Well, it turns out the universe was listening and is indeed vengeful. Or at least has a bitter sense of humour that I don’t appreciate. I was officially made redundant again just before Christmas and have been scrambling to replace the income. I will make no statements about how that’s going, because I’ve learnt my lesson.

Anyway… we’re starting the adventure bulletin format again. So let’s go :)

Subscribe now

First, a Creative Grant with a deadline on 14th February! Arc’teryx and Ori magazine are have launched a grant for women - one winner gets $5,000 in grant money and their article published in Ori’s next issue. Runner up gets into an Arc’teryx Academy photography workshop.

More details on their IG // Enter with your 500 word pitch here.

Hannah Cox of Project Salt Run has completed her 100th marathon in 100 days along the Indian section of the Old Inland Customs Line. Weirdly I first heard about her run in the middle of an entrepreneur’s vlog and had to pause immediately to look her up. She has documented the whole run on instagram and although I haven’t found one yet, I can’t wait to see the post-project film, blog or podcast.

She was also raising money for four charities along the way.

Project Salt Run website // See the day by day on IG (it’s not all pretty!!)

Freediving inside glaciers?! Maybe you haven’t heard of Anna von Boetticher, but if you’ve spent any time on glaciers or in cold water you’re definitely going to want to check her out. I first heard of her through Sidetracked (she features in Vol 34) and we met in Chamonix last year. Yes, I too am concerned about the rate that glaciers are melting but how incredible to be able to swim inside them.

Read about one of Anna’s swims in Greenland (with photos) // Inside Mer de Glace

And that’s all from me for this week, but I look forward to meeting the nearly 100 of you who have replied to my note on Substack! Please do share anything that you think is interesting to adventurous women - even (especially) if you wrote it yourself. You’re also welcome to email me direct if you’d like to feature. I’m emily@intrepid-magazine.com. Hopefully see you next week, but for now…

Stay intrepid,

Emily :)

Emily: Hello Jo! It’s been a long time since we last featured you. What adventures/work have you been up to?

It’s been 6 years and so much has happened since our last chat. I’m now 54 and can proudly say that I am a 7 Summits mountaineer!

[Emily: whoop whoop!!!]

When we last spoke I had completed 5 of the 7 Summits, the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. I was getting ready to head off to Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia and then to finish off with Vinson in Antarctica, both in 2019. Carstensz was put on hold due to civil unrest in West Papua, where the mountain lies, so Vinson in Antarctica became number six.

Finally, after five cancellations and seven years of trying, I finally stood on the summit of Carstensz Pyramid, the lowest of the Seven, on the 21st March this year (2025). What a joy to finally have this project concluded with over £45,000 raised for children’s mental health charity Place2Be.

In that time, I have also navigated the menopause - a rollercoaster in itself - and am thankfully coming out the other side stronger and more determined to live a purposeful life!

Emily: What was the More Than A Mountain expedition and how did it come about?

In 2023 I decided to put together an expedition, to be run in 2025, which would celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first woman to summit Everest in 1975 and one that would also honour those lost in the earthquake which rocked Nepal in 2015. I was at Camp 1 on Everest during the earthquake and still remember it so vividly.

Having read Junko Tabei’s book Honouring High Places, I knew she had led a small team on the accessible 5500m mountain Yala Peak, which lies in the Langtang Valley of Nepal, two years after her Everest success. Langtang Village was destroyed in the earthquake on 25th April 2015 and our route took us through the old and new villages. A great chance to pay our respects to those lost during that fateful earthquake.

Emily: Who was Junko Tabei and who is she to you?

On 16th May 1975, Junko became the first woman in the world to summit Everest. She was climbing leader for the Japanese Women’s Everest Expedition. Despite nearly being killed by an avalanche at Camp 2 on the mountain, 12 days later she stood on the summit with her climbing sherpa, Ang Tsering Sherpa. A moment in the shadows of history that I, as well as fellow Everest summiteers and others, are keen to unhide so many women in mountaineering.

So few people have heard of her. She was a trailblazer for women in mountaineering, encouraging others to climb with her and fulfil their potential in life. A favourite saying of mine is where she writes in Honouring High Places “Everest - I would love to go… but. I found it difficult to hear people crush their dreams with the word ‘but’.” A phrase I use often in my talks now: how are you going to bin your buts!

Emily: Can you tell us a bit more about the Yala Peak expedition?

In April of this year, a team of 14 fabulous women and I - with ages ranging from 29 to 71, including Adventurous Ewe’s director Sue Blunt and fellow Everest summiteer, Tori James (the first Welsh woman to summit Everest) - set off to climb Yala Peak, walking in the footsteps of Junko Tabei. It was an honour to have followed her route and stood on the same peak as she did 48 years ago. We had such an incredible time, tough in places, and full of laughter and support. I wish I could have bottled the essence of this expedition. It was wonderful.

Emily: Did you always intend to make a film?

No, not at all! Originally I was ‘just’ going to lead this expedition with a fabulous group of women. Then we thought about capturing our journey on iPhones and making a short 5 minutes film, just for us. It grew legs, and wings, and is now a beautiful 20 minute homage to Junko and the wonderful women on the expedition, More Than A Mountain.

The film encourages others to bin their buts, just as my team of women did. I see the film as a broader way of celebrating the achievements of Junko, not only for Everest but in life in general. She was also the first woman to complete the 7 summits, so I walked in her footsteps on all of the mountains. She climbed in 95 countries and set up the Junko Tabei Foundation to support school children to climb Mt Fuji, as well as support environmental projects. She was all about giving back.

If you’d like to help fund the More Than A Mountain film, they are 98% of the way to their target! See details on the project’s JustGiving page. [Edit: they are now funded!!]

The film is also being premiered during an evening of celebration for Junko Tabei at Kendal Mountain Festival on 20th November, if you’re attending. If you are unable to make the premiere, the film will be available on the Kendal Mountain Player shortly after the festival concludes.

For more about Jo Bradshaw, you can visit her website jobradshaw.co.uk or follow her on instagram @_jobradshaw

To keep reading, here’s our mid-seven summits interview with Jo Bradshaw. (Bonus prize: ideas on how to pose for photos with an ice axe.)

Want more like this? Subscribe to Intrepid Magazine

Become a free subscriber to get weekly articles like this. Become a paid member to join a community of female adventurers and supporters.

Subscribe :)

I’d only met Jo online before and she has an inspiring story. She’d taken up stand-up paddleboarding at 50, after some big life events. At the time, she called herself a mid-life adventurer and had recently started her The Joy of SUP podcast. Because SUP had given her so much joy - as it had so many others - and she wanted to share these stories with the world and spread that joy. (Truly, Jo is one of the most joyful people I know.)

Sitting at that picnic table we talked about life and work and what was happening in the world and the adventure industry. She was working on her first guidebook, for Vertebrate Publishing, a stand-up paddleboarding guide to the UK. But there was another book in her heart, a book of stories, a book she hoped she’d be able to write one day.

So I was very pleased to receive an email from Vertebrate Publishing last month, announcing the forthcoming publication of Adventures on the Water: The power of paddleboarding to change lives.

The Blurb:

“Adventures on the Water explores the uplifting and restorative power of stand-up paddleboarding (SUP). Compiled and edited by passionate paddleboarder and adventure advocate Jo Moseley, it features personal stories and collected wisdom from a wide range of Jo’s fellow paddlers. Immerse yourself in the physical and mental health benefits of paddleboarding, as well as the warm and inclusive community around the sport.”

There are 25 stories and about 70% of them are told by women.

The Giveaway:

Better still, Vertebrate have sent me two copies to give away to subscribers. On 1st November, I’ll randomly select two subscribers (based in the UK only, I’m afraid I can’t deal with international postage) to win a paperback copy each.

On top of that, they’ve allowed everyone who subscribes to receive a 1 chapter digital preview of the book (which I’ll send out on 1st November too).

If you’re receiving this email direct from Intrepid Magazine you’re already entered into the giveaway. If you were sent this by a friend, please click the friendly subscribe button below.

Subscribe :)

You do NOT need to be a paid subscriber to enter. And you can always immediately unsubscribe after 2nd November if you don’t like it here.

More about the book and Jo:

Now, if you don’t want to leave things up to chance, you can buy your own copy of the book (paperback or hardback) direct from Vertebrate Publishing here. Or order it from any good bookshop.

In the meantime, you can read Jo’s article about writing a guidebook here:

And/or watch her film Brave Enough, about paddleboarding coast to coast, 162 miles from Liverpool to Goole. It’s also about anxiety, grief and being a single mum. (Highly recommended.) The trailer is here.

For even more, you can find Jo on substack as (linked) and on her website jomoseley.com or her podcast.

Stay intrepid,

Emily

Importantly, my absence has not been because of lack of paid subscribers (thank you thank you thank you!) but a severe lack of hours in the day. I'm saving a tally of hours and will make sure you get your dues in the start of September. For anyone new here, 3 paid subs = 1 hour's work on the magazine.

And one last housekeeping: thank you to everyone who has emailled me since the magazine has soft relaunched. I am deeply behind on the inbox (please see above) and want to make sure any time paid for by subscribers goes into actual writing not email admin. It's so lovely to see some familiar names from way back when. Thanks for still being here.

Anyway, enough about me! Let's get onto some adventure.

TO READ

Jennifer Strong McConachie wants you all to know that her second book, Go Multisport, is out. This is a sequel to Go Far and "charts the course of this radical new discipline of combining multiple human-powered endurance sports into adventures, while encouraging readers to create their own". You can get it from Amazon UK and Waterstones or requested anywhere books are sold.

In other book news, I'm thinking of restarting book of the month with more of a book club spin. (Someone in the comments for last post reminded me of Ursula Martin's book about walking across Europe that I mean to read.) Would anyone be interested in joining me?

Nice little guest post by Fitzpatrick on Running Matters about her first ever ultra marathon experience. She was running SheRACES 50k, a women only event.

(Incidentally, I seem to have a lot of runners who race on my radar and far fewer who run for fun/adventure. Can anyone point me in the right direction?)

The Curse of Expectations by Kate Harrison is all about the head game, especially in the context of rock climbing. (Nice to see some climbers on substack too btw)

And this gear review (by two 6 years olds) made me smile The Best Backpacking Tent according to two 6 year olds, two dogs and a tortoise on Jessica Day's substack (who I hope will be writing more about her Te Araroa walk soon)

Also Revelry Collective are looking for a ski/snowsports writer. I've screenshotted their shout out.

Alright, that’s it from me for now. Sorry the formatting went completely to pot. Substack phone app leaves a lot to be desired.

(Maybe see some of you in Chamonix for the Like the Wind party tonight!)

Thanks for being here and more from me very soon. In the meantime,

Stay Intrepid,

Emily

First of all, thank you very much to the two people who instantly became paid subscribers after my last post. You are complete legends.

What I also discovered is that by turning ‘paid’ back on in the substack dashboard, it reset all the previous paid subs from when I paused paid subscriptions back in 2023. I’ve emailed everyone about it, but only about 60% opened it - so I may have to individually email everyone to check they still want to subscribe.

I also discovered (read: remembered) that there are 15 life members, who have free subscriptions in perpetuity of the mag.

All this to say, June’s total subscribers was 2 = less than 1 hour to spend on this email in July. But if former subscribers want to keep their memberships, then July’s count will be 13 = 4.3 hours to spend on August’s posts :)

BTU Mountain Ultra - dot watching 👀

Everyone always seems to say that women’s ultra running doesn’t get enough participation or interest. I don’t know how true that is, but I do know that this week I was supposed to be taking part in the BTU Mountain Ultra in Kyrgyzstan this week - as a journalist. It’s a 5 day stage race (which is kind of like a trekking holiday with medals). Due to a series of unfortunate events - or perhaps one simple mistake - I’m not there living the dream. And I’m feeling pretty torn about the idea of dot watching the other participants. But I might, and you might like to too: here’s the live tracking link.

(And somewhat related, here’s How to Climb an Unclimbed Mountain in Kyrgyzstan from the archives, by women who did.)

📚 Things to Read

• The wild silence of the Anglesey Coast Path by Nicole Navigates -
  A lovely first person account of walking the Anglesey Coast Path (UK) and bivvying along the way.

• Ultra Friends & the Ultra Paradox by Sarah Lavender Smith -
  I recently read and enjoyed this interview with Ann Ongena, a 61 year old ultra runner who was the final finisher of the Hardrock 100 (a pretty famous trail race in the USA).

• The porridge pot, and the privilege of getting to know your dad via bike by Immy Sykes -
  Immy describes this as ‘a meander through what it means to cycle with your parents’. I thoroughly enjoyed it and really related to how rediscovering your parents as an adult - and finding them to be complex, human people - is an adventure in itself.

Please shamelessly tag Intrepid Magazine in all and anything that you publish or read that relates to adventure. I always love to broaden my reading and I’ll share my favourites.

📌 Bulletin Board

Do you have something you want to share here? Perhaps you’re starting something, looking for team mates on an expedition, found a great adventure event or grant… Email me at emily@intrepid-magazine.com

Anyway, that’s already more than an hour so I’m going to have to leave you.

Thanks for reading and stay intrepid! :)

Emily

Want more like this? Subscribe to Intrepid Magazine

Become a free subscriber to get regular articles like this. Become a paid member to join a community of female adventurers and supporters.

Subscribe now

What happened?

Covid proved an incredibly challenging time for me - as for many of you too, I’m sure - and I honestly thought I’d paused the magazine back at the start of 2021. I’m astounded to discover, upon writing this, that I somehow powered through until the end of 2022. How on earth did I do that?

For the nosy, I lost both my job and my house within 3 months of each other and it was a desperate fight not to end up sleeping in a ditch - and I mean that more literally than I would like. I had a brush with homelessness and that’s not something I ever want to repeat.

Why come back to Intrepid now?

I’m scared to say it out loud, lest the universe be vengeful, but the dust seems to have finally settled on the bomb crater of 2021. I have (fingers and toes crossed) found a stable base again.

In the meantime, Substack as a platform has grown and developed far beyond what it was a few years ago. And while I’ve done absolutely nothing on Intrepid Magazine, the subscriber graph has done this:

Now, you may all get this email and unsubscribe, but it gives me hope that people are still interested in female adventurers and female voices in adventure.

The Future

While I’ve been away from this magazine, I’ve been inspired by the many journalists using Substack as a way to essentially create a reader-funded column in their area of interest and expertise. As a freelance writer for 5+ years now, I can definitely feel a squeeze happening in the industry - or at least the parts I write for. Fewer publications, with less budget, who are unwilling (or financially unable) to take a risk on anything that isn’t guaranteed to produce views or clicks (which in turn justify their funding). This has left me feeling like there is nowhere left to tell some of the excellent adventure stories I come across.

On the other hand, I am being eaten alive by my mortgage and simply don’t have the time to write and publish these stories as a passion project. So, here is my proposal: I’m turning paid subs back on.

For every 3 subscribers per month, I’ll spend an hour per month on Intrepid Magazine. (That’s 3x £6=£18, which will be more like minimum wage after platform fees etc.) I’ll publish as many articles as I can with that time. It might only be one per month to start. It may feel more like a column than a magazine to begin with, but we’ll grow from there. All articles will be free for everyone to read. There will be a paid subscriber community.

And yes, it would be amazing to get to the stage where I can pay to have other contributors involved again. And I do have an idea for a print book, rather than a print mag - but little steps! We need to crawl before we can sprint.

You can help by:

First - hitting that big juicy subscribe button if you would like to help get this magazine back on the road. Here it is.

Subscribe now

Second - if you don’t don’t have a spare £6 a month (heck, I don’t either!) but would like to help somehow, please share this email with a friend or comment below with joyous and encouraging words. Share it with all your followers or shout it from the mountain tops. Whichever suits your style.

Third - if you’ve come across a cool woman doing cool things (or uncool tbh, just someone interesting doing something this magazine might cover) even if that person is you, please get in touch. I’d love to share the story if it fits and I have the time/funds on our side.

I’ll send another email in a week or so to let you know how we’re getting on. And share some interesting stories I’ve come across recently. (I am still working in the adventure/outdoors industry a little, alongside everything else!)

Stay intrepid,

Emily :)

(If you’re new here, yes that’s me! Hello!)

The good news, or so I thought, was that I had Serge to help me. The Swiss guide, a man who moved like a chamois and weighed less than me, would be there when things got difficult. From above, as I lie splayed across the mountainside, he shouts, ''Do not fall.''

If the thought of skiing uphill sounds like hard work, you are not alone. But ski touring is booming and so I decided on a tour across the Swiss Alps, to find out if it was worth the effort. Touring ticks many boxes: open spaces, fitness and adventure. It also has a significantly lower impact than traditional resort skiing. For me, ski touring offers access to the wildest part of the Alps, but it is hard on mind and body. Regardless, I was in Switzerland ready to earn my views. 

Day 1 - Leukerbad to Lammernen Hut

We left the comfort of the spa town of Leukerbad. One cable car later, we attached skins to skis and set off into the snow. Serge cut a trail, avoiding the avalanche-loaded south slope. Above us lay a plateau of heavy snow that could slide easily and set like concrete. I was nervous. To move through the gully, I had to kick turn (this is like performing the splits with wooden planks strapped to your feet). I try. I am stuck. After a demonstration from Serge and several expletives, I get the gist. 

Above the gully, the mountains open up to the Wildstrubel. The wind whips the snow from the summits and spindrift hangs in the sunlit air. ''Welcome to wild nature,'' says Serge. It is serene and beautiful; I know this is why I came.

Four hours and 1000m later I am relieved to see the Lammernen hut. It was warm, safe and virtually empty. Each of the six-bed dorms contain two shelves of bunk beds. Luckily, I have a room to myself. Luxury comes in the form of privacy and a long drop toilet. As the sun sets amongst the rocks, we spot a fox, an ibex and a rare Griffon Vulture.

A group of Italian tourers arrive by headtorch just before dinner. Soup, cheesy pasta and the Swiss version of Angel Delight prove rich and plentiful. The room is buzzing with multilingual conversation and a universal atmosphere of survival. I turn in early and try to keep warm under the fusty duvet. Through the curtainless window, the moon is full and bright – the perfect ending to a wild day. 

Day 2 - Daubenhorn

The next morning, after a hearty breakfast, we leave to climb the Daubenhorn. It looks foreboding. ''It is exposed at the top, and we might need a belay,'' says Serge. Panic rises. The belay is a rope that will tie us together. Should I fall, Serge will slam his axe into the ice to stop us. I consider Serge's 50kg frame doubtfully.

The snow on the final ascent is wind-polished to ice; we cut a ledge with the axe. With my whole weight on about one inch of ski, I hold my breath and, unbelievably, I do not fall. Between me and the summit is 50 metres of exposed ridge. I kick footholds into the snow with my ski boots and pull myself up. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the drop: the 1400m of limestone cliff that falls away to Leukerbad. ''Check out the view,'' says Serge. I don't look.

 A metal chain pulls me towards the summit cross; I turn to see endless 4000m peaks stretching into a pink horizon. The fear and memory of the effort fall away. We make a dreamy descent in feather-light powder, creating perfect turns through the pristine expanse until we hit the valley floor.

At Sierre station, I say goodbye to Serge and toast my trip with hot chocolate. I sit on the platform and stare up to the summits. A quote by John Muir plays through my mind, ''In every walk in nature, one receives far more than he seeks.'' I know it will not be long before my next ski tour.

How to do this Ski Tour

Getting there: Geneva (Geneva airport and train station are approximately 200km from Leukerbad). From Geneva, you can travel by taxi or private car. For public transport, take the train to Leuk and then the bus to Leukerbad.

Money:  There is currently around Swiss Franc CHF1.10 to the UK£. Payment by cash is generally expected in all huts. Expect to pay £6 for a beer in a hut.

When to go: Europe's hut-to-hut season is from mid-March to mid-May. Day tours are possible all winter. Daytime temperatures in spring can be below 0°C or up to 20°C; at night, they usually plunge below 0°C.

Health & safety: Travel insurance that covers snow sports is essential; check out the Austrian Alpine Club UK that is you can join from any country outside of Austria (Austrians join their local branch). Extra helicopter rescue can be found here if desired.

The tour: I travelled with Serge Lambert, a certified mountain guide. Details of the guide office are here. The day rate for a guide is around £400 a day which can be split between up to 6 guests. For hut-to-hut touring, you need to be a confident skier with some off-piste experience. For off-piste tuition or ski touring skills courses, try Mountain Tracks.

What to pack: You can hire touring skis, skins, and boots in most resorts for around £30 a day. You can also rent a transceiver, shovel, and probe. For hut-to-hut tours, take a 40-litre rucksack. The huts will provide sheets and duvets. Sleeping bag liners are compulsory.

Bel Jackson Prow is an adventure travel writer who is passionate about mountains and the transformational power of adventure. You can follow her on Substack too: The Adventure Path!

Walking trousers are a hard nut to crack. You want them to be tight enough that they don’t fall down mid mountain. Long enough that they cover the all important ankle ‘gappage’ (the annoying space between sock, boot, and exposed leg). And durable enough that they are almost indestructible (I’m looking at that sketchy via ferrata). You also want them to be light and flexible so you don’t get soggy and sore. I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect pair for a while, and when I was given the chance to try these BAM Active Trousers, I was intrigued to see if they’d fit the bill.

What you get

The BAM Roborough trousers are a slim fitting cargo cut trouser for hiking and outdoor activities. They are made of a heavy weight twill fabric formed of cotton, viscose bamboo and elastane.

They are cut mid to high on the waist and have six pockets:

• two patch pockets at the front with a diagonal opening

• side pockets on the leg with poppers

• one popper back pocket

• one back zip pocket.

BAM is a climate positive company and are on a journey to become Impact Positive. Their clothing is bamboo based with a big sustainability focus.

You can see all the tech specs on the official BAM Roborough Cargo Trouser page.

How the BAM Roborough Cargo Trousers Performed

These trousers have now been on several hikes, but the first test was a 10km hike around Loch Torridon. Classic Scottish Highlands, I had 4 seasons in a day and a whole load of midges to contend with!

The Material

BAM’s Roborough Bamboo Cargo Trousers are made from a heavyweight stretch twill which is mainly composed of Organic Cotton and Bamboo fibres. To say the material is soft, would be an understatement. As BAM says, ‘the feeling is so soft that you will want to live in them’. I wouldn’t put it that far, but I could definitely spend a long time in them. The bamboo fibres not only add the softness but also naturally combats odours due to its antimicrobial benefits. Perfect for those long sweaty walks or that multi day trip when you forgot the backup pair of bottoms. 

The Fit

Overall, I would say the fit was very good. The material definitely hugged all the right places, both making them easy to move in and chafe-free. It only let itself down on the ankles, which were quite tight. I didn’t notice this when walking, but when taking them off, it was a bit of a struggle. I can imagine there would have been a fair bit of ‘tent pretzeling’’ if I was doing a camp. I thought I'd mention it, however it is just a personal fit situation.

The Feel

I was really surprised by how comfortable the trousers were. I thought the heavyweight twill would be restrictive, particularly on some of the scrambly sections of the route, however they were the opposite. Due to the close fit design, I found them to be really easy to move and stretch in. This was tested to the max when I had to scramble over some very large bouldery things for a good 20 minutes. I was hoping to get down to a remote loch, but gave up as I realised I didn’t have enough time or snacks to go all the way down and right back up again. It was mainly the snacks, let's be honest. 

A Note about Chafing:

After testing the trousers for some longer hikes, plus during day to day wear, I have found they start to chafe around the inner thigh seams after a few hours. This is not noticeable on shorter walks, but over long periods it can become uncomfortable. This is definitely not a deal breaker as these trousers are very comfortable in general and make for some great light hiking gear. It is just to say that these may not be the right trousers for you if you are looking to do some longer walks. Or perhaps consider sizing up.

Overall Verdict

I will definitely be wearing these on many more walks in the mountains, but I also love how they could equally pass as a pair of everyday trousers. I’m a big fan of multi-purpose item. The pockets are amazing for storing all the essentials (snacks), with two buttoned pockets on the sides and the jean style pockets on the top and back. I am also a huge fan of BAM’s sustainability credentials and dedication to make well made products which last a long time. We definitely need to see more brands making this part of their ethos, so it feels good to be supporting a brand which is spear-heading this. It’s a yes from me!

Jessie is an avid mountain biker and now Munro-bagger, currently based in the gloriously soggy North West Highlands.

Hello everyone!

Welcome back, it’s been a little while. Today we’re returning to your normally scheduled content - we have mountain climbing, swimming, running, grants and a surprising amount of cycling. Our Book of the Month is Sarah Davis’ story of paddling the length of the Nile. Way back when we first started Intrepid in print, Sarah wrote an article about planning for this adventure (members: it’ll be in the digital archive). It’s great to see the final story all these years later.

But before we dive in, it feels a little rude not to say where we - or specifically I - have been. Basically, work got a little out of hand this summer. I’ve been travelling all over the place: France, Switzerland, Wales, Cumbria, Norfolk; cycling, white water rafting, bivvying, kayaking… It’s been nuts. Since it’s just me running Intrepid, I kind of just had to drop things to do my job. But it’s autumn now and I’m back in Devon with a laptop, so expect weekly emails again.

That said, it’s become clear that I could really use some help to keep things running smoothly. I’ve shied away from this (even though some of you have very kindly offered) because it didn’t feel fair to advertise voluntary roles at a time when costs are going up and up. But if people would like to be involved, and would get something from it themselves, there will be more details about roles soon in a separate email. I’d say this week, but I’m off to run my first OMM at the weekend (!) so probably next week.

Anyway that’s quite enough from me already, here’s your actual email :)

Adventure News

• In Scotland there’s been some Munro bagging going on. Quinn Young completed her first round age 10 while Hazel Strachan finished both her 11th and 12th rounds on the same day.

• Imo Boddy has become the youngest female to run the length of Britain (aged 22). Write up here.

• Nicky Chrisholm is running The Coolest Marathon on Earth (the Polar Circle Marathon). You can read why here. It’s in Greenland and happening this weekend.

• Jasmine Harrison has swum the length of Great Britain. Local news article here, Jasmine’s Instagram here.

• Tegan Phillips is about to set off on her Cairo to Cape Town cycle. More info here and we’re expecting update videos on her Instagram.

• The ladies of Monstrous Regiment are back from their Kyrgyzstan expedition. They wrote a pre-trip guide for you about How to Climb and Unclimbed Mountain. We’re looking forward to hearing tales of their mountain climbing.

• Next Challenge Grant winner Joy is climbing the smallest mountains in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - cycling in between them. Follow her challenge here.

• INCIDENTALLY, the Next Challenge Grant is open for 2023 entries. (I won one back in 2018 and can highly recommend entering.) It doesn’t have to be a big record-breaking expedition. In fact they’d rather prefer that it’s not. All details here. (Note: at time of writing, this link is showing an error, but it is the right link. Bookmark it and come back, deadline is in January.)

  If you see an adventure announcement or want to tell us about your own, please hit reply to this email and we’d love to feature you!

Read, Listen, Watch - Our Picks

Quite a lot of a cycling theme here, for no particular reason!

• Arctic Post Road tells the story of two friends bikepacking in the far north. Watch it here.

• Jenny Tough and Emily Chappell’s short film This Rider is about their cycle across Slovenia, body image and friendship. Watch it here.

• Lucy Sturgess has blogged her solo bike trip across Europe. Here’s the series trailer to get you started.

• Anna Taylor has completed another rock climbing challenge - everything Mountain Rock by Steve Broadbent. She’s been telling the story on Instagram. First post here

• Nienke Oostra did her first Atlas Mountain Race recently. Here’s her blog about the experience.

Obviously, we can’t squeeze all the adventures in the world into this tiny email. Follow us on Instagram for more - we share lots in our stories. Equally, if you’d like to feature here or would like a little social boost - or just seen something we might like too - please tag us @intrepid_advmag.

Book of the Month

Our book of the month for October is Paddle the Nile: One Woman's Search for a Life Less Ordinary by Sarah Davis.

Award winning adventurer, Sarah Davis, became the first woman to lead an expedition down the Nile. This incredible journey came from Sarah’s desire to lead a life less ordinary, and feeling like a square peg being pushed into a round hole with her corporate life. She decided it was time for change. After delving deeply and exploring countless options, it came to her, she was going to paddle the world’s longest river, the Nile, from its source in Rwanda to its end in Egypt.

It proved to be a journey that was physically demanding, emotionally draining and mentally enlightening. Along the way Sarah would be attacked by hippos, arrested, travel through a country on the brink of civil war and endure the near constant threat of kidnap.

Sarah’s account shares the highs and lows of this life-changing adventure through Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan and Egypt. It’s a journey she has described as being equal parts fun, tough and terrifying!

About the Author

Sarah Davis is a professional risk manager with a passion for risk-taking. She is a British born Australian, an adventurer and accomplished sportswoman, who at the age of 44, keen to explore what was possible, decided she needed more out of life.

That led her to her adventure down the Nile. After the Nile expedition she completed a solo 2,500-km descent of the Murray River in Australia. In 2021 she cycled 4,700km across Australia with a friend, raising money for mental health charities.

Sarah is now a speaker, writer and coach, helping and encouraging others ‘explore their possible’. She also has a long list of adventures to pursue, including completing a source-to-sea descent on each continent.

Find Sarah at sarahjdavis.com or on Instagram @sarahpaddles.

Read the Book

Here is your 3 chapter sample of the book. If you want to keep reading, you can purchase the full book on Amazon as an e-book or paperback.

Not yet a Team Intrepid member? You can get access via this friendly red button.

Subscribe now

It’s only £5 a month and you can sign up, download some 2000 pages of reading material and cancel immediately if you really want! (But obviously we’d hope you stay for the community and extras.)

Notice Board

• The Women’s Trad Fest are looking people to participate in their Climbers Like Me series. “If you can see it you can be it. Anyone can be a role model.” They’re after a photo and short answers to a few questions. I wouldn’t call myself a climber, but I do climb… so I’m starting to think maybe I should volunteer too. All details here and sample profile.

• If you would like to submit a book for Book of the Month, or an idea for an article to be published before Christmas, please get in touch asap emily@intrepid-magazine.com

Thanks for reading and stay intrepid,

Emily

Over the months leading up to my departure, friends, colleagues and, of course, my mother have all vociferously declared it very brave of me to go it alone for the week. I don’t understand at all. The first woman to climb Everest did so before I was even born, back in 1975. Jasmin Paris recently broke all existing records at the Montane Spine Race ultramarathon whilst breastfeeding her baby. And my own hero, Dervla Murphy, Irish cyclist and travel maniac, ventured alone to remote and dangerous parts as far back as the 1960s. So why is a woman still seen as heroic to go for an unaccompanied cycling holiday in Europe, less than 1,000 miles from her front door? 

Jealous Much?

“I wish I could do that,” I’ve heard from several friends. They are all independent, single women in their thirties and each one keen to have their own personal adventure just like this one. I can’t understand what’s stopping them. Especially after we’ve all had to go through such an unprecedented term of curtailed opportunity, shouldn’t we be desperately trying to claw our way out of the box any way we can? 

In summary, I’m traveling through western countries, sleeping in comfortable hotels (with the odd exception, it turns out) and foraging in local convenience stores for precious calories en route. It certainly doesn’t feel very brave to be sitting on a soft bed each night, enjoying some Netflix, reading a decent book or catching up with some online correspondence.

Army of One

So what is it about this innocuous trip that has made me seem so daring to all and sundry? Is it the lack of practical support? Someone to help change a tyre or help to carry the day’s rations? As far as I opine, if someone else can check a map, so can I. I don’t need anyone to work out the exchange rate or haggle over the price of a drink from a roadside stall. Anyone can do it, so why need there be more than one? It’s much easier to agree on something if you’re a party of one. 

For me, the hours alone in the saddle are the best bit. Generally speaking, the fewer people you meet, the less likely you are to come across trouble along the way. Had I spent a weekend in Paris - where crime is rife - I doubt anyone would’ve been concerned for my welfare or impressed by my apparent courageousness. Now, I did get bitten by a snake yesterday morning, but that could happen to anyone, right? It was only a tiny snake, so no big deal. It was cute :)

Embracing the Unknown

To me, this is far from an intrepid adventure, though it’s an awesome enough experience, for sure. Each morning I fervently anticipate each pedal stroke and whatever excitement it may bring. I’ve done the basic research - so I know in which direction I’m heading - but not so much that I haven’t left room for surprises. Surely therein lies the key to a true adventure.

So far I’ve tracked a majestic Eastern Imperial Eagle for several miles across farmland, bathed naked in an iridescent lake and inadvertently joined a stage of the Giro d’Italia cycle race. I’ve made friends with a tiny kitten living under a bridge, been serenaded by accordion at a riverside café and later I’m off to explore a WW2-era bunker that’s now a fruit farm. I can’t say any of that was planned! 

Going it Alone

I’m no hermit. In fact you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who knows me who’d describe me as an introvert. But like most people I also need my alone time, time to recharge and reflect. When I’ve taken short city breaks on my own I’ve often wished I had someone travelling with me, especially in the evenings, but this time it’s different. Right now I need my space. In fact, I’m craving it. That hasn’t stopped me sharing snaps of my routine mid-morning coffee stops or random insects I’ve found hitching a ride on my panniers - and wishing friends a happy birthday via WhatsApp. They’re right with me every bit of the way and that’s company enough this time around.  

Soon I’ll be living alone for the first time in my life, so this is maybe just an introduction to that world of me, myself and I that lies ahead. But I already know that I’ll never really be alone and certainly not lonely. I’m sure you’ll agree that we’re all too connected these days for that to happen, unless we really want it to. The sound of silence doesn’t scare me, in fact I relish the clarity it brings. So why should solo female adventure only be for the brave? Let’s all take a bit of it for ourselves. 

I’m not brave. I’m just not afraid. 

Jenny-Anne Dexter is a perennial participant in all things running, cycling and swimming.

This is an opinion piece and we’d love to hear your thoughts on solo adventures and bravery in the comments too. It’s been a while since we last published an opinion piece, so please remember to read in full and comment thoughtfully. There is enough anger in the world, let’s not add to it here. Thanks :)

Want more like this? Subscribe to Intrepid Magazine

Become a free subscriber to get weekly articles like this. Become a paid member to join a community of female adventurers and supporters - who want to go on crazy adventures like you!

Subscribe now

Membership gets you:

• Access to our private members’ space

• Online Library of 1000+ pages of adventure reading

• Gear testing (+ keep the kit), discounts and other opportunities

• Events and expeditions!

1. Choose an Objective

It may seem obvious, but first you need to have a goal, a purpose. For us it was initially to climb some mountains that nobody had ever climbed before. Personally, I had done this in Greenland, back in 2017, as part of the British Stauning Alps Expedition. It was a month long self-supported ski expedition and, in addition to research into the ice sheet, we made two first ascents.

The concept of going somewhere unexplored is enticing. It doesn't have to be a summit - just make sure your objective excites you, because you'll be researching it (and living it) for a while! We knew we wanted to complete some first ascents, and Kyrgyzstan was a place on many people's lips at the time, as a place with huge swathes of mountains that hadn't been tackled. So we put the two together. 

Finding The Team

At the same time as I was thinking about potential objectives, I started to think about the people I would like to be part of the team. This can really affect your plans. Perhaps you already have some people in mind, members of a club or friends that you tend to go on adventures with? The team I put together originally was made up of colleagues and friends who were outdoor instructors. I chose them because they are familiar with being outdoors in challenging environments and they have the technical skills to be safe - not to mention they were all lovely people.

Life does have a habit of getting in the way though - for us it was injuries and work commitments - and over the development of this project, the team has changed three times. As the team evolved, so did our objectives. We realised that climbing some new peaks would be an adventure, but sharing our remote living skills and combined experience within this new team would be another great objective. So now we have both exploration and education as our objectives.

2. Research your Mountains

The more you do, the better prepared you will be!

We took a fairly methodical approach to this because we had to narrow down everything from the entire country, to a region and eventually a specific valley. Our first job was to choose a region. We consulted the guidebook Mountaineering Regions of Kyrgyzstan by Vladimir Komissarov, an essential resource highlighting Kyrgyzstan’s many mountain ranges, and their key features. We simultaneously consulted ITMC, a logistics company based in Bishkek, to ask about regions they knew had potential for first ascents. Local logistics companies are a fantastic source of information, as well as providing physical resources to help your expedition run smoothly on the ground.

The Zaalay range stood out for its altitude, climate and lack of expeditions. So we then consulted Issue 37 of the Asian Alpine E-News, which included hand drawn maps of the Zaalay region, detailing climbed and unclimbed peaks for the entire range. 

Next came the ‘fun’ part. We plotted each of the peaks on Google Earth, providing a picture of the potential for first ascents for the entire Zaalay range. This was painstaking work as the hand drawn maps often had to be matched using glaciers and other topographical features. There was a lot of cross-referencing.

The ‘maps’ also only showed small sections and were not in any specific order, needing to be pieced together like a strange patchwork of doodles. In some ways we have to thank the global pandemic, because plotting individual summits into Google Earth based on hand drawn maps is incredibly time consuming. At least back in 2020 we had a lot of time! 

We now had a clearer picture of what had and hadn’t been climbed but this was only from one source. We then trawled the internet, trying to find trip reports from teams relating to the areas that interested us. We consulted reports from places such as the Royal Geographical Society, American Alpine Journal and the BMC.

Remember expedition reports won’t always be in English. We knew Russian teams, among others, had been completing expeditions in Kyrgyzstan. So we translated our search criteria into other languages to see what we could find. We were glad we were thorough because we found some peaks that weren’t mentioned in the original document. While you are reading these reports, it is also good to make a note of any tips or tricks that the teams learnt from their expeditions which might make your expedition a little easier.

The research didn’t stop there though

We selected four potential areas and researched logistics for vehicle/foot access and the potential for a base camp. We read a variety of expedition reports and journal articles relating to these areas. However, few groups had visited this part of the Zaalay mountains and none had attempted to enter our first-choice valley. There were three expeditions that had been close, so it was time to chat to their expedition leaders, albeit virtually because, well, pandemic.

We dusted off our very rusty school French, aided by Google translate, and fired off some other emails (thankfully in English) to request images from their expeditions, which could include more detail than Google Earth. We received replies from the two non-commercial expeditions and were astonished at how helpful their leaders were, providing photos and reports and a range of resources to help us. You really get a sense of how fantastic the exploration and expedition community is in moments like this, sharing their time and resources and really wanting you to succeed.

3. Find Funding

Once you have an outline plan in place, it’s time to start applying for some funding. Funding can be the difference between a comfortable expedition and a stressful expedition, so get searching the internet for grants and awards relevant for the kind of expedition you want to complete. There are more than you think, and I have heard that very often they don’t get enough applications so have a lovely pot of money waiting for you.

“get searching the internet for grants and awards relevant for the kind of expedition you want to complete”

Completing these application forms can take a long time and they all have different deadlines - some are very rigid, others less so. Although very often they want similar kinds of information, so once you have done one detailed application you can cannibalise it for other applications, tweaking the information depending on how they ask the question. Don’t be disheartened if you aren’t awarded everything. But when you are successful you’ll need a bank account to deposit the money into, so don’t forget to set this up. If your funding goals are still running a little short of your target you could consider crowdfunding and using your social media to promote your financial goal. You may need to offer incentives, so get creative!

Sponsorship in Kind

There is also the possibility of sponsorship. I wrote a document as part of an application for an award which never amounted to anything. But since it was a generic document in a fairly engaging tone, we also sent it to some gear companies to introduce them to our project and see if they would provide us with some equipment. We were very lucky that Mountain Equipment decided our team’s adventure was worth some shiny new kit. Never be afraid to ask, you never know where it might get you.

One final thing on this topic is that unless you see the kit in front of you, don’t pin your hopes on it. We had been promised some items fairly early on in the process but as time wore on they never materialised. That left us rushing to arrange replacements with less than six weeks to go. Always have a back up plan for any kit that is being arranged by someone else!

4. Plan the Logistics

Once you know where you are going and have a little funding behind you, that’s when the real work begins. Be under no illusions, planning an expedition like this can feel like a part time job at some points. You need to have time to sit down and consider lots of different elements, so don’t be afraid to delegate at this point. Asking your team mates for help will reduce your overall workload while ensuring everyone is engaged in an area of the planning. This also tied in nicely with the aim of our expedition being about skill sharing.

We communicated via WhatsApp regularly, ramping up massively as our departure date loomed. We created a Google Drive with folders for everything and ensured everyone in the team could access it for full visibility. If, like me, you love a good spreadsheet you’ll love planning an expedition. We created an Expedition Planner with various tabs for travel, medical supplies and an equipment list with weights to help work out our baggage allowances.

Luckily many countries have logistics companies who can help with the in-country arrangements for a fee. They can usually arrange transport, help find accommodation, provide items that you cannot take past customs or on flights - and also be a fabulous source of local information. Things to consider include:

Flights

More importantly, your baggage allowance. How much are you going to be taking in terms of personal kit and mountaineering kit? If your flights aren’t direct then additional luggage will be charged per flight so think about this. How light can you pack?

Transport

How will you get from the airport to your particular objectives? If you are taking overland transport, how long does it take and will you need to stop over on the journey? Will you therefore need to arrange accommodation? In Kyrgyzstan, you sometimes need off-road vehicles to reach the remoter areas.

Food

You never want to be hungry and you want to enjoy what you eat, so make sure you have food that is full of flavour. Oat cakes and mixed nuts were out! Think about the protein and calorie content. Will you have easy access to a base camp, where staff could cook for you? Or will you be more remote and carrying your food to your chosen objectives? Can you buy items at local markets so you don’t need to take food in your luggage? Food weight has been a big issue for our expedition.

Insurance

You need to make sure that all the standard aspects of travelling are covered, in addition to your chosen activities. Does the insurance cover remote rescue and repatriation? Do you need to register with your country’s mountain rescue service?

5. Think about Safety

It goes without saying that if you are planning to go on a remote expedition you need to have the skills and knowledge to complete your objectives safely. Training trips are a great way to ensure your team is well prepared in this respect. You also need to ensure you have the correct equipment.

Have a couple of different methods of communication, such as a satellite phone and an EPIRB. If there is an emergency then you need to have a communication plan in place with a clear procedure to follow. Ensure your whole team understands this procedure. You could even have it printed and laminated for everyone to carry. We decided to have a UK-based team mate to help with these procedures, contacting our insurance company and coordinating with the mountain rescue service if required. Check your insurance company’s requirements if there is an issue.

Now tell the World

Finally, don’t forget to shout about your exploits to anyone and everyone that will hear about them. Set up a social media presence for the team and get people excited about what you are doing. Normalise women going to remote places and doing awesome stuff.

I realise that writing about this in a linear style looks like it is simply step-by-step, but very often everything overlapped. This expedition was a steep learning curve for me: I realised how difficult it can be to manage a team. I also feel a huge amount of pressure to bring everyone back safely. The weight of things hangs heavy sometimes, so prepare for a few sleepless nights.

You can follow our expedition on Facebook and Instagram and if you have any questions (about planning, funding, logistics and everything in between) then I will do my very best to answer them.

Jennifer Roberts worked as a Marketing Manager for ten years before having a ‘lightbulb moment’ – selling her house, buying a van and moving to the mountains. She retrained as an outdoor instructor and that serendipitous career change has taken her to many corners of the world. Jen is now a qualified International Mountain Leader and has also worked as an Expedition Leader and Glacier Guide. She is based in sunny south Manchester (which might explain why she likes to travel).

You can find Jen on Instagram @jensbigadventures and the Monstrous Regiment expedition on Facebook and Instagram.

Want more like this? Subscribe to Intrepid Magazine

Become a free subscriber to get weekly articles like this. Become a paid member to join a community of female adventurers and supporters - who want to go on crazy adventures like you!

Subscribe now

Membership gets you:

• Access to our private members’ space

• Online Library of 1000+ pages of adventure reading

• Gear testing (+ keep the kit), discounts and other opportunities

• Events and expeditions!

So, if you would like to, please comment below (or click the button on email) to introduce yourself, tell us a little bit about you and how you first heard of Intrepid Magazine. What brought you here?

P.S. As ever, please do feel free to include links to things you work on or are part of, especially if they’re adventure related.

Hello everyone!

Hope you’ve had a fantastic month. We’ve had lots of new subscribers recently, so a particular hello to you too. This is our monthly bulletin where we share adventures you can follow along with, articles, films, podcasts and the Book of the Month. On other Wednesdays you’ll get an adventure narrative to read at your leisure.

If you sense a vague alpine undertone to the newsletter, then I can only apologise. I spent 2 weeks in Switzerland during June, doing an ill-advised speed run of the Walker’s Haute Route with a bivvy bag and climbing my first 4000er.

Climbing that mountain (Breithorn, 4164m, near Zermatt) was actually part of a world record. I was one of 80 women from worldwide who climbed the mountain together - the longest all-female rope team ever. It was quite an experience (here’s a quick video for a flavour). Switzerland Tourism also got us all up on a billboard in Time Square - which frankly is not something I ever expected to happen to me (and honestly I only knew where it was thanks to Hey there Delilah).

Anyway, enough of me and the strange things that count as ‘work’ for an adventure travel writer. Here’s what’s been going on this month in the world of adventure…

Adventure News

• Eilidh has just finished her cycle from Cairo to Capetown. She did it because “at the start of lockdown in the UK, I decided I needed an adventure to look forward to”. It took her 164 days and she has blogged a great many of them. Read her story here.

• Preet Chandi has announced her next polar expedition: a solo and unsupported crossing of Antarctica. Find out more and follow here.

• Laura Kennington is cycling to the Alps from London - as a flight-free way to be able to do the Tour du Mont Blanc cycle at the end of it. It’s 618 miles total and a fair few alpine passes. More about the journey here and tracker map here.

• Annie from thebotbeyondthebrainz is bikerafting the River Elbe from source to sea (1090km). Her Instagram posts are like a journal, so it’s great to follow along. She happens to be pregnant but isn’t letting it stop her adventuring. Intro post here to start on.

• A dedicate women’s outdoor wear shop, Beinn Nibheis, is opening in Fort William, Scotland. BASE magazine did an interview with the founders.

• If you didn’t stand on the very very top of a mountain, did you actually climb it? New research is causing a stir in the world of 8000m summit bagging. Angela Benavides explains what’s going on. (I have very mixed feelings about the whole thing, but if accepted it would mean that no woman has yet completed all 14 8000ers.)

• This next one may be only of niche interest, but I love uncovering the forgotten stories of women in mountaineering (thanks for humouring me!).
  
  The Alpine Club has released a free digital copy of its members lists from 1857 to 1890. Women weren’t allowed to be members in those years, but if you search for “Mrs” there are plenty of contemporary ladies who joined in. For e.g. I’d never heard of Mrs Cole’s A Lady’s Tour of Monte Rosa which it turns out can be mostly read on Google Books.

If you see an adventure announcement or want to tell us about your own, please hit reply to this email and we’d love to feature you!

Read, Listen, Watch - Our Picks

• First of all, did you read Jo Moseley’s deep dive into how to pitch, write and publish an adventure guidebook?

• Or Jennifer Price’s solo bikepacking adventure with a difference (and no training)?

• Natalie Afonina has released a YouTube video of her Tantalus Traverse, an alpine climbing route in Canada.

• Kat Ganly has been on the GR20 in Corsica. Here’s her Instagram and here’s an earlier podcast she did with Sarah of Tough Girl Challenges.

• HEILO is the story of Fernanda Maciel and Kaytlyn Gerbin running in Patagonia: watch it.

• And while we’re on the North Face, Stephanie Case set out to organise an all-women expedition in Afghanistan with Free to Run. Documentary here.

• I love this story: Nicole Niquille was the first Swiss woman to receive a mountain guide diploma. An accident lost her the use of her legs, but recently a whole cohort of female mountain guides took her up a 4000m mountain on a sled. As thanks for what she started in 1986. Picture and long caption from Caroline George and article (in French but you can hit translate to get the gist).

Obviously, we can’t squeeze all the adventures in the world into this tiny email. Follow us on Instagram for more - we share lots in our stories. Equally, if you’d like to feature here or would like a little social boost - or just seen something we might like too - tag us @intrepid_advmag.

Book of the Month

Our book of the month for July is EXPLORE: A Life of Adventure by Sue Stockdale.

In this compelling memoir Sue describes how, from challenging beginnings, she embarked on a lifetime of adventure - exploring some of the world’s most extreme environments including the North Pole, Antarctica and Greenland.

Sue shares important life lessons gained from these adventures and describes how the mindset, discipline and commitment needed for adventurous activities is also useful in professional life. EXPLORE inspires and encourages all of us to explore our own potential, with the belief that nothing is too scary to embark upon when approached with determination, a plan and willingness to be uncomfortable.

About the Author

Sue Stockdale is an executive coach, TEDx speaker and podcaster whose personal achievements in business and adventure have inspired thousands of individuals worldwide to step out of their comfort zone and explore their potential.

In 1996 Sue made history when she became the first British woman to ski to the magnetic North Pole, following this success with expeditions to Chile, Antarctica, Greenland and the geographical North Pole. She is also an accomplished athlete, having represented Scotland in 1989 and 1991 in 3000m and cross-country events.

Amongst her accolades Sue was recognised as a Pioneer to the Nation by HM the Queen and received a Global Coaching Leadership Award at the World Coaching Congress in 2014.

Sue is the co-author of several books and her articles have appeared in many publications including Inc., the Times and the Guardian. She holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship from the University of Stirling and an MSc in Quality Management from Nottingham Trent University.

Find Sue at suestockdale.com or connect on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Read the Book

Here is your 3 chapter sample of the book, jumping straight into the action on the way to the North Pole. If you want to keep reading, you can purchase the full book on Amazon as an e-book or paperback. For a signed copy, send a note via suestockdale.com

Not yet a Team Intrepid member? You can get access via this friendly red button.

Subscribe now

It’s only £5 a month and you can sign up, download some 2000 pages of reading material and cancel immediately if you really want! (But obviously we’d hope you stay for the community and opportunities.)

Notice Board

• I’m in the process of closing down our old Facebook Group. It’s barely been used in years and closing it means one less thing for me to think about. Because it’s Facebook, you can’t actually hit a delete button, only suspend it. So I’m having to manually go through and delete every member individually, before finally deleting myself to make the group to disappear... Out of 1200 people I’m down to 250 - so we’re getting there! (Facebook locks my account every 80 people or so 🙄) If you’re reading this and have two seconds, I’d appreciate it if you click here and delete yourself if you’re still a member. Thanks very much!

• We’re started planning for our packrafting expedition in Norway :) If I missed off anyone who expressed interest originally, please give me a nudge at emily@intrepid-magazine.com and I’ll add you to the group.

Stay intrepid,

Emily

Have you always dreamt of writing a book? It’s a scary, exciting and compelling dream isn’t it?

Living the Author’s Dream

On 2nd June 2022, my first book Stand Up Paddleboarding in Great Britain: Beautiful Places to Paddleboard in England, Scotland and Wales was launched with award winning publisher, Vertebrate Publishing. Thanks to pre-orders it flew off into the world as a bestseller in canoeing and kayaking - we don’t have our own paddleboarding category just yet! 

There have been wonderful reviews and feedback from new and experienced paddleboarders, SUP authors, experts and instructors. I’ve been in the press, on TV, radio and podcasts. We had cake at my book launch at The Grove Bookshop in Ilkley and I travelled to Leeds for an evening with the Canal and River Trust. My first book festival in Lowdham was such a thrill - as was speaking at The Yes Tribe’s Yestival this year.

Writing and launching SUP Great Britain has been an exciting, terrifying and exhausting rollercoaster of emotions that I simply did not anticipate. Brutiful – beautiful and brutal, as the author Glennon Doyle says. 

Since then, I’ve been asked how I was commissioned to write a book by such a prestigious adventure and outdoors publisher. I thought it might be helpful to share some of the behind-the-scenes steps, in the hope it will encourage you to share your work with the world. 

Knowing Your Why

I wrote my proposal for Stand Up Paddleboarding in Great Britain in the summer of 2020. I’d noticed a huge explosion in paddleboarding during the pandemic and yet that there were very few SUP-specific UK-based books, never mind guidebooks. I felt we deserved more.

Personally, paddleboarding has changed my life, bringing so much joy, hope and adventure. I wanted others to experience that too. 

Having very much enjoyed the personal storytelling in Suzanna Cruikshank’s Swimming Wild in the Lake District, my vision was to interweave stories of beautiful places and paddleboarding adventures, environmental thoughtfulness and the kindness of the SUP community. My goal was for the reader to feel they were on the journey with us experiencing the wonder together and to be inspired to go there themselves, armed with the practical and safety information they would need to know in advance. 

This vision became my ‘why’ and I am eternally grateful that my editor at Vertebrate, Kirsty, was willing to take a leap of faith and back it. 

How To Write a Successful Book Proposal

I don’t have an agent, but I knew that Vertebrate were one of the few publishers that accepted pitches directly. My proposal was detailed with a focus on:

1. the inspiring, informative, community and environmental elements

2. the quality of my writing, research and photography and

3. a keen eye to the commercial too.

Publishers are businesses and however much they love your adventures, if there isn’t a market to buy the book, they may be hard pressed to commission you. I noted the market, the growth of SUP, other books in the genre and who I believed my audience would be. 

I also recognised that as a first time author my efforts in promoting SUP Great Britain would be important. I included my social media activity, website, contacts and networks and my commitment to sharing, perhaps even selling, the book myself. As Brene Brown said on Elizabeth Day’s podcast How To Fail, when talking about her early writing career: “If you’re not going to toot your own horn, then don’t join the band.” I had to be prepared to toot!

Embarrassing Bravery

I recalled a quote from a character in the film We Bought a Zoo:

“You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.” 

Having pitched a very different book concept to other publishers a couple of years before, I knew that there was the very real possibility of rejection. However, all I needed was twenty seconds of embarrassing bravery to press ‘send’. I felt sick as I did it, but I knew that if I didn’t, I would always regret not trying. Life is short and precious and can change in an instant. If you have an inkling of a dream, I believe you should pursue it.

Writing a Travel Book When You Can’t Travel! 

The book was commissioned in early autumn 2020 with a year until delivery. I hoped that the new year would bring an opportunity to travel. However, as January 2021 arrived we went into lockdown three in England, with specific restrictions in Wales and Scotland. 

Whilst I couldn’t physically travel, I could read, research and talk to paddlers! I was really keen to show a wide variety of bodies of water – canals, rivers, the coast, salt marshes, lakes, lochs, harbours, estuaries and docks. I wanted to show the beauty of SUP in the city and rural idylls, plus routes that could be reached by public transport as well as by car. I bought a huge map, lay it on my kitchen floor and placed stickers of my initial ideas. I walked round and round checking, moving the dots, going back to my research. 

I asked for recommendations on social media and had conversations with paddleboarding guides and experts around the country about the routes they loved. I narrowed it down to 32 places spread around England, Scotland and Wales, with a couple of possibilities if things didn’t go to plan. I would have loved to have included more but word count and deadlines didn’t allow it. 

Growing Conversations

On Christmas Eve 2020 I launched my podcast The Joy of SUP: the Paddleboarding Sunshine Podcast, helping me feel connected to the SUP community whilst I lived alone on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales. In March 2021, the film Brave Enough: A Journey Home to Joy was released about my 2019 coast to coast SUP adventure. Frit Tam of Passion Fruit Pictures and I saw our film receive a very warm welcome and critical acclaim.

Sharing both the film and podcast became a lifeline to the outside world for me and, I understand, for many of our viewers and listeners. Community and friendship are such a huge part of paddleboarding. The response showed me that there was an audience for my vision and hope for the book.

Despite this, my self-belief was slipping as a result of living alone and working from home. Doubts began to creep in and I even considered writing to my editor to tell her the project was too much for me. 

Ready, Steady, Go!

With the roll out of the vaccine programme, I started to believe that I might finally be able to travel. Some people suggested that I could do so in lockdown three, as writing was essentially ‘my job’ now, but it simply didn’t feel right.  

Once I had had my first vaccination and the world began opening up in May 2021, I travelled to Liverpool and then to London for my first research trips. I will be honest, the pandemic had taken its toll on my confidence. I felt unsure being around people and travelling around the country seemed overwhelming at times. 

However, I decided it was time for 20 seconds of bravery, a deep breath and to take the next step and then the next. 

Writer on Board 

As summer drew on, I set off for Wales, Scotland and the South West. My little car was laden with my board Grace, a 12ft Bluefin SUP that had taken me coast to coast in 2019; Hope, my Bluefin 10ft 8ins backup board; a sleeping bag; my kit; notebooks and snacks. I tried to be as organised and time efficient as I could – practice from my days as a single Mum came in very handy!

However, researching a travel guide post-pandemic brought unexpected challenges. A staycation boom meant accommodation was really difficult to secure, especially in Devon and Cornwall. I was grateful that the Women’s Institute came to my rescue! Paddlers being ‘pinged’, getting Covid or understandably being eager to travel themselves added to the logistical juggling. High winds, flash floods and thunderstorms created their own challenges. The day before I was due to travel to the South West my car was deemed unsafe if I didn’t get a new clutch. I couldn’t delay, reached for my credit card and set off with some trepidation in a hire car for the very long journey ahead.

On the Road

I filled notebooks. I took photos of car park information, slipways and public toilets as reminders. Above all I asked questions, listened eagerly and looked with wonder and gratitude everywhere I went. I wanted to share that magic with my readers so they could feel it too.

Leave room for the serendipity was a lesson I learnt during my Coast to Coast. I decided to do the same with my research, saying yes to unexpected opportunities. I slept under the stars; saw dolphins, seals and huge jellyfish; went on a funicular for the first time; and experienced incredible sunsets, stunning rainbows and the whoosh of a saltmarsh adventure. I paddled with a Marine Ranger, RNLI and Coastguard volunteers and SUP superstars.

Paddlers opened their hearts and their homes with such generosity and kindness, sharing the vital local knowledge that was needed to make the trips safe, interesting and practical for others. 

Writing to Guidebook

There is only one way to write a book, particularly to a deadline, and that is simply to write. Sentence by sentence, chapter by chapter, wrangling with words until I felt I had done a place justice. I went back to my early drafts, tore them up and started again. It took time, long walks in the hills and gallons of tea to find my voice with confidence. Adding the extra information, filling in gaps and working to Vertebrate’s inhouse style took more time. They are nothing if not relentlessly accurate and sometimes my head was bursting. What was the height of the barrier at the car park by the Thames again? 

The Dream Becomes a Reality

When I saw a draft of the book for the first time with my photos and words together, I have to say I gasped at its beauty. Vertebrate had brought our adventures, photos and stories to life. It was a very proud moment when a couple of months later I gave my author copy to my Dad, to whom the book is dedicated. 

When a reader messaged to say she felt she was on the water with us, my heart burst. Likewise, when a lovely woman said she and her friends had visited one of the routes and loved it, I was thrilled. 

A dream I had held for 50 years had become a reality. More importantly, my hope that SUP Great Britain would bring joy and wonder to others was coming true too. 

What Have I Learned That I Hope Will Help You?

Here are seven pointers to help you write and publish your own adventure book:

1. Get very clear on why. Why do you want to write a book? What impact do you want to have on your readers? Why should a publisher invest in you? 

2. Be willing to face rejection. Don’t be disheartened. Keep believing in yourself, your work, your voice and try again. 

3. Just like an adventure, enjoy the journey, don’t simply focus on the destination. Your attitude will be reflected in your research and writing. 

4. Word by word, chapter by chapter. Keep on getting the work on the paper. On the days you want to and the days you don’t.

5. You don’t have to do it all by yourself: work with your editor to make it the best book it can be. Have some cheerleaders that you can turn to when things feel tough. 

6. Look after yourself: go for walks, eat nourishing food, have breaks, get some sleep, dip in the sea, read a book for fun, watch a film and see friends. If the task feels too much, talk to someone. 

7. Know that not everyone will love your work and that’s OK, your audience will. You may need to develop a slightly thicker skin than you are used to. For me that is worth it fore having the opportunity to share a message that could make a difference. The weight of not trying would have been too heavy to bear. 

Above all, hold onto your dream, keep focused on your vision and write the best proposal you can. Remind yourself you only need 20 seconds of embarrassing bravery to make something great happen. Take a deep breath and press ‘send’. Be proud of yourself for that first courageous step. I’ll be here cheering you. I’d love to hear how you get on. 

Jo Moseley is a single Mum of two grown-up sons living on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales. She calls herself a joy encourager, midlife adventurer and beach cleaner. In 2019, aged 54, Jo became the first woman to paddleboard coast to coast across the north of England picking up litter and raising money for the 2MinuteBeachClean charity and The Wave Project. A film about the adventure, Brave Enough - A Journey Home to Joy, has been screened at prestigious film festivals such as Kendal Mountain Film Festival and Sheffield Adventure Film Festival.

She is the host of the popular The Joy of SUP - the Paddleboarding Sunshine Podcast, sponsored by BluefinSUP. In June 2022, Jo released her first book with award winning adventure publishers Vertebrate Publishing called Stand Up Paddleboarding in Great Britain - Beautiful Places to Paddleboard in England, Scotland and Wales. A bestseller in its first weekend, it is her love letter to SUP, stunning places on our doorstep and the wonderful paddleboarding community, with a strong emphasis on safety and environmental responsibility.

You can find Jo on her website jomoseley.com or on social media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Or listen to her podcast on your favourite podcasting app!

Want more like this? Subscribe to Intrepid Magazine

Become a free subscriber to get weekly articles like this. Become a paid member to join a community of female adventurers and supporters - who want to go on crazy adventures like you!

Subscribe now

Membership gets you:

• Access to our private members’ space

• Online Library of 1000+ pages of adventure reading

• Gear testing (+ keep the kit), discounts and other opportunities

• Events and expeditions!

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not my favourite because it was in any way easy (it was not!) or because the scenery was epic (it was!). It’s my favourite so far because it has made me feel so empowered, reminded me of my own resilience and reaffirmed my faith in humanity. I’m aware that verges on the cliché but bear with me.

The Challenge

Land’s End to John O’ Groats, or End-to-end as it is also known, is one of those challenges I never thought I would try. I liked the idea of it but, and please believe me when I say this, I was never really that into cycling before. I had a bike, sure, and I’d attempted a few triathlons. But I’d only ever cycled 100 miles, in one go, once before. And I never figured I would do it solo, unsupported and without any serious training.

Let’s start with what I found hard. The 15%+ inclines in Cornwall were brutal and, at times, impossible to cycle (so much extra weight on the bike and the zero training). Then there was also my sticky, stinging, chafing and bruised nether regions that quickly became the focus of my attentions for the first few days. Naturally, the weather was another challenge: the intense wind and rain that I just had to pedal on through, followed by the chilly nights I spent in my tiny, one person tent in the middle of nowhere. And, as I write this, I’m still suffering with the intensely painful right side of my neck.

But those bits were what made it an adventure. Without those days, those moments, I would not have any appreciation for the good bits. Just like in life, if it was all plain sailing you wouldn’t  realise when you had it good. I worked hard on every hill, knowing full well that I could relish the downhills on the other side. And no hill is endless, although sometimes it felt like it, but I knew if I just kept peddling, it would end. So, the more I peddled, the more I realised that, whilst of course you need some base-line fitness to prevent injury, challenges like this are all in the mind. Your body, yes yours, can do so much more than you can even imagine. I am NOT a pro cyclist. I selected a route that was challenging but not impossible for me. I knew circa 1000 miles over 12 days was going to push me, but I also knew that I had no other task other than to keep going and not get injured.

The Why behind the Bicycle

I met others along the route on different schedules. One was a 19 year old man aiming to complete LEJOG in about 15 days for the British Heart Foundation, having had a cardiac arrest last year. I met another couple who were taking 23 days, but their aim was more to explore. Different people, different aims, relative levels of challenge.

Of course the other enjoyable element for me was that I am attempting all of this for what I believe to be a good cause: raising funds for the Veterans’ Foundation. At the same time, I also wanted to encourage others to go on their own adventures. These two motives provided me with a genuine sense of purpose every morning and, without a doubt, fuelled me throughout.

These goals also helped me to accept help when it was offered. No one likes to impose on friends unnecessarily, as humans we don’t like to feel indebted, but I was so grateful to receive the hot showers, occasional sofa and free food that was insisted upon me. And I can’t tell you how grateful I was for the occasional local guide and wind break when friends chose to join me for part of the journey. I was genuinely humbled that people would adjust schedules, take time off work, offer to wash my very smelly clothes and generally look after me. I feel incredibly lucky to be part of such a network.

Going it Alone

Despite all of that help and support, however, I still felt like I did this solo. I planned it alone, I cycled the majority of it alone and I made all critical decisions alone. What I hadn’t realised was how much confidence that grew in me. It wasn’t until about Day 7 when, yet again, another lady said to me, “are you doing this on your own?!” Then it sank in that yes, yes I was - and it hadn’t bothered me in the slightest. At no point had I felt lonely or lost or sad. At no point had I felt scared or questioned my judgement. Even when I was in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales battling dangerous headwinds. Or somewhere in the Scottish Borders, having not seen a soul for 6 hours. I hadn’t been worried. In fact on that 7th or 8th day I suddenly realised that I was, for the first time in a long, long time, enjoying my own company. The solitude was so peaceful. I was, putting it simply, content.

It had taken a week of sweat and chafe and hunger, muscle ache and sore knees, to realise that I was actually enjoying this. It felt like I had needed to break my body in order to free my mind. At that point, if I could do this alone then I could do anything. It felt amazing. (I do, however, still like people and I’m definitely not planning to suddenly become a hermit. The amount I talked and sang to myself is a good warning sign for that!). 

I was also struck on multiple occasions by how many good people are out there. I’m not talking about the people I know already (I already know you’re great!) but the people I met along the way. Campsites that waived the pitch fee, café owners that donated the cost of my lunch to the charity, the man that slid me a tenner and insisted I buy a drink for myself at the next town (I did!). The couple hosting the Ukrainian lady and her daughter, refugees from the current crisis. The Chilean man cycling his way around the world, eating surplus supermarket food to get by. The quirky local media outlets that took the time to meet me. The lovely people I chatted to at train stations and cafes who decided to donate afterwards. And then there are the people who got in touch via social media to offer support and advice. All of this was exceptionally motivating and humbling.

Exploring the road less travelled

There’s no official set route, but mine did differ slightly from the norm because I was keen to see friends and family where possible. Deep in the Dales I got some funny looks when I said I was doing LEJOG but, for that, I loved it more. It was amazing to see the changes in landscape, flora and fauna. From the hills of Cornwall, to the Somerset flats, beautiful Gloucester, the Dales, the edge of the Lakes, Scottish Borders and Highlands.

There are also strange things you notice, which you wouldn’t in any other circumstance. For instance, manure smells different depending on the county. It’s still obviously manure, but there are many, many flavours! Scottish gorse, too: turns out it smells like coconut - go figure! Once I’d been told that, I couldn’t stop smelling it. And wild garlic, I couldn’t get enough of the wild garlic.

Strangely, at no point did I feel the need to put on a podcast or listen to music. The route and the fact that I was solo meant I had enough to think about. Navigation, equipment management, sustainment… by the end it becomes second nature but that doesn’t mean you aren’t still thinking about it. It keeps you nicely distracted from the number of miles left to go each day.

The Last Hurdle

One thing I would say is that it doesn’t matter if it’s 60 miles or 100 miles you are cycling in one day, the last 20 miles always hurt. Which just proves to me that expectation management is everything. Your mind is the key. 

So as I cycled towards the famous finish I had my first internal tantrum. The last 2km felt so long, and having to battle a headwind at the end was just not fun. And yet, the closer I got the less I wanted to get there. My body was definitely ready for recovery but my mind could have kept going. That ferry to the Orkneys was strangely inviting. 

I’m not sure I’m suddenly going to go cycling bonkers, but I can see now how people end up cycling the world. It’s a simple and stress free kind of lifestyle - just you and the open road.

The Stats

• Total duration: 12 days

• Total distance: 975.7 miles

• Total climb: 53,110 feet

• Moving time: 86 hours 44 minutes 

• Punctures: 0 

• Cakes eaten: Many 

Kit List and Gear Advice

If you’re thinking of a similar trip yourself, here is some of what Jen took and what changes she would have made to her LEJOG kit list.

Jen’s Essentials

• Obviously inner tubes and puncture repair kit!

• Polos (for boredom and dodgy tummies)

• Mountain bike shoes (I destroyed my road cleats)

• Inflatable packable roll mat (offers so much warmth)

• A sign to tell everyone what you are doing (gets the conversations flowing)

• 1 pair of underpants (luxury!)

• SPF of some kind (for the wind burn mainly)

What not to bother with

• Chain lube (you can pick this up on route or ask for olive oil!)

• High energy snacks (not sustainable, questionable taste and you can buy food all the way along)

• Earphones (I carried mine the whole way and never used them)

• Jet boil/ cooking appliance (unless you are going super cheap - quite a few friends fed me which helped keep costs low)

Trip specific purchases

• Specialized all condition armadillo tyres 

• Backpacker Pro 1 person tent from Outdoor Gear 

• Lightweight trail roll mat from Outdoor Leisure 

• LifeLine adventure handlebar bag

Major Jen Price is currently transition out of the British Army and into civilian life after 10 years of service. She is passionate about the supporting Veterans of the British Armed Forces and inspiring others to go on adventures.

If you’d like to support her endeavours you can donate to her Just Giving page here. Or if you would just like to find out more, check out her other challenges this year via her website: jennevolve.co.uk You can also find her on social media: Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok.

Want more like this? Subscribe to Intrepid Magazine

Become a free subscriber to get weekly articles like this. Become a paid member to join a community of female adventurers and supporters - who want to go on crazy adventures like you!

Join Now

Membership gets you:

• Access to our private members’ space

• Online Library of 1000+ pages of adventure reading

• Gear testing (+ keep the kit), discounts and other opportunities

• Events and expeditions!

A couple of months ago, I was about to go and spend three weeks winter mountaineering in Scotland. Juggling this magazine and freelance commissions and everything else, I had all the balls in the air and only two hands to catch with. But the leaving deadline was coming and with no Wi-Fi for the forseeable, I did the only thing I could. I dropped pretty much everything.

I thought, as I often do when I take on too much, that the world would end if I didn’t do everything. That everything would fall apart. But, to my surprise, it didn’t. And, more insightfully, as soon as I stopped I realised that I had really needed a break.

So thank you all for allowing me that time to recoup, reassess and get excited about this magazine again. It’s so easy to push and push at the things we enjoy until they become a relentless grind of our own making, forgetting why we started them in the first place.

With that in mind - and a sustainable schedule going forwards - here are some clear thoughts that have come out of the semi-hiatus.

1 - Intrepid Magazine exists to share your stories

Nothing profound in the slightest. And yet, something that needs resaying over and over. Last year I went down the road of focussing on editorial, which attracted pitches from professional writers. That absolutely has a place, but I feel like we lost something of the openness. That suddenly an imposter syndrome appeared in my submissions inbox.

I imagine the vibe like sitting round a campfire: everyone takes it in turns to tell a story. Some are more polished but they’re all worth listening to and everyone gets a chance to share. That means we’ll be focussing on sharing as many stories as possible, especially the ones you won’t find in bigger publications. And even, occasionally, my stories.

2 - We are a community first and foremost

Note to self: remember the magazine exists to connect us and to help us. To help build that writing portfolio you need for that dream job. To help promote that expedition, that book, that way of living. To help get that gear support and find those awesome teammates.

I cannot stress how literally I mean this. Personally, I spent so long running into walls: no self-promotion allowed, no funding, no audience… no clue how to get where I want to be! Now I’ve spent 7 years in the adventure industry. If you ever hit a wall, this magazine is a tool to help you find a way round, over or under. Tell us and we’ll find a way to make it happen. Ask and we will help.

Moving forwards, we’ll be also more flexible with when emails come out. After five years of emailing every Wednesday, I’d become a slave to the editorial calendar. Well, turns out I’m not a routine sort of girl - and I’ve finally learnt it. We’ll aim for one email a week still, around about mid-week, but with a less regimented schedule. More freedom, less guilt tripping. (Heck, you might not even notice the difference, but it means a lot to me.)

Adventure News

• Tegan Phillips, of hilarious adventure cartoon fame, is setting out to cycling from Cairo to her home in Cape Town on 16th October 2022. She’s aiming to set the women’s world record on this legendary route, sharing the story along the way, and is crowdfunding to help support it. All the details here.

• The East Devon Trail launched at the start of May. It’s 185km bikepacking route pioneered by Katherine Moore. Ride it here.

• If you’re a dot watcher like me, the Cape Wrath Ultra is on this week (a friend of mine is running). Here’s an interesting read from Sarah Russel about how she’s doing it, as a runner with a stoma. Of course, anyone can do the Cape Wrath Trail any time of the year (ish).

• Katrina Megget is sailing around the coast of Great Britain with her partner Mark. She’s very new to sailing and blogging along the way. Read her introduction post here.

• Jasmine Harrison is swimming 900NM from Lands end to John O’Groats - only Ross Edgley and Sean Conway have ever done it before. She’s aiming to set off in July so follow her on Instagram for updates.

• And a last second addition: Kristin Harila has broken Nims Purja’s record, summiting the first 5 of 14 peaks over 8000m in 24 days. One to watch! Read about it here.

Read, Listen, Watch - Our Picks

• Steph Cooke writes about hiking the Hadrian’s Wall Path.

• National Geographic have a profile on Hafida Hdoubane Morocco’s first female mountain guide.

• Gail Muller has been hiking the paths of Cornwall and vlogging her adventures. You can watch them on her YouTube channel. Don’t forget, members can also read an extract of Gail’s book Unlost.

• We talk a lot about going on huge adventures, but rarely about giving them up. Here’s a really important read from Rosie Watson about letting go of her New Story Run post-pandemic.

Obviously, we can’t squeeze all the adventures in the world into this tiny email. Follow us on Instagram for more - we share lots in our stories. Equally, if you’d like to feature here or would like a little social boost - or just see something we might like too - tag us @intrepid_advmag or hit reply to this email.

Book of the Month

Wild Waters by Susanne Masters: A wildlife and water lover's companion to the aquatic world

 An aquatic perspective on wildlife and wild landscapes in Britain and Ireland, Wild Waters is orientated towards the reader situating themselves in the outdoors.

Susanne, the author, and Alice, the illustrator, met on a beach sea swimming. Wild Waters is a work collaboration that taps into years of their adventures, exploring different seas and bodies of freshwater in Britain and Ireland.

About the Author

Susanne has published academic research on wildlife trade, and written features for the New York Times, Guardian newspaper, BBC and other outlets. She also works with distilleries and spas on ingredient selection and developing sustainable supply chains. In Wild Waters Susanne reveals the connections between people, wildlife and wild landscapes in Britain and Ireland.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ethnobotanica
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mastersmiss/

Read the Book

Here is your sample of this beautifully illustrated book. If you want to keep going, you can purchase the full book direct from the publisher, from local bookshops (you may need to request a copy to have it ordered in) and on Amazon. The book is available as a paperback or e-book.

Not yet a member? You can get access via this friendly button

I want to join Team Intrepid

Notice Board

• I am putting together some resources to help people with things relating to media (e.g. how to do a PR release, how to write a good pitch, what the heck is SEO). The kind of things that are “obvious” or unspoken rules within the media industry, but no one explains to people trying to get started. If you have questions you’d like answered, please put them in the comments.
  

  Leave a comment

• And before I run for the hills, if you have any interest in packrafting and Norway - especially Lofoten, get in touch! Putting out feelers for a potential Intrepid expedition in the near future. And remember I said interest, not necessarily experience. Don’t write yourself off if you’re super-excited, I’ve never packrafted either.

Speak to you soon and stay intrepid,

Emily

Want more like this? Subscribe to Intrepid Magazine

Become a free subscriber to get weekly articles like this. Become a paid member to join a community of female adventurers and supporters.

Subscribe now

Membership gets you:

• Access to our private members space

• Online Library of 1000+ pages of adventure reading

• Gear testing (+ keep the kit), discounts and other opportunities

• Events and meet ups!

Subscribe now

I always have a to-do list on the go. It’s a list of mundane and ordinary things that need completing: reply to emails, call so and so, tidy house... But like many outdoorsy folk I have an adventure list too. Well, actually, it’s a book. A private space where I write down:

• the names of hikes and bike rides I’d like to explore

• countries I'd love to visit and why

• skills I’d like to learn

• experiences I’d like to live out.

In a way it is a bucket list, but I call it my Life List - because at times it is literally the only thing that keeps me moving forwards through the crushing pain of mental ill health and chronic pain.

Where it all began

Every so often an idea pops into my mind for an expedition that’s of a nature I have never considered before. Generally, the urge to get out and tackle this calling is then impossible to ignore until I am literally in the experience - and that was what happened during a humble morning walk from our home in the hills of Exmoor. 

I was going to cycle from John O’Groats to Land’s End (JOGLE) via the highest point of every national park in the country. That’s 15 national parks, 2000 miles and 55 days. At this point the longest ride I had ever undertaken was 32 miles, on the flat, a few years back. I had no cycling gear. And my Dawes Horizon bike was rusting and neglected in the shed. I didn't even have a proper helmet. Oops.

The thing is, I was struggling. As a country we had been beaten back by lockdown after lockdown. I had lost my job as a personal trainer and spent 6 months living homeless with my partner in 2020. I was constantly having to adapt in order to keep my own company afloat, as I could access no support from the government. I was in pain too, with an ongoing mysterious issue in my fascia and spine that no professional I had seen knew what to do with. Chronic migraines incapacitated me. And my mental space, which had only ever been turbulent at best, was threatening to wipe me off the face of the planet. 

It was definitely time for an adventure.

Abbie Bikes Britain begins

Fast forwards through a whirlwind three months of planning, training rides, phone calls, emails, discussions, tears, elation, shopping and more to the end of August 2021. My partner Anna and I stood on the starting line, ready to set off on our challenge: Abbie Bikes Britain. It was a surreal feeling, standing at the top of mainland Britain knowing that before us lay a zig-zagging route, crammed with memories to be had and places to see. I was cycling, Anna was driving and we’d take in each national park, stopping to hike up the highest peaks together.

The first few days in Scotland flew by. We had an encounter with the police, dealt with blistering heat and I struggled to get food down due to an overarching anxiety about the project. But before we knew it we had our first walk day to Ben Macdui, the highest point of the Cairngorms National Park. We enjoyed a fantastic temperature inversion, complete with brocken spectre, and the group walking with us were great company. 

The next day came around and I was back on my bike, Blue. Anna was driving the support van and we would meet up once or twice throughout the day. My mileage averaged between 45-60 miles. My shortest days on the trip were about 30 miles and the longest 90. Thankfully by the time we reached Ben More, in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, I was keeping food down and feeling more well in myself. 

It amazed us how quickly time was passing, and yet each day felt full to the brim with stories and tales. We always collapsed into bed feeling satisfyingly exhausted. By Day 8 we were crossing the border into England, waving a heart-felt goodbye to Scotland which had treated us very well! Funnily enough, as soon as we hit the ‘Welcome to England’ sign, the mist came in and it started raining. 

This was really where we faced our first challenges on the expedition. Whilst the logistics of the project itself were going smoothly, we found ourselves dealing with unexpected emotionally draining situations, including business threats and family bereavement. Very quickly, we had to dig into our own ways of coping with the drama that unfolded, whilst at the same time keeping up with the demands of Abbie Bikes Britain and creating space for each other.

By now we were settled into as much of a routine as we could forge and yet the highs and lows were relentless - both in a literal sense and metaphorically, emotionally speaking. It was tough work and yet at the same time I felt truly grateful to be undertaking such an incredible experience. It felt amazing to move around the country by body power alone. Perhaps my greatest achievement was cycling up Honister Pass, one of the steepest roads in the country. It had been a daunting shadow ahead of me, during the stretch in the north, but reaching the top after a 65 mile day was a hugely rewarding experience personally. 

You might also like: “It’s Easier than Switzerland” - Fear, adventures and bicycles. Plus interview with Laura Moss and the 2021 Cycle Touring Festival

The walks within each National Park really helped to break up the monotony of life on the bike. We opened up each hike to the public, to come and join us, and we met some fun and fascinating individuals. It was these events that kept us going and the sense of community that we built around the expedition gave us strength to face the hard times. 

Reaching breaking point

From one park to another: the Dales and the North York Moors, then down to the Broads where we ran a boat and boot day. Back up to the Peak District where we ran out of petrol and had to sleep on a petrol station forecourt. We jumped out of a plane during an unplanned skydiving experience, and then made our way across to Wales for Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire and the Brecons. 

As is obvious in our three part film series of our expedition, it was in Wales that we hit breaking point. We faced difficulties in the team and our personal troubles absorbed our every waking moment. It probably didn't help that the weather took a turn for the worst too, leaving me cycling in 65 mph winds and horizontal rain. 

Thankfully we were stronger than the challenges that threatened to end things. Anna and I stayed true in our communication and were determined to not let anything get in the way of us completing what we set out to do. We dug in deep, leaned in to our courage and held on to hope. We sought to laugh every day no matter what and encourage each other 100%. We had some pretty major fallings out; there were tears and plenty of heartache. But love wins every time and we knew that this was all superficial expression of our exhaustion, and the anger we felt towards the personal circumstances that had forced their way into our private space. Deep down we were solid and we knew it. 

Until the sun came out again…

Back to England and the sun came out again. It was lovely exploring a new part of the country. Neither of us had been to the New Forest before and the group walk we ran there was one of our joint highlights. Good vibes. Sunshine. Beautiful landscapes. Then on to the South Downs, land of gently undulating fields of green and red kites flying high above. 

With Land’s End drawing closer every day, the energy was electric at times. Our final two national parks came and went in the flurry of wind and rain: Dunkery Beacon in Exmoor and High Willhays on Dartmoor. Not that we could really see the tops for the cloud! 

Then it was on to Cornwall, the final county of the ride. We could really feel the change in seasons now. It was early October and the leaves were showing hints of orange and red, and the air was cooler against our skin. We woke each morning to a fine layer of frost on the ground and puddles lined the roads as I splashed by on Blue. 

JOGLE is a bit of an illusion in a sense. The true northernmost point of mainland Britain is Dunnet Head and the southernmost is Lizard Point. As such, as well as hitting the mandatory JOGLE start and end, we also ticked off the official north and south points too. They were too close to ignore!

The End in Sight

Reaching Lizard Point, Anna and I broke down into tears. For us, this was our finish. The place we had only dreamed of reaching thus far - and now here we were, standing on this windswept and exposed piece of earth, looking out over the North Atlantic Ocean. We hugged tightly, lost for words yet totally connected and proud of each other’s commitment to the cause.

Twenty miles later we rode into Land’s End, Anna having dropped the van ahead of time to cycle across the finish line with me. It was a fitting end, hand in hand as our community welcomed us with open arms and a fantastic celebration. We had faced the storms together and made it out the other side.

We had set out to travel the country to create a national campaign - one that started meaningful conversations about the importance of getting outside into green spaces, for the benefit of mental and physical health, and what we can all do to protect them.

We wanted to not only see people access our nation's green spaces for their wellbeing, but to step up to playing an active role in conserving those places too. Why? Because in doing so we can help to increase feelings of happiness, wellbeing and life satisfaction for people of all ages - by getting involved in something bigger than ourselves and being kind.

The three films following our adventure are now available to watch for free on YouTube. Abbie Bikes Britain was never going to be a dead-end project, but rather a limb in the overall body that is Spend More Time In The WILD. Our mission has no end and we are tirelessly working to create positive change across the globe.

Abbie Barnes is an adventure filmmaker and presenter. She is the founder and director of Spend More Time In The WILD, an organisation that seeks to inspire and empower individuals to get outside for the benefit of mental and physical health. Abbie is perhaps best known for her flourishing YouTube Channel where she is building an archive of hiking videos, exploring trails around the world. She also runs WILD Walks across the UK each month, and is the host of the One Wild Life Podcast. 

To hear more from Abbie you can follow her on Facebook, Instagram or Patreon.

If you'd like to join her community or join in for a WILD Walk, take a look at the WILD Walks and Events page.

Want more like this? Subscribe to Intrepid Magazine

Become a free subscriber to get weekly articles like this. Become a paid member to join a community of female adventurers and supporters - who want to go on crazy adventures like you!

Subscribe now

Membership gets you:

• Access to our private members’ space

• Online Library of 1000+ pages of adventure reading

• Gear testing (+ keep the kit), discounts and other opportunities

• Events and expeditions!