felicityaston
explorer . speaker . author
Links and Inspiration
If you are planning your own adventure and are looking for encouragement and advice, you will find practical help as well as plenty of inspiration on the websites of the adventurers and organisations listed below.
The UK's national association of youth expedition organisations. A charity which promotes safe and responsible expeditions for young people.
Providing support for individuals and organisations that are removing barriers faced by disabled people seeking full and meaningful participation in adventure sport and expeditions. EA develops and manufactures specialised equipment and runs annual inclusive expeditions and programmes for teams of disabled and non-disabled people.
BSES Expeditions (British Schools Exploring Society)
Founded by a member of Scott's 1911-12 Antarctic expedition, BSES is the oldest youth development charity in Britain. It organises scientific expeditions for 16 to 24 year olds to places like Svalbard, Greenland and Antarctica.
EWR operate extreme challenges in the coldest regions of the world. As well as the South Pole Race and the Black Ice Race across Lake Baikal in Siberia, they also run the Polar challenge, an annual endurance race across the Canadian Arctic. Teams race across 360-miles of sea ice and snow-covered islands to the position of the North Magnetic Pole.
Geography Outdoors is the centre supporting field research, exploration and outdoor learning at the Royal Geographical Society in London. It provides information, training and advice to anyone involved in expeditions, field research or outdoor learning in the UK and overseas.
An organisation based in America that celebrates and promotes women in exploration and scientific expeditions.
The UK 'antenna' of the International Polar Foundation which aims to communicate and educate the public about Polar research and the Polar regions. The Foundation has three separate websites which deal with Science, Education and Exploration individually.
An educational initiative which promotes face-to-face dialogue between young people from the Arab and Western worlds through wilderness journeys
Builds educations programmes and runs expeditions which use the latest internet, satellite and digital media technologies.
Winston Churchill Memorial Trust
The WCMT is a living tribute to Sir Winston Churchill. It awards annual Travelling Fellowships to British Citizens from a wide range of disciplines and occupations to enable them to acquire knowledge and experience abroad in their chosen field.
The Mark Clifford Grant provides financial support for ambitious mountaineering expeditions, interesting ski trips or wild remote explorations in the international ranges.
A site for young people which brings together science and art to explore the issue of Climate Change.
An organisation founded by David De Rothschild which uses high-profile expeditions to encourage learning about environmental issues.
A series of educational expeditions run by Robert Swan. The project includes Antarctica's first base dedicated purely to education. The 'E-base' is powered entirely by renewable energy.
Educational exchange expeditions for young people in the UK and the Middle East which use the creative power of art to inspire and new technology to communicate. The expedition websites are works of art in their own right.
An initiative of the Will Steger Foundation which uses Polar expeditions to draw attention to climate issues.
A personal development scheme for young people which includes an element of expedition training.
Membership is open to all past and present employees of the British Antarctic Survey, as well as past employees of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey and Operation Tabarin.
British Antarctic Monument Trust
The Trust aims to celebrate British endeavour in the Antarctic and commemorate those who have lost their lives in the persuit of scientific knowledge and exploration in Antarctica.
An organisation using expedition to inspire future leaders. The programme includes leadership workshops and web-based resources.
Expedition Websites
Kaspersky Lab Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition
An expedition to the South Pole involving a team of women from 8 different Commonwealth countries including Cyprus, Ghana, India, Brunei, Singapore, Jamaica, New Zealand and the UK.
The first British Women's team to cross the Greenland ice-sheet
A 3,000 mile journey across the Arctic by kayak and dog sled to record the stories of the Inuit. An impressive educational outreach programme led by experienced Arctic Traveller, Glenn Morris.
Singapore Women's Everest Team [SWET]
A team of women mountaineers from Singapore who successfully climbed Mount Everest in 2009
Rosie Swale Pope's run around the World which took 4 years to complete and began on her 57th birthday.
Matrix Shackleton Centenary Expedition
Relatives of members of Shackleton's original expedition team retrace his route and complete the journey Shackleton himself was unable to finish.
Ice Cap Station Arctic Challenge
A descendent of 1930's polar explorer Augustine Courtauld returns to Greenland to relive the incredible story of her great uncle, who was accidentally stranded alone on the ice cap for an entire winter while part of the British Arctic Air Route Expedition.
Four adventurous Scandinavian women who completed a 1400km ski journey across Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic.
Ed Stafford walked the Amazon river from source to mouth and blogged all the way.
A 32,000km circumnavigation of the Atlantic coastline following the 1m contour which is predicted by scientists to be the average sea level rise over the next 100 years.
International Scott Centenary Expedition 2012
A return to the resting place of Captain Robert Falcon Scott to hold a memorial service involving descendents of all five members of the Polar Party who perished.
An expedition to the South Pole by a Olympian, Paralympian and Special Olympian athlete.
Adventurers
Alastair spent 4 years cycling around the world. Since returning he has written two books about his adventures and compiled a book of images about cycling in aid of Hope and Homes for Children.
Ben Saunders is the youngest person to ski solo to the North Pole and holds the record for the longest solo Arctic journey by a Briton. His website is full of information about gear and logistics for polar exploits.
Legendary Norwegian Polar Explorer who has pushed the boundaries of Polar travel
for more than 20 years. An extraordinary man who didn't let suffering from Brittle Bones dim his
enthusiasm for adventure. Jim is a polar traveller and audio documentary maker who made a fascinating journey in Arctic Norway to re-create
an incredible WWII story of escape and survival. You can listen to or download the resulting documentary from his website.
John Pilkington is a travel writer, photographer and Radio 4 broadcaster who gives
illustrated about some of his many wonderful and unusual journeys. Liv is a Norwegian explorer who was the first woman to ski solo and unsupported to the
South Pole and later, with American Ann Bancroft, became one of the first women to ski across Antarctica. Paul Deegan is an Everest mountaineer, motivational speaker and award-winning author. His website is packed with
links and resources on all aspects of expeditioning as well as advice for aspiring travel writers.
The first person to walk solo and unsupported to the North Pole is now developing
the Arctic Survey - a scientific journey across the Arctic Ice. Karen has completed marathons and triathlons as well as expeditions to kayak, sit-ski and
hand-cycle across some of the most inhospitable places on the planet.
Despite unexpectedly loosing his sight in 1998, Mark is an international speaker,
adventure athlete and author who has the ability to make people think about the decisions they make in life. A writer, photographer and marine biologist who has made several journey's in his vintage 4CV - the 'little one'.
Benedict Allen has spent 20 years living with, and learning about, native cultures around the World from the
Amazon to the Arctic. Tarka and Katie-Jane L'Herpiniere This adventurous couple have completed several interesting expeditions including walking the length of the Great Wall of China and crossing the Southern
Patagonia ice cap. If you fancy a quick adventure, this is a good place to look for inspiration. Blind adventurer who has piloted a microlight from London to Cape Town and one of the most exciting and hilarious speakers I have ever heard. Polar Explorer, Dog Musher and Adventure Racer
Wanderer, the only way
is your footsteps, there is no other.
Wanderer, there is no way,
you make the way as you go.
As you go, you make the way
and stopping to look behind,
you see the path that your feet
will never travel again.
Wanderer, there is no way -
only foam trails in the sea.
by Antonio Machado