Beyond the Summit - Alan Hinkes OBE on courage, commitment and the lessons learned on the way up.

In this episode of Outward Bound and Me, host Dylan Carroll sits down with Alan Hinkes OBE - mountaineering icon, author, and proud Outward Bound alumnus. More than 50 years on from his Mountain Leadership Course at Ullswater, Alan reflects on the early experiences that shaped his life in the hills, from growing up in North Yorkshire to discovering the pull of wild places, bad weather and the challenge of finding your own way.

Alan is the first Briton to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000 metre peaks. But in this conversation, the summit is only part of the story. He shares the near-death descent from Kangchenjunga, the mountain he climbed to complete the set, and explains why getting back to base camp matters more than reaching the top. Along the way, he talks about fear, focus, family, and why the British hills still feel like “old friends.”

"You’ve just got to start something."

To order a personalised copy of Alan’s book, 8,000 Metres: Climbing the World’s Highest Mountains, please email Dylan at alumni@outwardbound.org.uk