitClothing to my charity event out of the profitsmade was over and above the service I'd expectand I will never forget their generosity. What anamazing gesture and an amazing service."

In order to buy your new kit and raise money for your chosen charity then just visit www.summitclothing.co.uk

Summit in sight for charity giving

ADVERTORIAL

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Gear Test

Written by Andy Rowland. Photo Credit Andy RowlandGEAR TEST

Biolite Camp Stove with Kettle Pot:

As a long time user of a compact lightweight gasstove for backpacking and having had nocomplaints to date I was somewhat skeptical butcertainly intrigued by the Biolite system.

The stove packs into the kettle and this packs veryneatly into a stuff sac. Together they weigh 1.4Kg which is not the lightest.

We found that the stove is very simple toassemble and use even in poor light. Once thewood is alight in the stove you start the fan andafter a short time the fire takes and is quitespectacular and cheering in the dark.

At this point we added the kettle with 2 litres ofwater to boil.

It took around 20 minutes to boil the water, whichisn’t bad for 2 litres and I was able to give myphone a quick top-up while cooking.

We were all impressed by the stove and the littleamount of fuel actually required. It did its job andprovided a degree of theatre and warmth on adark mountain top. I’m not sure how the Biolitewould fare in more extreme weather conditionsbut we all agreed we really enjoyed using thissystem and are impressed with its performance.

LYO Expedition Food from Basecamp Food:

We had a selection of main meals (includingvegetarian options), breakfasts and dried fruit.The food comes packed in a foil pouch whichtears open easily by pulling a tab on the side.

You simply add boiling water and reseal using azip lock closure. After standing the food is eatenstraight from the bag before resealing ready to bepacked away and disposed of later. It's very simpleand works brilliantly.

All the meals tasted exceptionally good, Petecommented that he would have been happy if hisPork Stew had been served in his favourite pub!

The dried fruit could be picked at and resealedthrough the day and again tasted great. I haveused hydrated meals in the past and stopped dueto the excessive weight and bulk. LYO expeditionmeals are light to carry, compact, simple to use,high calorie and most of all very, very tasty.

The gear test took part during a two-day trekand wild camp in North Wales in late August2014. The camp was on an exposedmountaintop in mild, calm and dry weather.Our three gear test criteria are simple and wereview each product against them: Did itwork? Did we like it? Would we use it again?

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Tech Spec

TECH SPEC

Biolite Camp Stove with Kettle Pot

Packed Size:

Height 8.25” / Width 5”.

Fuel:

Renewable biomass (twigs, pinecones, woodpellets, etc.).

Fire Power Output:

Peak: 3.4 kW (LO), 5.5 kW (HI).

USB Power Output:

Max continuous: 2W @5V, Peak: 4W @5V.

Compatible Devices:

Powers most USB-chargeable devices includingsmartphones.

Charging Time:

Phone 4S (2G): 20 minutes of chargingprovides 60 minutes of talk time. Chargingtimes vary by device and by strength of fire.

Boil Time:

4.5 minutes to boil 1 litre of water. Variesbased on strength of fire.

Fuel Quantity:

1.6oz (46g) of wood to boil 1 litre of water.

LYO Expedition Food from Basecamp Food

• Award winning LYO Expedition freeze dried meals

• Lightweight

• High energy

• Long shelf life

• 100% natural ingredients

• No preservatives or artificial additives

• Easy to prepare

• Large selection of breakfasts, main meals and deserts available

For further details on our Gear Test,please visit our website:www.exploringmagazine.co.uk/blog

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You may remember in edition 3 of ExploringMagazine we told you all about Alex Staniforthwho was aiming to become the youngest Britonto climb Mount Everest via the South East Ridge.

Alex was forced to cancel his attempt in April thisyear after a huge avalanche on Everest killed 16Nepalese guides and political strife brought theclimbing season to an early end, the biggesttragedy in Everest history.

Whilst Alex is upset that he never got to climb themajestic mountain, he hasn’t wasted thisopportunity and has instead thrown himself intowriting a book and single-handedly raisingsponsorship to fund his new goal to climb Everestin 2015.

In order to ensure Alex makes it back out to Everestin 2015 he has come up with a new challengewhich aims to raise £50,000 for the Sherpacommunity by completing a series of seven ultra-endurance challenges, dubbed the #EPIC7.

So far Alex’s #EPIC7 has seen him cycle fromChester to the French Alps. He rode unsupportedand covered nearly 900 miles from the city ofChester to Chamonix in under 7 days.

Prior to this Alex had already completed two otherof his #EPIC7 challenges: the first was a 115-mileFred Whitton Cycling Sportive and then hecompleted the Welsh 3000’s walk. By doing thisAlex became the youngest person ever tocomplete it solo, another feat to be added to animpressive portfolio of achievements.

Alex has overcome a number of childhoodchallenges - epilepsy, bullying, depression,stammering - and is ready to take on more toinspire other young people to discover theirpotential and find their Everest in life.

Alex said: ‘’It’s so rewarding to achieve my ownpotential whilst making a positive difference tothe world- I’m passionate about giving back andafter the tragic events of 2014 which unfoldedjust one day before I arrived at base camp,supporting the amazing Sherpa community byfundraising for the Himalayan Trust couldn’t be abetter cause’’

He is also being encouraged in his Everest andEPIC7 challenges by some of the UK’s topmountaineers and explorers including Sir ChrisBonington and Sir Ranulph Fiennes.

Phoenix Rises Written in conjunction with Alex StaniforthPhoto Credit Alex Staniforth

Anyone who wishes to donate to Alex’s charity can visit www.justgiving.com/EPIC7 and visit his website www.alexstaniforth.com

With this year’s festival season a complete washout for me due to health issues, I was so excitedwhen we were invited to the Basecamp Festivalon Saturday 6th of September 2014 in the PeakDistrict. The festival had been described as aweekend of “mini adventures” so I definitely hada sense that the best things had come to thosewho wait.

As we drove excitedly through the quaintDerbyshire village of Darley, full of anticipation ofwhat our Saturday would hold, we eagerlydiscussed the line-up of events and how on earthwe were going to fit it all in.

As we made our way there, we were suddenlystopped by some temporary traffic lights nestledaway in the winding roads. The lights teasinglyturned green and then they beckoned us forward,allowing access to the grounds of Sabine Hay.As we drove through the majestic pillars, before us lay a land engulfed by a sea of tents...we had arrived!

The first thing our eyes were drawn to as weentered the main ground was the 7 metre mobile

climbing wall which dominated the sky line as aqueue of eager climbers waited patiently in linefor their go. Peeking out from behind the climbingwall was a huge yellow boat, as we took a walkcloser to the boat we saw that it harboured thescars of adventure and then as the writing on theside of the boat became visible we realised thatthis is the actual boat that Dr Mark du Rond andAnton Wright used to achieve their recordbreaking row of the Amazon in 2013. It was atthis moment that we were sure that this was afestival organised by those who loved adventurefor those who loved adventure: this made us feelright at home.

One BigAdventure

Written by Lynne Edwards. Photo Credit Belinda Kirk ,

Chris Jewell and Chris Peerman

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AND FINALLY...

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With no shortage of activities to undertake, suchas slacklining with Niall McCann, Caving withChris Jewell, Bushcraft workshops, Photographyworkshops, Cycling Tour Workshops or a GuidedWalk we were spoilt for choice of how to spendour day.

In the end we settled for The Expedition Planningworkshop, led by the wonderfully entertainingAndy Torbet. We joined the large group of fellowadventurers gathered in the main stage to listento Andy take us through the essential planningtools needed to organise and execute anexpedition regardless of location.

Following a hot cup of tea and a sandwich, whilstlistening to the lunchtime entertainment, wedecided to hang round the huge camp fire basedbang in the middle of all the action and this iswhere we met loads of like-minded people all happy to share their adventure stories, hopesand aspirations, yet our quiet chats weredisturbed by the loud chants coming from thecaving tunnels nearby.

Excitement had been building in these tunnels allmorning as the participant’s competitive streakshit their peak and everyone was eager to see ifthey could get round the cave system in recordtime. We stood for a while debating whether or

not we should have a go, but decided we wouldonly make fools of ourselves and thought it bestleave it to the young and agile.

For us the afternoon led into a wonderful series oftalks by industry professionals. Austin Vince talkedus through how to make a quality adventure filmin the film making workshop, Phoebe Smithinspired us all to want to become travel writersand eventually have a job as cool as hers beingthe editor of Wanderlust Magazine and then allthis was rounded off, by our wonderful editor,Dale Templar, sharing her stories of what it takesto make some of the most prestigious awardwinning adventure TV series.

Unfortunately that was it for us and as the crowdsgathered round the camp fire and the smell ofhog roast filled the air we knew it was time for usto say our goodbyes so we could get home intime to tuck our children up in bed.

We climbed back into our car, disappointed thatwe wouldn't be sharing a few beers and a chatwith our new found friends, before snuggling upin our tent, but we vowed that next year we willbook a babysitter and stay for the weekendbecause believe us, Basecamp Festival is one thatis not to be missed.

One Big Adventure

JOHNNY HAGLUND

bergans.comEKSTREM TURGLEDE

BERGANS OF NORWAY HAS BEEN DRIVEN BY DEDICATED AND PASSIONATE OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS FOR OVER A CENTURY. WITH THE NORWEGIAN WILDERNESS AS OUR PLAYGROUND AND SEASONED POLAR EXPLORERS AND ADVENTURERS ON OUR TEAM, WE CREATE TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE GARMENTS AND HIGH QUALITY OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT. ALWAYS AIMING TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE ULTIMATE OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE – REGARDLESS OF SEASON AND ACTIVITY.

BERGANS OF NORWAY - AVAILABLE WITHIN OUR LAKE DISTRICT AMBLESIDE STORE, VISIT AT:

Stewart R. Cunningham1-3 Rydal Road, Ambleside LA22 9ANTel: 015394 32636 www.srcunningham.co.uk