felicityaston
expeditions.speaking.writing
Latest News
400 Seconds
Wednesday 23rd June 2010
A few weeks ago I was challenged to speak in the Pech Kucha format (talking to 20 slides which each appear for only 20 seconds - no going back, no going forward, no stopping) for the 'Night of Adventure' event organised by Alastair Humphreys in aid of Hope and Homes for Children. There were some 16 speakers, talking about a variety of adventures and sports. It was a great event which, most importantly, raised nearly £10,000 for the very deserving charity.
You can take a look at my 400 second talk, below, or browse all the talks on Alastair's website.
Pecha Kucha: Felicity Aston. Commonwealth Women's South Pole Expedition. www.felicityaston.com from Alastair Humphreys on Vimeo.
Join the Scott100 celebrations
Tuesday 15th June 2010
The infamous Terra Nova Expedition led by Captain Robert Falcon Scott took place between 1910 and 1913. Although Scott and his companions didn't reach the South Pole until January 1912 (and subsequently died a few months later on the return journey), the centenary celebrations of their remarkable journey have already begun. Captain Scott and his crew on board the Terra Nova departed from Cardiff heading for Antarctica exactly 100 years ago today and so there was considerable excitement in Cardiff this weekend as three years of centenary celebrations were kicked off by a round of events. On Saturday I attended a dinner held in the same room Scott used for his farewell dinner and on Sunday I visited the HMS Scott which had come to Cardiff especially to mark the centenary.
If you would like to know more about events being held across the country to mark the centenary of Scott's Terra Nova expedition go to the Scott100 site run by the Scott Polar Research Intstitute which provides listings.
Lunchtime Lectures in Cardiff Bay
Monday 31st May 2010
If you live or work in the Cardiff Bay area you should take a look at Lunchtime Adventures - a series of lectures from polar adventurers and enthusiasts, historians and artists organised by local polar expert Jim Mayer. The lectures are held in the Norwegian Church and cost just ?2. Bargain!
Commonwealth Competitions 2010
Wednesday 31st March 2010
If you are under 30 and have a creative spark, a unique insight or a new idea, take a look at three annual competitions run by the Royal Commonwealth Society for young people. The Commonwealth Essay Competition is looking for compositions, be it an essay, a play or a poem, focused on the theme: Science, Technology and Society. The Commonwealth Photographic Award asks for images on the same theme and the Commonwealth Vision Awards would like to see 30-90 second films from aspiring young filmakers. Prizes include ?1000 seed grant, camera equipment, training workshops with leading experts and a chance to see your work exhibited around the world.
Celebrating Captain Scott in Cardiff
Tuesday 22nd March 2010
January 2012 will mark the centenary of Captain Scott reaching the South Pole but the commemorations of his legendary journey begin this summer. To mark 100 years since the departure from Cardiff of Scott's ship, the SS Terra Nova, for Antarctica in June 1910, the British Antarctic Monument Trust are holding a fundraising lecture at the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff. On Saturday 12th June at 2.30pm I will be speaking about my recent South Pole expedition along with Dr David Wilson, great nephew of Edward Wilson (one of Scott's companions to the South Pole) and leading Antarctic Scientist Dr Julian Paren. Tickets cost ?10 and can be bought in advance by emailing briand_b@hotmail.co.uk or calling 01923 447422.
Pecha Kucha
Friday 19th March 2010
Pecha Kucha means 'Chit Chat' in Japanese and is a presentation format in which each speaker is allowed 20 slides that scroll automatically after 20 seconds. This means that in a single evening an audience gets to hear a lot of speakers talking about a variety of subjects in bitesize chunks. I've just agreed to speak at my first Pecha Kucha which will bring together all sorts of adventurers talking about their latest projects. The event is in aid of Hope and Homes for Children and will take place on May 17th at the Vue Cinema in Leicester Square, London. Tickets are ?20 and can be bought in advance by emailing david.james@hopeandhomes.org or calling 01722 790111. Pecha Kucha website
Say "I Can"
Friday 22nd January 2010
This coming Wednesday (27th January) I will be co-chairing the Equaladventure Lecture at the Royal Geographical Society in London. There is a packed programme of speakers during the evening, all with the aim of providing inspiration, support and guidance to anyone wanting to promote, provide or take part in inclusive sporting and adventurous outdoor activities. Chairing the evening with me will be the awesome Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson and other speakers include Michael McGrath, Major Jim Bonney and Miles Hilton-Barber.
The evening starts at 7pm. Tickets are still available and more information can be found on the Equaladventure website
Good to be Home
Monday 18th January, 2010
I finally made it home from Antarctica last Monday after a series of delays ironically caused by the snow in Europe.
I'm looking forward to getting stuck in to all the post-expedition jobs but my first priorities are sleeping and eating!
Many thanks to everyone who has sent messages and made our return home so incredible - you are all really, really appreciated.
Antarctica
Friday 21st August, 2009
For the last two years I have been working on a project called the Commonwealth Women's Antarctic Expedition. As well as creating
a team, training the team, organising logistics and sourcing kit - a great deal of time has been spent searching for a title sponsor to fund the project.
I am completely delighted to announce that we have found an excellent partner in Kaspersky Lab, the IT security specialist. With their help the
expedition is now scheduled for a November departure this year. With everything that needs to be done in preparation for our departure, I
will have little time to update this website but you can follow the progress of the newly renamed 'Kaspersky Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition' on
our website; www.kasperskycommonwealthexpedition.com. See you there!
Equal Adventure
Friday 31st July, 2009
Much of what I do is aimed at introducing new people to adventure, expeditions and the outdoors. From encouraging more overseas expeditions
for young people as a Councillor of the Young Explorer's Trust to training competitors for the Polar Challenge or going into schools
to talk about aspirations and goal-setting, it is fantastic to see more and more people enabled to have their own life-affirming,
adventurous experience. I strongly believe that, whatever the obstacles, they can usually be overcome by a bit of inventive thinking.
One charity proving this on a daily basis
is Equal Adventure. Set up with the aim of helping people with a wide range of disabilities to gain greater access to adventure sport and
the great outdoors, Equal Adventure provides practical support for individuals and organisations by developing equipment and resources.
Equal Adventure have also led the way in promoting inclusive expeditions and in previous years have helped inclusive teams kayak
The Inside Passage of British Columbia, travel overland through Africa and canoe the length of the Burnside River in Canada's North West Territories
This year a team of 12 disabled and non-disabled adventurers will be setting off to canoe the Yukon in Alaska.
If you would like to get involved, Equal Adventure are currently looking for disabled and non-disabled team members for their 2010
programme involving open canoeing, sea kayaking and hand cycling. If you'd like to know more go to www.equaladventure.org.
I really admire the work of Equal Adventure, especially after my experiences cobbling together vital equipment for the Yippee Timberland Iceland
Expedition and so I am delighted that EA have asked me to become an ambassador to help them promote inclusive adventures. I'm very excited
about working with them in the following months.
Speaking Up For Heroes
Friday 17th July, 2009
Last night I was invited to what turned out to be a very inspiring and thought-provoking event. The evening, held at the
Royal Institution in London to raise money for the charity Help for Heroes involved 5 speakers talking about thier experiences
of heroism - either their own perceived heroism, or those of others. The speakers included Polar Explorer Ben Saunders, Yachtswoman
Dee Caffari and journalist John Simpson. But perhaps the most affecting speaker of the evening was
Phil Packer, who was wounded while serving
in the Army and now wants to help inspire young people with disabilities. This perhaps struck a particular chord with me after
my experiences with the Yippee! Timberland expedition in 2005. It was an honour to see the change that expedition made to everyone
involved, particularly the young people with ABI.
However, the theme of the evening was; How do you define heroism? What makes a hero?
By the end of the evening, the answer seemed to be that we all have the potential to be heroes - it is a matter of making the
desicison to do the right thing when it really matters. Food for thought...
Citizen Science
Thursday 4th June, 2009
Very bizarre to hear a voice I recognized while driving along listening to Radio 4 Yesterday. Paul Rose (my ex-station
commander in Antarctica) was speaking on Radio 4's You and Yours programme about holidays in Britain. In particular he spoke
about Citizen Science - the idea that individuals and families can get involved with real
scientific research during their holidays or spare time.
Paul has a whole section on his website with links to various projects. I had a look on the internet and came up with two more good
resources with plenty of ideas on how to get involved - a BBC Radio 4 site and
a well-run Citizen Science Blog. Projects range from wildlife surveys and comet monitoring to using your computer
to search for alien life.
British Antarctic Monument Trust
Wednesday 22nd April, 2009
I spent 2 1/2 years at Rothera Research Station on the Antarctic Peninsula between 2000 and 2003 as a Meteorologist with the British Antarctic Survey.
My time at Rothera included 2 winters during which the base was completely cut off from the rest of the World. The worst fear of the
small winter team of 20 was that we would have to deal with a serious injury or fatality of one of our number. Thankfully we all returned
home safely but, over the last 70 years, 27 men and women who travelled South to work on Britain's Antarctic stations haven't been as
fortunate.
The British Antarctic Monument Trust aims to commemorate the achievements of all those whose scientific exploration in Antarctica
has led to a new understanding of our planet and to honour those amongst them who did not return. They intend to do this by ensuring
that all the 27 who lost their lives in Antarctica have a geographical feature named after them and by funding a monument in two
parts - one sited in Antarctica and the other in Britain. The monument has been designed by British sculptor Oliver Barratt and can
be seen on the Trust's website.
I believe that paying tribute to these men and women is important as an acknowledgement of the vital nature
of their work as well as a mark of respect. For this reason I was delighted when the Trust invited me to act as an
Ambassador for the British Antarctic Monument Trust. I look forward to helping the Trust find the funds needed to make this fitting
memorial a reality.
www.antarctic-monument.org
Adventure First Aid
Wednesday 15th April, 2009
I'm lucky enough not to suffer too badly from blisters but that doesn't mean
that I haven't had plenty of practise at strapping up feet over the years - not least while completing the Marathon Des
Sables earlier this month. Fortunately, apart from the odd bit of frost nip or dodgy knee, I've never had to face a
serious medical emergency on an expedition. However, good First Aid training is something that I consider essential for
both myself and my team before any expedition. I'm extremely fortunate to have had the support for a number of years
of a First Aid training company that knows all about expeditions and working in remote wilderness locations. Last week I
was invited to take part in the latest course developed by Adventure First Aid. The 4-day Overseas Medical Intervention
course is designed for anyone operating in regions that are days rather than hours from professional healthcare and goes
just a little bit further than conventional first aid courses. Not only did we cover the staples of CPR, shock and the
immediate treatment of common injuries but the course ventured into prolonged casualty care. We
were taught how to monitor vital signs, how to use painkillers and antibiotics effectively, when and how to give IM injections and
fit canulas in order to administer IV drips and to suture wounds. On day 3 we were treated to an outdoor casualty scenario
involving 3 actors. The experience was completely enlightening, even though we all knew it was 'pretend' and a great test of our new skills..
Huge thanks to Guy of Adventure First Aid as well as Dr Ross and both of the Laura's for a really valuable Easter weekend.
Desert Foxes
Monday 23rd March, 2009
This morning I leave for Morocco in preparation to start the Marathon des Sables at the end of the week. Having just spent
a fortnight in Norway at sub-zero temperatures I need to do some serious acclimatisation to the heat!
I'm very glad to have the company of the rest of the team, not least, my sister Alex. Not only is it a confidence boost to be surrounded
by a team of friends, I'm also sure that we will keep each other going when we each hit those difficult moments.
Thank you to everyone who has offered advice, encouragement and support - not least Barney at Sundog, James at Xsocks
and Rob at SheRunsHeRuns in Bluewater.
Sahara Desert - here we come!
Cold Snap
Wednesday 28th January, 2009
As the temperatures here in the UK begin to warm up, it's worth noting what is happening at either end of our planet. The Arctic
Sea Ice has been in the news a lot recently but if you'd like to see for yourself what is going on - you don't have to look further than
the good old internet. Antarctic veteran John Smith told me about the AMSR-E sea ice maps
which give daily sea ice concentrations
in both the Arctic and Antarctica.
The site has all sorts of sea ice information but the really fascinating bit is the animation of sea ice concentrations since 2003. The 3-minute
movie takes a few seconds to download but watching the hypnotic growth and disintigration of sea ice - particularly over the Arctic Ocean - is worth
the wait. It also leaves a rather scarey image for the future of the Arctic.
The Foxes Return
Tuesday 20th January, 2009
In 2006 I formed a 4-woman expedition team, called the Arctic Foxes, to cross the Greenland Ice Sheet. Last year part of the team
reformed and crossed Lake Baikal as the Siberian Foxes [you can now read a full account of our adventures on the Siberian Foxes
website] but this year, as a slightly altered team of 4, the Foxes are back!
In March the Desert Foxes will be traveling to the Sahara to take part in the 24th Marathon Des Sables. I can honestly say that
no previous trip has struck as much pure terror into my heart as the thought of this one. You can read more about the challenge that
lies ahead (and why I'm so nervous) on the Desert Foxes website.
To prepare for this monster of all endurance events, the Desert Foxes got together at the weekend to run the Thames Tow Path Ultra -
a 50 mile run from Reading to London alongside the River Thames. I made 30 miles before deciding to stop after an ominous twinge in my knee
but I'm really proud of the other Foxes who went on to complete 40 and 50 miles - well done you's!
Tactics of Hope
Tuesday 29th December, 2008
New Year is a convenient time-mark for taking stock and reassessing progress - not just in our own lives but also in the
World around us. However, with so much hype and misinformation it can be hard to get a clear picture of the true state of the
World today and even harder to see how we, as individuals, can make a real and measurable difference. I've spent time this
week looking at two websites that go some way to solving both these problems.
The first is an initiative by the Royal
Geographical Society. 21st Century Challenges is a website intended to improve
public understanding and engagement with some of the key issues facing Britain and the World in the coming decades by providing
'independent, unbiased, reliable, up to date information and guidance'. The issues discussed range from housing and
immigration to Climate Change and Africa. The information on the site is supplemented with expert discussions, a programme of talks at the RGS
and extracts from the media.
Aiming to turn 'concern to passion to action' Tactics of Hope
is a resource that promotes
social entrepreneurship. The website not only provides inspirational case studies and links to useful organisations but it also has
a unique online tool that allows you to connect with organisations working in the area of your interest. The website is a practical
first step towards making a difference and could provide a new direction for your New Year's Resolution.
Family
Tuesday 23rd December, 2008
As most people prepare for a big family Christmas this week, would you like to find out whereabouts in the World your
extended family might have ended up? Or get a clue as to where your family came from in the first place?
I found the fascinating Worldnames Project recently and spent hours looking up various family names with some
surprising results - definitely worth a look.
Inspirational Reads
Tuesday 9th December, 2008
Years ago I read Ellen MacArthur's book 'Taking on the World'. Like many people, I found it had a huge impact on me, despite
having no previous interest in sailing. At the time I was working hard to find sponsorship for a race across the Arctic. It was
stressful and emotional and really, really hard work. I often wondered if I was completely mad putting myself through such an
ordeal. Reading about someone who saw the World in the same way, who had been through similar experiences and come
out the other end successful gave me motivation.
I'm a voracious reader and collector of other people's stories but nothing I read since had quite the same impact. But now,
I have found a book that I know is going to be as pivotal for me as 'Taking on the World' but for quite different reasons. I had
never heard of American long-distance swimmer Lynne Cox before I started reading her book 'Swimming to Antarctica' but her
achievements are quite beyond belief. Her story has reminded me why we should strive and take risks and never, ever give up.
If you get the chance - read it!
National Tree Week
Sunday 30th November, 2008
You may never have heard of it before but the 26th November to 7th December has been designated National Tree Week
in the UK since 1975. It was originally intended to launch the start of the tree planting season but has grown into the UK's
largest tree celebration. The Tree Council website has a list of events taking place all over the UK from tree planting drives to
tree appreciation walks but if you'd like to celebrate National Tree Week by planting your own tree, you can have a ready-to-plant
sapling delivered to your door by tree2mydoor.com. You can choose from a range of
native trees including rowan, holly and beech.
Spreading the tree-love further afield, the International Tree Foundation is a UK charity that works to promote trees all over the World
from mangrove restoration in Thailand to erosion control in Rwanda.
So as you contemplate buying this year's Christmas Tree why not also contemplate buying your folks a ready-to-plant sapling for
Christmas!
Explore
Monday 24th November, 2008
Explore is the annual expedition and fieldwork planning seminar held at the RGS in London. I went along
on Saturday and, as always, came away with my head full of new ideas and a back pocket full of business cards.
Every year I hear about loads of new and exciting projects that are either being planned or taking place. This year
I came away particularly inspired by Andy Pag's overland journeys
using vehicles powered by chocolate or waste vegetable oil
scavenged from restaurants (Biotruck) and a new company who puts
independent travellers in touch with local experts who can help with travel plans and finding free local volunteer
placements (Your Safe Planet).
A wise man once said ...
Monday 17th November, 2008
While in Ghana, I was given a book of proverbs. Some express great truths, some are plain obvious and some just baffling -
but I thought I'd share a few:
Money is sharper than a sword.
No one tests the depth of a river with both feet.
If you understand the beginning well, the end will not trouble you.
One lie can annihilate a thousand truths.
It is the calm and silent water that drowns a man.
A big blanket encourages sleeping in the morning.
He is a fool whose sheep ran away twice.
Marguerite Bay Reunion
Wednesday 12th November, 2008
Last weekend I travelled to the Lake District for the Marguerite Bay Reunion, an annual get-together of all the
men and women who have lived and worked at any of the British Antarctic Survey bases and research stations
that have been located around Marguerite Bay. Currently, Rothera is the only station in use in the Marguerite Bay
area but over the years there have been quite a few. Some of these early bases are long gone but several are still
maintained as historic buildings, or as refuges and the Adelaide Island base has been given to the Chilean Antarctic
programme, renamed Carvajal.
Many of the men I met at the reunion worked with BAS during the 60's and 70's; they were the men who first built the
buildings that still stand
at Rothera, who were witnesses to some of the great BAS stories that have been passed down like Antarctic folklore and
whose names have been immortalised in the
Mountains and Islands around the Bay - names which are so familiar from my own time there.
The reunion is open to anyone who has spent time at any of the Marguerite Bay bases regardless of whether you stayed
for a few
weeks or multiple winters. Those from the nineties and naughties are particularly welcome so drop me an email if you'd
like to be
put on the reunion database - I'll send you the organisers contact details.
Framed
Friday 7th November, 2008
For me, travelling anywhere usually means photographs - lots of them. I just can't help myself. And sorting through the images
once I get home is a way of protracting the travel, making the journey last just that little bit longer. My last trip was all about
mixing cultures, so I have uploaded a selection of images from the 7 countries I visited into one file - all jumbled up together.
You can take a look by visiting my Flickr site.
If, like me, you are always taking photographs - but are stuck for something creative to do with them all, you will like
Living Art.
It's a not-for-profit organisation which creates giant themed works from collaborations of professional and amateur photographers as
well as national touring exhibitions. The works promote the beauty of nature and the link between art and environment.
They are currently inviting contributions for The Big Picture of Natural Britain, the World's first online
portrait of a natural heritage.
I'm back!
Friday 31st October, 2008
Wow. Over the last 10 weeks I've been travelling to 7 different Commonwealth countries to create a team for
an Antarctic expedition next year. 800 application forms and 60 interviews later, I now have a squad of 16 very
determined (and very different) women. From 19-year old Aniza, an air hostess from Brunei, to Sophia, a kick-boxing
mother of 3 in Singapore, and from Charmaine, a 33-year-old New Zealand Army Doctor to Sheillah, a 24-year-old
biochemistry graduate from Ghana in West Africa, the women represent an
exciting mix of backgrounds and cultures that will make one awesome expedition team! You can find out more about
the women and the project on the Commonwealth Women's Antarctic Expedition
website.
During my travels I was also lucky to meet some tremendous adventurers including the entire Singapore Women's Everest Team;
mountaineer and Guillain-Barre Syndrome survivor, David Lim; Brunei's 'First Lady Explorer', Norhayati Bakar; and the leader of
the Indian Navy team that reached both poles as well as the summit of Everest, Commander Satyabrata Dam. Talking to people
like this who had either already achieved their dreams or were on the brink of doing so - sometimes overcoming unimaginable obstacles along
the way - is both daunting and hugely motivating but I perhaps drew even greater inspiration from the hundreds of women who
wrote so honestly and so profoundly in their applications, and the many women who shared their thoughts and experiences with
me during the interviews. I return from the journey more convinced than ever that the key to our future is as a global community
and that although the differences between us are obvious (and wonderful), at heart we are all very much the same.
Around the World in 70 days ...
Tuesday 12th August, 2008
Tomorrow I leave on a very exciting but rather unique journey around the World. Over the next 2 months I will be visiting
7 different Commonwealth countries in order to find 7 women to join me on the Commonwealth Women's Antarctic Expedition
at the end of next year. So far, the expedition has received over 800 applications through the expedition
website from women in Cyprus, Ghana, India, Singapore, Brunei,
New Zealand and Jamaica. I will be meeting a short list of applicants in each country. Choosing the right women is a
daunting task, but at the same time I am looking forward to meeting so many ladies who share my passion for adventure.
If you'd like to read more about the journey, I will be making regular updates on the expedition
website over the next 70 days.
The expedition is also looking for a woman from the UK to join the team as a reserve, so if you like the idea of being a
part of the project, please take a look at the expedition website at
www.commonwealthexpedition.com.
My journey to find a team of women from around the Commonwealth has been funded by a 2008 Travelling Fellowship
granted by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust. The WCMT awards a limited number of Fellowships every year
and applications are currently open, in several categories including Adventure, Exploration and Leaders of Expeditions, for 2009.
SWET!
Wednesday 6th August, 2008
Having completed several expeditions with all-female teams, it's always great to hear about other women doing the same.
I came across the 6-member Singapore Women's Everest
Team (SWET) this week and was really inspired by their attitude!
Another awesome group of ladies are the Turbulence Angels, a group of kitesurfers based
in
North Wales who organise All Girl Kitesurf Trips.
If you know of any other all-girl ventures, I'd love to hear about it, so please get in touch.
Face to Face
Wednesday 30th July, 2008
A fantastic new exhibition opened at the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge last week. 'Face to Face: Polar Portraits'
brings to light many unpublished and rediscovered images of British and International polar exploration since the 1840's.
The images were revealed by the Freeze Frame project which is in the process of capturing in digital format some of SPRI's 20,000-strong archive
of daguerreotypes, magic lantern slides, glass plate and cellulose negatives. The project aims to ensure the preservation and
greater accessibility of this irreplaceable historical collection. The exhibition concentrates on portraiture and includes work by
today's leading expedition photographer, Martin Hartley. The exhibition runs until the 13th September.
Face to Face: Polar Portraits
Talk in New Delhi, India
Friday 25th July, 2008
I've been invited to give a talk about some of my previous Polar expeditions at the British Council in New Delhi next month.
The event will take place on Saturday 30th August at 6pm and is open to all. See more details on the British Council Offices, New Delhi website.
The talk is to mark the selection of two Indian women to compete for a place on the Commonwealth Women's Antarctic Expedition.
The names of the two women will be announced at a reception after the talk.
A drop in the Ocean
Tuesday 22nd July, 2008
This week I was reminded, once again, that the World is full of interesting stories. I was helping out on a crevasse
training course on a rather soggy glacier in Kaprun, Austria, being run by three guides from the local Mountain Rescue team.
On the last evening one of the guides, Tom, started talking about a project he has been running since 2004. Every year he puts together a team
of volunteer doctors, drivers and mechanics from the local area who drive cars laden with supplies across the Sahara to Mauritania.
The team travel around the country setting up temporary clinics to see and treat as many people as possible in the limited time
they have in the country, and to facilitate proper
hospital treatment for more serious cases when they can. The need is much greater than the temporary clinics can cope with. 'The longer we stay,'
says Tom, 'the greater the number of people that arrive each day.' In recent years his teams have also taken medical equipment and
water treatment systems discarded in Austria to the communities in Africa that they visit.
Tom's project is changing lives in a very direct way, an experience that has obviously touched him deeply but he says
people often ask why he continues to put so much personal time and effort into a project that is barely scratching the surface
of the problem. The project may be a drop in the ocean but can you imagine what would happen if we all found a way
to contribute our own drop with such conviction?
You can see pictures (and if your Austrian is any good, read more information) on the project's website :
Help for Self-Help.
Thought for the day ...
Thursday 3rd July, 2008
We that acquaint our selves with every Zoane,
And pass both Tropikes and behold the Poles;
When we come home, are to our selves unknowne,
And unaquainted still with our owne Soules.
Written in 1599 by Sir John Davies
Want to go to Baikal?
Thursday 26th June, 2008
If you've seen the pictures of Lake Baikal and thought it looked incredible - you're right, it is. Sean Chapple, an
experienced Polar expedition leader, is looking for people to join his expedition team on a journey across Lake Baikal
in 2010. For more information take a look at his website.
[Update: Sean's 2010 Siberian Challenge expedition is now over-subscribed with applicants but he has several other opportunities available on expeditions to various Polar Regions.]
Advice for itchy feet
Friday 20th June, 2008
This week I visited Woldingham School in Surrey and was asked how to get involved in Polar expeditions. This is a great question
that comes up a lot so I thought I would repeat my answer here.
The first thing to do is to get some expedition experience and there are a number of ways to do this. If you are under 25,
get in touch with your local Duke of Edinburgh's
Award co-ordinator (perhaps there is even a group at your school or college) and
join their award expeditions to get some basic camping skills. If you are specifically interested in Polar expeditions then you
can't do better than apply to join a BSES Expedition. The charity runs at least one expedition to an Arctic region during
the school holidays and longer Gap Year Expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic every year.
If you are over 25, look for a place on a commercial, guided expedition. There are several companies and guides who will train clients with no experience
for an expedition to the North or South Pole but be warned - this is an expensive undertaking. Greenland is a
good destination choice for your first Polar experience as you will learn real Polar skills but at a fraction of the
price of an expedition to the Arctic or Antarctic. Tunu Expedition Specialists
and Tangent Expeditions both offer expedition places
on their websites. You should also register for the
Bulletin of Expedition Vacancies compiled by Geography Outdoors at the
Royal Geographical Society (RGS), who also publish an online list of expeditions you can join.
Once you have some expedition experience you might want to organise your own expedition. A great place to start is to attend
Explore,
the expedition and fieldwork planning seminar at the RGS, held annually in November. Not only is the weekend full of advice
sessions and expert panels, it is a great place to gain confidence and inspiration.
If you are planning an expedition or looking for an expedition to join and think that I can help, please don't hesitate to
get in touch - I'd be delighted to hear from you.
The tangled Web we weave ....
Thursday 12th June, 2008
Over the last week I've been spending a lot of time thinking about websites of one variety or another. Up until a
year ago I was completely clueless about the apparent magic of the web beyond email attachments or buying a
book on Amazon - but then I started putting together this site. It took me weeks of trial and error, wading through
endless web-help pages but eventually - largely thanks to the discovery of the gloriously non-technical Page Kits
produced by Elated.com - I found myself enjoying it. Now, I am totally fascinated by the wealth of possibilities out
there. Unfortunately, my own web-skills are still too hit and miss to take advantage of most of it (The Twitter link
on this page was a hit while the fact that there are no embedded Flickr images beneath it are evidence of an
unresolved miss!) but I intend to keep learning!
Expedition websites seem particularly good at demonstrating the potential of the web, from live feeds and interactive maps
to 360 degree images, allowing more communication and more sharing of experiences than ever before. One website I
looked at today goes one step further and demonstrates how all this potential can be put to use. It also offers training which
provides others with the skills to do the same: Digital Explorer
Expedition Leaders
Friday 6th June, 2008
Recovering in my sodden tent in a campsite in Edale (from a series of self-inflicted long days in the High Peak), it was
fantastic to see the field next to me occupied by a big school group - all out on their first ever camping trip. Fantastic because
so many teachers and youth leaders are being put off taking groups of young people out on trips like this. The general perception today
is that there is a high risk of litigation and a large volume of paperwork. In fact, there is currently more protection for those taking
young people outdoors than there has ever been before. In most cases it seems to be knowing where to start that is the problem
but there is help out there.
I went straight from my tent in the Peak to a Council meeting of the Young Explorers' Trust which operates to promote youth expeditions.
The Trust offers courses covering issues like insurance, safety procedures, planning and risk assessments to anyone who would like to
lead a youth expedition in the future. The next Expedition Leaders Planning Course takes place in November and details can be found
on the YET website.
The RGS also run similar courses aimed specifically at teachers. The Off-site Safety Management course deals with shorter outdoor activities
in the UK, while the Overseas Expeditions Fieldwork Course looks at longer, more involved ventures. More details can be found on the
RGS website.
Polar Challenge 2008
Wednesday 14th May, 2008
I've just returned from the Canadian Arctic after spending 6 weeks working as part of the support crew for the Polar Challenge
2008. After taking part in the race myself in 2005 it was incredible to be on the other side of the fence and to watch all of this
year's competitors go through the range of emotions that the race provokes - from despair to elation. Congratulations to all those
teams who battled through to the finish line - you are complete heroes.
Cajun Beans anyone?
Lake Baikal images Online
Wednesday 2nd April, 2008
Images from the Baikal 2008 expedition are now online on both the Siberian Foxes website and Felicity's Flickr site.
Leadership Workshops at Highsted Grammar School
Wednesday 2nd April, 2008
I've just spent the last two days at Highsted Grammar School in Sittingbourne and would like to say thanks to the
students for taking part so wholeheartedly in the workshops - I'd take any of you on an expedition anytime!
Success!
Sunday 30th March, 2008
Felicity and Jenny are back in the UK after successfully traversing the length of Lake Baikal in south-eastern Siberia.
The pair walked over 600km during 30 days on the lake. To read more about their experiences and to see some images
from the expedition go to Siberian Foxes.
Foxes are Go!
Sunday 24th February, 2008
Felicity and Jenny started their journey to Lake Baikal this morning with a 10 hour flight to Irkutsk via Moscow. They'll be
spending the next 5 weeks on the ice of the lake. For more information see
Siberian Foxes.
Antarctica presentation at Cheltenham Ladies' College
Saturday 23rd February, 2008
Many thanks to all the Year 9 students at Cheltenham Ladies' College for giving me such a warm welcome this morning and
for asking some really great questions! For those of you who asked about travelling to Antarctica in your GAP year,
you can find a link to BSES Expeditions on the links page.
Siberian Foxes
Friday 22nd February, 2008
With only a few days to spare until departure, the Baikal 2008 website, Siberian Foxes,
has just gone online so please take a
look and let me know what you think!
Super 7
Monday 18th February, 2008
My Baikal 2008 team-mate and fellow Arctic Fox, Jenny Pugh, will
be presenting a lecture about both the Arctic Fox Greenland Quest and Baikal 2008 expeditions throughout January 2009
in various venues across the UK as part of the Super 7 lecture series. For more details and to purchase tickets see the
Super 7 website.
WINGS WorldQuest
Thursday 14th February, 2008
WINGS is a US-based organisation which aims to support and promote women in exploration. Each year women explorers
carry WINGS WorldQuest flags all over the world on their expeditions. I'm delighted to be carrying a WINGS flag #15 on my next
expedition; Baikal 2008. You can read about previous flag-carrying expeditions on the
WINGS WorldQuest website.
Wilderness Award
Monday 11th February, 2008
Felicity and Jenny are chuffed to bits that Baikal 2008 is the winner of this year's Wilderness Award. Wilderness Lectures are
based in Bristol and present a series of lectures each year from a variety of adventurers. They make an annual award
to a project with an unusual and adventurous objective in a geographically remote wilderness area. As part of the Award,
Felicity will be delivering a presentation about the expedition during next year's Wilderness Lecture Series on February 18th 2009.
For more details see the Wilderness Lectures website.
Talk at Oxford University Exploration Club
Friday 8th February, 2008
Last night I gave a talk at the Oxford University Exploration Club about previous expeditions including the
Arctic Foxes Greenland Quest. Thanks to Kate Harris for the invitation and to all the members I met for their welcome.
Good luck with all the plans - you will get there!
Expedition Images on Flickr
Thursday 17th January, 2008
You can now see a selection of images from my previous expeditions on my Flickr site at
www.flickr.com/felicityaston.