Explorers - Geographical

Lake Victoria in Uganda, traditionally thought of as the source of the Nile

Explorers

The unsettling sources of the Nile

Jul 13, 2016

Written by Christopher Ondaatje

The commonly held view of Lake Victoria as the source of the world’s longest river isn’t as clear cut as many would believe. Renowned explorer, author and philanthropist, Sir Christopher Ondaatje, sets out a case for looking further afield

Over five weeks Fearghal and Temujin hitched, trekked and paddled their way along the water-course

Explorers

Bolivia: Weaving along the Desaguadero

Jul 04, 2016

Written by Fearghal O’Nuallain

For geography teacher and adventurer Fearghal O’Nuallain, it took local knowledge and an acceptance of the unknown to make it along Bolivia’s 200-mile river in one piece

Many parts of the Nagorno-Karabakh region seem devoid of human life

Explorers

The politics of trekking

Jun 06, 2016

Written by Frank Middleton

Prior to the recent unrest in the Nagorno-Karabakh region in the Lesser Caucasus, writer and filmmaker Frank Middleton encountered first-hand the intricate negotiations involved in simply going for a walk

Built in 1842, the Croton aqueduct was New York’s first major water-supply tunnel

Explorers

Spelunking under New York

May 20, 2016

Written by Steve Duncan

Spelunking? It’s what we would call caving or potholing. And urban spelunking is what it sounds like: exploring cities’ underground infrastructures. Steve Duncan describes the highs and lows, and outlines the kit you’ll need to mount your own metropolitan subterranean…

George Marston painting depicting Shackleton and the James Caird landing on South Georgia

Explorers

ON THIS DAY: 1916, Shackleton arrives on South Georgia

May 10, 2016

Written by Chris Fitch

Striking out in a dangerous attempt to communicate their perilous situation to the outside world, Ernest Shackleton takes a small crew in a lifeboat and sets off on a 750-mile journey from Elephant Island to South Georgia

Mark Dravers, Skip Novak and David McMeeking on the previously untrodden summit of Thalassa in September 2014

Explorers

In the Footsteps of Shackleton

May 02, 2016

Written by Stephen Venables

Ahead of a return to South Georgia later this year, legendary mountaineer Stephen Venables looks back on his previous recreations of Shackleton’s famous Antarctic crossing 100 years ago

Explorers

How to create a national hiking trail

Apr 28, 2016

Written by Chris Fitch

The 2016 Land Rover Bursary Expedition has commenced, scouting out a route for the first Transcaucasian hiking trail, stretching across Georgia and Armenia

Breathless at the top of Dunga La pass, Tibet

Explorers

Around the world on a penny farthing

Apr 20, 2016

Written by Joff Summerfield

Inspired by the Victorian adventurers, Joff Summerfield decided to circumnavigate the globe on that most impractical-looking of all bicycles

The ‘Dudley Docker’ reaches Cape Valentine on Elephant Island

Explorers

ON THIS DAY: 1916, Shackleton arrives on Elephant Island

Apr 15, 2016

Written by Chris Fitch

After months stranded on Antarctic ice, the crew of the wrecked Endurance finally took to the sea and set a desperate course for solid land

Jonny and his team approaching the Thuli Bheri River ahead of their kayaking expedition

Explorers

The day the Himalaya shook

Apr 04, 2016

Written by Jonny Hawkins

A planned kayaking expedition in Nepal took on a whole new dimension for Jonny Hawkins when he found himself caught in the devastating Gorkha earthquake. Thoughts of exploration soon turned to helping those in need

Explorers

In Amundsen’s footsteps

Apr 01, 2016

Written by Chris Fitch

Team completes historic Arctic expedition recreation from Canada to Alaska

Explorers

Plant pots and pebble storms

Mar 18, 2016

Written by Martin Hartley

Renowned photographer Martin Hartley recalls his part in an expedition to make the first snowboard descent of Klyuchevskaya Sopka, the highest active volcano in Eurasia

Many parts of the GR10 route remain secluded spots of natural beauty

Explorers

Ultralight across the Pyrenees

Mar 07, 2016

Written by Paul Deegan

When a back injury threatened to derail Paul Deegan’s attempt to traverse the Pyrenees on foot, he re-evaluated every item in his rucksack. Would an obsession with item weight and Olympic-level techniques be enough to see him through?

Rob carrying his porter load standing in front of Ama Dablam

Explorers

Head down on top of the world: Life as a Himalayan Sherpa

Feb 24, 2016

Written by Rob Fraser

Porters are often the unsung heroes of a Himalayan expedition, hefting vital equipment and making a trekker’s dream become reality. Rob Fraser decided to find out what life as a Sherpa really entails and whether a 51-year-old westerner could carry…

For Sean Conway, entering the unknown just made him all the more determined to prove it could be done

Explorers

Swimming Britain

Feb 13, 2016

Written by Sean Conway

The route from Land’s End to John o’Groats has been conquered overland many times, but it has never been swum...

Explorers

Walking home from Mongolia

Written by Rob Lilwall

Former geography teacher Rob Lilwall recounts his 4,500-kilometre walk from the Gobi Desert to Hong Kong, the equivalent of hiking from Birmingham to Tehran

Explorers

Crossing the Empty Quarter: Week 7

Jan 29, 2016

Written by Mark Evans

Weekly updates from explorer Mark Evans as he attempts to retrace Bertram Thomas’ footsteps and cross the largest sand desert in the world – the Rub al Khali, from Salalah in Oman, to Doha in Qatar. This week: journey’s end

Explorers

Crossing the Empty Quarter: Week 6

Jan 22, 2016

Written by Mark Evans

Weekly updates from explorer Mark Evans as he attempts to retrace Bertram Thomas’ footsteps and cross the largest sand desert in the world – the Rub al Khali, from Salalah in Oman, to Doha in Qatar. This week: socks, frisky…