The second episode of our new specialist series, Explore: How To Plan An Expedition, focuses on The Five P's - Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance. In this episode, Matt speaks with Nigel Winser, Felicity Aston, and Stephen Jones about the importance of proper planning. The vast majority of the time, expeditions are won or lost in the planning stage, and often, the moment you step into the field isn't the start of your expedition, it's half way. Matt, Nigel, Felicity and Steve discuss comm...
Nov 23, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 2
Episode 162 of The Adventure Podcast features alpinist, climber, adaptive athlete, and kindergarten teacher, Kimber Cross. Kimber is an adaptive climber who was born with one hand, and now uses a custom prosthetic ice tool. She is compassionate, resilient, witty, and candid. In this episode, Kimber talks to Matt about her early life; when did she realise she was different, and how did that impact her? They go on to discuss how she got into ice climbing and alpinism, and the importance of belayin...
Nov 20, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 162
Episode 161 of The Adventure Podcast features lawyer and photographer, Rupert Grey. Rupert is, by his own admission, of a world that has now disappeared. His father and grandfather were both colonial governors overseas, and in this episode Matt and Rupert discuss his lineage and how his upbringing and that world impacted him. They travel through a number of Rupert's careers, and explore how his origins and travels shaped him. Rupert also explains how and why he fell in love with Bangladesh, and ...
Nov 13, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 161
The first episode of our new specialist series, Explore: How To Plan An Expedition, focuses on Designing A Successful Field Research Project. In this episode, Matt speaks with Dr James Borrell and Professor Katie Willis about how to plan a field research project. They go into detail about their own experience getting into the world of field science, as well as explore and explain what makes a good research project. They also touch on the associated ethics and responsibilities. Dr James Borrell i...
Nov 09, 2023•44 min•Ep. 1
Welcome to our new specialist series; Explore: How To Plan An Expedition. This series has been created for the Royal Geographical Society and, at its core, is an introduction to how to plan an expedition and fieldwork project, and how to get involved in these worlds. Our hope is that it will encourage you to undertake your own expeditions - be it big or small in scope, long or short in duration, and personal or altruistic by nature. In this introductory episode, Matt gives an overview on what an...
Nov 09, 2023•6 min
Episode 160 of The Adventure Podcast features adventurer and writer, Al Humphreys. For those of you who have been around for a while, you'll recognise Al as our first ever guest on the podcast. He was the originator of the 'micro-adventures' movement, and after many years adventuring further afield, now focuses on pursuing journeys a little closer to home. In this episode, Al talks about his Seven Summits (but not as we know it) expedition, his latest challenge involving an Ordnance Survey map, ...
Nov 06, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 160
Episode 159 of The Adventure Podcast features climber, alpinist and high altitude mountain guide, Jon Gupta. Jon's made a name for himself as a Himalayan high altitude expert, and is responsible for organising and guiding multiple records and world firsts. He's spent most of his adult life in the greater ranges. In this episode, Matt and Jon chat about the world of high altitude, and how the niche of guided mountaineering has changed due to recent media hype. Jon was extremely open and was happy...
Oct 30, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 159
Episode 158 of The Adventure Podcast features mountaineer and filmmaker, Matt Sharman. Matt was on the podcast back in 2020 to talk about his life and experiences in the mountains, but this episode focuses on his recent trip to Pakistan. His latest expedition followed the trail of Shipton and Tilman in the Shaksgam mountains of the Karakoram. Adventures don't always go to plan, and this one derailed pretty spectacularly. They ask: does that matter? Does it make it better? And ultimately, was it ...
Oct 24, 2023•1 hr 47 min•Ep. 158
Episode 157 of The Adventure Podcast features Pip Stewart. Pip is a journalist, explorer, neglected disease campaigner, and mother. In 2013, after working as a political and travel reporter in Hong Kong, she decided she wanted to recalibrate her life and cycled 10,000 miles home to London. A few years later and she was heading to the Essequibo River in Guyana for a world-first source to sea expedition. On her return from the rainforest, she discovered she had a flesh-eating parasite. In this epi...
Oct 16, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 157
Episode 156 of The Adventure Podcast features the first person to travel to every country in the world unbroken without flying, Thor C. Pedersen. Originally Thor's trip was meant to take 4 years, but it went on for more than a decade. His story is full of determination, ambition and perseverance. Matt goes deep on Thor's motivations and the big 'why'. Did he do this for himself, or is he trying to live a life he wants to be seen living? Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-...
Oct 09, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 156
Episode 156 of The Adventure Podcast features Jamie McDonald, a.k.a 'Adventureman'. Jamie is a fundraiser, speaker, author, and challenge-adventurer-extroadinaire. Jamie spent the first nine years of his life in and out of hospital with a rare spinal condition, Syringomyelia. In 2012, he began an adventurous fundraising quest to give back to the hospitals that helped him as a child by cycling 14,000 miles from Bangkok to Gloucester, using a £50 second-hand bike and cycling through more than twen...
Oct 02, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 155
At the point at which this episode is published, Matt is on an expedition in Alaska directing a film for National Geographic. Instead of taking a break from weekly releases, we thought we’d share some of his favourite episodes from early on in the life of the podcast. Episode 154 is From The Archives and features Iain Miller. Iain is a sea kayaker and first-ascent sea stack climber. After twenty years sailing the world with the Merchant Navy, Iain made a home in western Donegal, and he has barel...
Sep 04, 2023•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 154
At the point at which this episode is published, Matt is on an expedition in Alaska directing a film for National Geographic. Instead of taking a break from weekly releases, we thought we’d share some of his favourite episodes from early on in the life of the podcast. Episode 153 of The Adventure Podcast is From The Archives, and was originally released in April 2019. It features one of the world’s most accomplished mountaineers, Conrad Anker. When Matt first decided to start a podcast, he wrote...
Aug 28, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 153
At the point at which this episode is published, Matt is on an expedition in Alaska directing a film for National Geographic. Instead of taking a break from weekly releases, we thought we’d share some of his favourite episodes from early on in the life of the podcast. Episode 152 of The Adventure Podcast is From The Archives, and revisits Matt's conversation with Erling Kagge back in October 2019. Erling is an explorer, publisher and philosopher, who's feet have taken him from the ends of the Ea...
Aug 21, 2023•52 min•Ep. 152
At the point at which this episode is published, Matt is on an expedition in Alaska directing a film for National Geographic. Instead of taking a break from weekly releases, we thought we’d share some of his favourite episodes from early on in the life of the podcast. Episode 151 of The Adventure Podcast is From The Archives, and revisits George Monbiot's first episode which was originally released as episode 9 back in 2019. George is an author and journalist who has views and opinions that can ...
Aug 14, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 151
Episode 150 of The Adventure Podcast features Nat Geo explorer, biologist, and conservationist, Dr Rosa Vásquez Espinoza. Rosa is of Peruvian-Andean and Amazonian descent, and grew up learning about traditional medicine from her grandmother in their backyard’s "natural pharmacy". She now travels to the most extreme environments, from the Amazon Rainforest to Yellowstone’s acidic, boiling waters, to discover new antibiotics, stingless bees, and green chemistry tools. Rosa speaks passionately and ...
Aug 07, 2023•58 min•Ep. 150
Episode 149 of The Adventure Podcast features motorcycle racer and 4x4 rally driver, Vanessa Ruck. Vanessa was a self-proclaimed adrenaline junkie, but in 2014 she was hit by a car. It left her with a series of life-changing injuries and long-term chronic pain. In this episode Matt talks to Vanessa about her recovery and the mindset that forged who she is today, and how she eventually became a motorcyclist competing in some of the world's toughest Enduro events. It’s a frank, real and humbling e...
Jul 31, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 149
Episode 148 of The Adventure Podcast features adventurous zoologist, author and environmental campaigner, Sophie Pavelle. Sophie is known for putting a fresh twist on contemporary Natural History content. She's a first-class communicator, with a natural ability to break data-heavy, and often overwhelming science, into digestible truths. Matt and Sophie chat about her new book 'Forget Me Not', which recently won the People’s Book Prize for Non-Fiction, and took Sophie on a low-carbon journey acro...
Jul 27, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 148
Episode 147 of The Adventure Podcast features overlander, Patty Upton. Patty is on a mission to share and tell stories of her husband, Loren's, adventures. Together they embarked on a number of sensational overland journeys. In 1966 Patty and her husband Loren, on their 4th attempt, completed the first overland crossing of one of the world's most dangerous, remote and roadless border crossings - the Darien Gap in Panama. Ultimately this turned into a bigger global journey which took decades to c...
Jul 17, 2023•46 min•Ep. 147
Episode 146 of The Adventure Podcast features endurance cyclist and adventurer, Leigh Timmis. Leigh holds the world record for the fastest cycle across Europe, breaking the previous record by an incredible eight days. He also recently set a new world record for the greatest distance cycled in seven days. As well as covering his background and early career, they discuss what motivated Leigh to set off on his bike in 2010 and travel 44,000 miles across 51 countries. He speaks openly and thoughtful...
Jul 10, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 146
Episode 145 of The Adventure Podcast features polar traveller, historian and environmental scientist, Tim Jarvis. Tim is clearly a polymath. From his work dealing directly with governments and policy makers as a climate change specialist, through to his expeditions tracing the journeys of Shackleton and Mawson using the same kit and clothing as them, this episode travels through a lot. Tim describes himself as a pragmatic optimist, and drops some note-worthy pithy one-line pearls of wisdom throu...
Jul 03, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 145
Episode 144 of The Adventure Podcast features polar explorer and adventurer, Eric Larsen. Eric is one of the most accomplished polar travellers and guides in the world. In this episode, Matt and Eric discuss the world of ice and snow, or as Eric refers to it, '1000km of white nothingness'. He speaks about his time as a dog sled musher, as well as getting value from different kinds of adventures. Eric also opens up about his cancer diagnosis, the effect that had on his life, and how it has change...
Jun 26, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 144
Episode 143 of The Adventure Podcast features climber, mountaineer, cyclist and endurance athlete, Jerry Gore. Jerry is also a Type 1 diabetic. He has been on an incredible list of expeditions alongside some titans of the game, was a Royal Marine, has broken his neck twice, was caught in an avalanche and even struck by lightning... then in 2001 he was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Jerry refuses to let diabetes be an excuse, and instead uses it as a motivator. This episode is a long one as ther...
Jun 19, 2023•1 hr 44 min•Ep. 143
Episode 142 of The Adventure Podcast features adventure coach and author, Anna Levesque. Anna has been named 'one of the most inspirational paddlers alive' by Canoe & Kayak magazine. She is a leading kayak instructor, and a champion for women accessing paddle sports. Anna is also a specialist yoga instructor for paddling. Matt talks to Anna about her journey to becoming a river guide, as well as touching on themes of mental resilience, grit and emotion. They discuss competition kayaking vs. ...
Jun 15, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 142
Episode 141 of The Adventure Podcast features Zoologist and wildlife TV presenter, Megan McCubbin. Megan travelled the world from a young age and quickly became familiar with living in remote areas whilst searching for incredible wildlife. She found her passion and her cause early on, and went on to study Zoology. Despite the heavy themes this is an immensely hopeful conversation, and in many ways is a call to arms. Matt and Megan talk about the state of nature in the UK, our right to protest (i...
Jun 05, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 141
Episode 140 of The Adventure Podcast features cyclist, writer, environmentalist and academic, Kate Rawles. Kate has a pretty expansive background. She spent a decade working as a lecturer in Outdoor Studies, teaching big picture environmental issues, as well as being a freelance outdoor philosopher, writer, and environmental campaigner. In 2006 she set out to complete the first of her 'Adventure Plus' journeys, The Carbon Cycle, where she cycled from Texas to Alaska, following the spine of the R...
May 31, 2023•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 140
Episode 139 of The Adventure Podcast features the return of award-winning writer, broadcaster and explorer, Leon McCarron. Leon is likely best known for his long distance expeditions; over the past decade he’s travelled over 50,000km on foot. Matt has spoken with Leon in a previous episode, however he's come back to talk about his new book which details his latest major expedition - in 2021, Leon journeyed the full length of the Tigris River, taking him through Turkey, Syria and Iraq. The river ...
May 22, 2023•1 hr 51 min•Ep. 139
Episode 138 of The Adventure Podcast features alpinist, cinematographer and photographer, Mikey Schaefer. Mikey is a big name in the climbing world, and is renowned for his world class ascents and commitment to the vertical life. You might also know him as part of the crew behind the Oscar-winning Free Solo. Matt met Mikey on a Nat Geo expedition last summer and they spent 6 weeks together navigating some of Greenland’s unclimbed walls. In this episode, they chat about Mikey's background and ear...
May 15, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 138
Episode 137 of The Adventure Podcast features photographer, Chris Burkard. Chris is an icon in the adventure world. His images showcasing untamed, powerful landscapes, have gone on to define a corner of the adventure photography genre. In this episode Matt talks to Chris about his humble background and his journey into surfing, adventure and photography. They drift into armchair philosophy mode, and go heavy on ethics and personal values. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventur...
May 08, 2023•57 min•Ep. 137
Episode 136 of The Adventure Podcast features para-alpinist, Tim Howell. Tim is an extremely accomplished base jumper and wingsuit pilot, as well as an expert rock, ice and alpine climber, and an ex-marine. In this episode, Tim speaks to Matt about becoming the first person to climb and jump from the six classic north faces of the Alps. They also discuss Tim's decision to head to the frontline of Ukraine. This episode is packed with adrenaline, but also features some more considered conversation...
May 01, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 136
