About me

The Covid restrictions made me appreciate my health and freedom, so I took early retirement in 2020, after working for over 30 years in the City, to hike and camp round the coast of Britain, in short sections to balance family life and other interests. I expect to walk over 10,000 miles, visiting as many islands as possible — my Frodo quest.

I’m inspired by the writing of Robert Macfarlane — particularly the beautifully written The Wild Places — to explore remote places, which means I’ll often head inland, particularly to avoid long stretches of road walking.

In 2022, my five children bought me 100 Hikes of a Lifetime, pushing me beyond my comfort zone, solo hiking wonderful trails in Greenland and Iceland. I’m now on a second quest to complete all the hikes across 66 countries. This is a tough challenge as some trails take five months to complete and others cross dangerous countries, multiplying in these troubled times.

In January, I climbed my first Munro — a mountain in Scotland that’s 3,000 feet or higher — with my eldest son, Cal. As I plan to spend several years completing my coastal trek in the Highlands, why not add a third quest, to summit all 282 Munros?

I’m 63 now, so I need to stay in shape until I’m 100 to complete all three quests or perhaps be reincarnated as a mountain goat.