Blazing a trail

Laura Bingham, explorer and adventurer

Adventurous beginnings

Anything that gets you into the outdoors at an early age is likely to have a positive effect on you in later life. I remember learning the Countryside Code – if you find a gate closed, leave it closed, that kind of thing. It embeds something within you, an appreciation for the outdoors, which I don’t think I ever lost.

Defining moments

On our all-female descent of the Essequibo (the largest river in Guyana), we would hear jaguars growling near our tents – it’s a strange sound, a bit like a snuffle. The pumas would whistle, caimans would linger metres from our kayaks. Then there were the flesh-eating parasites and foot infections… There were a lot of hairy moments out in the jungle!

Woman to woman

Put your hair in French plaits. My husband (Scout Ambassador Ed Stafford) would ask why I was bothering with plaiting my hair, and I had to tell him – it’s nothing to do with vanity, it’s strategy! French plaits stop your hair from knotting with sweat, which is, literally, one less headache.

Power games

In South America, our local guides (all male) would tell us to wait while they set up camp. That was really frustrating, and something we’d hoped to avoid. We even instructed our cameraman to let us get off the plane first to greet them, because we knew they’d start
by shaking the hand of the only man with us. We wanted them to know from the start that we, the females, were leading this expedition.

Getting started

Think of your standard gap year, and then do the exact opposite. The key to carving out a successful adventure career is to do something so wild, so specific, that everyone has to sit up and take note. But to get to that stage, you need confidence in your skills – something I gained when training for the Mountain Leader award.

Parting words

Look people in the eye, don’t take no for an answer, and don’t expect to make money on your first expedition. If you want to make a career out of adventure, you’re going to need to dip into your own pocket, but if it’s your passion and you have a unique enough angle, you will make it work.

Pip Stewart, adventure journalist

Adventurous beginnings

I went through Brownies loving the outdoorsy stuff, especially camping. And the badge system, too, which taught me a lot about goal setting. If I had to attribute the start of my career to anything, though, it would be The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – that experience really took things to the next level for me.

Defining moments

When I cycled from Malaysia to London, I experienced unbelievable generosity. Islam has a proverb, ‘a guest is a gift from God’, and even in the poorest communities, people would welcome us into their homes. It’s easy to focus on negatives, but this helped me realise there are so many benefits of being a woman, including that we’re not seen as much of a threat.

Woman to woman

I find a real beauty in the sisterhood. As women, we have this tremendous power to lift each other up. So get together with your group and head into the wild – I’m positive you’ll have a great time.

Power games

I love Instagram, but with all these bodies sculpted to perfection, you have to remember that’s not most people’s reality. The reality is we’re all different; we don’t always look great. Personally, I’ve never felt more beautiful than when I’m sweating, hyped up on endorphins
during an expedition.

 Getting started

Find your niche. I got into adventure because I love telling stories, and wanted to tell them in more interesting ways, from more interesting places. Be it videography, photography or writing – develop your skill. You can go down the social media influencer route, but that might have a short shelf life, and the alternatives are so much more rewarding.

 Parting words

Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, don’t stick around for politeness’ sake. And think back to those badges – if we didn’t know those badges existed, we wouldn’t have known to achieve them. It’s the same with gender – if we don’t know we can do it, we wouldn’t be doing it at all. Find your female role models and know what’s possible.

Molly Thompson-Smith, climbing star and Sky Sports Scholar

Adventurous beginnings

Funnily enough, growing up in a big city meant the great outdoors felt totally beyond my comfort zone. It wasn’t until a trip to the Peak District that I really started to enjoy nature. I found scrambling on the rocks gave me that same thrill I’d experienced at my seventh birthday party, at our local climbing wall in Ladbroke Grove – the first time I ever climbed.

Defining moments

In 2017 I ruptured three ligaments in one finger. It was devastating and ended one of the most fulfilling years in my sporting career. I’d lost all hope for Olympic qualification, but after months of uncertainty and surgery and countless hours in the gym, I was able to compete at the World Championships, finishing one move out of the finals.

Woman to woman

In climbing competitions, men’s and women’s events are held at the same time with the same number of spectators. Our success is so encouraged, and it motivates me to know I’m on a level playing field with my male counterparts. And it’s the same with rock climbing; rocks are not designed to favour one sex. Just make sure you work on your weaknesses – being strong is useful and not limited to men!

Power games

Being a mixed-race girl in London is pretty common, but walk up to a climbing wall and you start to stand out a little. As a largely Caucasian-dominated sport (at least in the UK), I don’t often see many other people who ‘look like me’ when I go for a climb. Though it’s never held me back, I’m really passionate about pushing for more diversity in the sport.

Getting started

Start by climbing in a safe, indoor environment – that’s a nice introduction to the sport and will give you the confidence to get outdoors and do some exploring. Accept that it may be a little scary and challenging, but that with more practice, it all becomes more natural – and fun!

Parting words

You turn this kind of hobby into a career with dedication to training. That’s the only way you can climb the ranks; start entering competitions and become a recognised figure in the sport. Once you’re recognised as someone who’s achieving competitive greatness, brands may start to reach out – especially if you’ve built a social media following – so that you can inspire their audiences, too.

Karen Darke, paralympic cyclist

Adventurous beginnings

My first tastes of the outdoors were out on the Yorkshire Moors with my parents – every Sunday we’d hike the moorlands, come rain or shine. I don’t live there anymore, but that landscape will always feel like home to me.

Defining moments

It was a poster on my high school wall, advertising a trip to China that the Yorkshire Schools Exploring Society was organising, which lit a spark within me for all things extreme. I competed for a spot on the trip and spent the next year getting ready for it. In terms of the path I took into sports and adventure, it was pretty life-changing.

Woman to woman

There are some parts of the world where females aren’t viewed the same way as men, but your gender should never hold you back or be an issue. As long as you’re respectful to others, you know when to take risks (and know when not to) and are aware that vulnerability can be a weakness, but it can
also be a strength.

Power games

Reaching the top of the Khunjerab Pass between China and Pakistan was a special moment for me. It was only a few years after my injury, and I knew I could either sit around feeling miserable about how things used to be, or get out there and live adventurously with a new set of circumstances. To cycle all that way with no support gave me the confidence that led to winning Gold at the Paralympics.

Getting started

Connect with the Royal Geographical Society – they run an event every year called Explore and that’s an amazing place to begin. Hearing about what other people have done with their lives and with their time is so motivational, and there are different panels dedicated to different sports and activities, so you can be more directly inspired.

Parting words

There’s adventure on your doorstep, you just have to have the motivation to dive into it. Even if you live in a city, you can head to your nearest National Park, or your nearest set of hills, or a lake. Build your confidence, and then let yourself get excited with ideas of things you want to do next.

Belinda Kirk, explorer and entrepreneur

Adventurous beginnings

I used to help out at my local Guide group, but it was growing up on Alderney – one of the Channel Islands – that unleashed my outdoorsy side. I’d hide out in a secret den I’d made in the garden, cycle around the coastline on my little bike – I was pretty much feral.

Defining moments

Ten years ago, I set up Explorers Connect to foster a community of adventurers. At first we were all about big, flashy expeditions, but soon realised the demand was for the opposite – niche, intimate expeditions that gave people their adventure hit without a huge amount of travelling or money.

Woman to woman

Society puts a huge amount of pressure on women to be and look a certain way. Being out in the wild lifts some of this pressure. On the road, I wasn’t bothered about make-up or my hair, and you quickly learn to reject the idea that our value lies in our appearance. Now, I direct my energy to what I’m doing, not how I look.

Power games

Life has become a bit too easy – and that’s something we really do have to fight against. We have all this instant gratification, but what we learn by pushing ourselves and forcing ourselves to become uncomfortable is truly the important stuff.

Getting started

I just saved and saved, until at 18 years old I had enough money to travel around Africa on my own. I came back, saved again, and then headed to Borneo. You just keep doing it, until someone pays you to do it. If you really love it – and in this field, you have to really love it – you’ll find a way.

Parting words

It feels wonderful when you reach the top of a mountain, because you walked there yourself. It’s all about one foot in front of the other and perseverance, because the biggest lessons in life come from the hardest times and the hardest work. You have to get yourself out there and challenge yourself, no matter how you do it.