How to have an amazing week in Iceland on a Budget

5th January 2018 By Adam Hugill 3 Comments

As a Yorkshireman, I pride myself on finding a way to cut costs. This guide will give you tested tips on how to best save money on a trip to Iceland. I could just recommend that you just buy a bag of rice from the supermarket, cook it yourself on a beer can stove using the fresh glacial water and live in a tent in the -12 degrees winter weather but this way of travelling isn’t for everybody. If this is how you’re going to travel hats off to you. I’d love to hear about your trip.

This guide will give you cost-saving tips but will also presume that you want to have a comfortable time and see the best that Iceland has to offer. There are countless travel guides telling you what attractions are best to visit and where to go. Many of these guides have invested interests in selling you a tour or excursion.

Why is Iceland so expensive?

Iceland is quickly becoming the destination of choice for tourists all over the world. This popularity and demand are helping to drive the prices high, particularly in the tourist areas. The filming of the Game of Thrones ‘beyond the wall’ scenes has captured the imagination of millions of people from all over the world. With active volcanoes and colossal glaciers, Iceland is the real-life land of ice and fire.

Tourism is one of the main sources of income for the economy. High rates of tax on goods and its relative isolation as an Island nation means that everything is priced at a premium. Prices have improved since the crash of its currency in 2008 but Iceland is certainly not a typical location for a traveller looking for a bargain.

The hype for Iceland is deserved

Iceland is by far the most expensive country I have travelled to. Everything is expensive. The food, drinks, accommodation and many of the main attractions. Here are some tips to follow to keep costs down in Iceland:

Pay for everything on a travel-friendly credit card

Iceland is a predominantly card based paying country. For the first time ever on my travels, I didn’t withdraw any local currency. I paid for everything using my credit card.

I use the Halifax clarity credit card. There are no costs for using this card overseas and I can even withdraw cash from an ATM free of charge at what I have found to be the best exchange rate I can find in the countries I have travelled to.

This link to moneysavingexpert.com gives up to date advice on what is the best credit card to use for travel. It also gives you tips on the best way to spend money when overseas.

Don’t stay in Reykjavik – Explore

This advice could be controversial but if you are keen to travel on a budget I would recommend that you don’t stay in Reykjavik at all. Not even for one night. The Capital of Iceland understandably draws the majority of the tourists and travellers. Reykjavik is very small when compared to other capital cities in Europe. It is also the most expensive place in Iceland. If you’re from the UK, it can be compared to a city about the size of Hull but without the cheap fish and chips.

I stayed in the town of Selfoss. It is about an hour east of Reykjavik and was much cheaper than staying in any hotel in the capital. Your time constraints and the season which you travel will dictate your plan. If it is the summer I would avoid staying in accommodation altogether and camp for the duration of my stay. In the winter I would stay in hostels.

Stay away from the booze

Alcohol is heavily taxed in Iceland. There is so many beautiful and epic sights to see without feeling the need to get wasted in the bars and clubs. Rather than heading to a bar, head to the centre of the country at night in search for the Northern Lights.

If you are set on drinking, my advice is not to pass through the duty-free section of the airport empty-handed. A bottle of vodka in the airport will cost about $25.

Hire a car

This piece of advice would not normally appear in a budget guide to a country but Iceland is different. Without a car, you lack the freedom to explore the free sights. If you take a tour bus, it will likely cost more than hiring a car. I found the best prices to be Reykjavik cars. You can pick up and drop the car off at the airport.

If you are dead set on reducing your costs and not hiring a car, hitch-hiking in Iceland is considered to be a safe alternative. This will reduce your freedom in one way but also make it an interesting adventure.

Drink tap water and bring a flask

The tap water in Iceland is quite possibly the cleanest and purest I have ever seen. Bring a reusable water bottle with you and eliminate the need to pay for drinks. If you like a brew, a flask is invaluable. I’d also recommend that you bring your own stash of Yorkshire tea bags but I am biased.

Stay in a hostel and make use of the communal kitchen

The hostel I stayed in at Selfoss was a higher standard than many budget hotels I’ve stayed in. It was very clean which was helped by the rule that you had to remove your shoes at the front door. If you are a member of Hostel International you receive a 700 krone discount on your stay.

The communal kitchen was invaluable when it came to cooking evening meals and breakfast. It eliminated the need to eat out and will save you a ton of cash. The kitchen area is also a great place to meet other travellers, share travel and itinerary tips and drink any of the duty-free alcohol you may have purchased at the airport.

Rather than visiting the Blue Lagoon visit the Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River

This was quite possibly the greatest day I had in Iceland. The travel guides will tell you that the Blue Lagoon is a MUST-SEE destination and I am sure it is lovely but it’s so damn expensive. I just can’t justify paying 65 pounds to visit a hot bath. Geothermal rivers run throughout the country and one of the best places to bathe for free is only an hour away from the Blue Lagoon and 40 in from Reykjavik. The water at the hot springs varies from almost too hot to enter all the way to mild lukewarm soak. The higher up the river, the hotter it is.

If you enter Reykjadalur Hot Spring into google maps it will direct you to a car park where you start the trek to the hot springs.

The trek is roughly 3km uphill through a mountain valley and takes about 45-60 min to get to. There is a path that leads all the way there and even in the winter, the path is visible. The views on the way there are stunning. As you look south you can see all the way to the coastline.

On route to the river, you will encounter boiling hot springs. These steaming pots of bubbling water are not for bathing and the warning signs tell you that they are over 100 degrees. They are pretty interesting to see.

I visited the thermal river on New Year’s Eve in -12 degrees snow. After an uphill hike in the snow, there was no greater feeling than getting into a thermal bath. Taking your clothes off when it is that cold initially feels counter-intuitive but once you’re in the river it is very much worth it.

Even better was the fact it was completely free.

In the summer, the river can get quite busy but there is plenty of space for people to bathe. If heading there in the winter, I would advise that you wear nano spikes or crampons as many parts of the path are covered in thick ice. Other than a towel, swimming clothes.

Visit the countless epic waterfalls

The length of your stay will determine your itinerary. If you plan to visit for 3 days or 3 weeks, the whole Island has epic waterfalls to visit. My visit to Iceland was only 5 nights so I decided to stay in the South of Iceland. Here were my favourite waterfalls that were all free or a small £2 pound parking fee.

Gullfoss

The most famous and possibly the most epic waterfall in Iceland.

Öxarárfoss

In the beautiful Þingvellir National Park. In the winter it freezes up almost completely but is still outstanding. This is a view looking away from the waterfall into the national park.

Gluggafoss

One of my favourites. You can get super close to this waterfall and as it is off the beaten track there is a chance you will have the whole place to yourself.

Seljalandsfoss and Gljúfrabúi

These two waterfalls are within 600m of each other. In the summer, you are able to walk behind Seljalandsfoss and feel the power of the waterfall. When I visited, this walkway was out of bounds due to the ice. The less visited Gljufrabui is, in my opinion, more epic than the larger Seljalandsfoss. Take wellies or waterproof boots with gaiters and walk through the shallow river to see the waterfall up close. At winter, the frozen ice surrounding the cave is like nothing I have seen before.

Skogafoss

Another epic and widely photographed waterfall. Look at what this woman is wearing at -10 degrees. The things people do for social media! There are steps that lead from the bottom of the waterfall to the top which offers another perspective. It’s a pretty busy destination for tourists as you can see in the picture below.

Urriðafoss

This is the most voluminous waterfall in Iceland. When I visited, there were only two other people there. This waterfall is epic in the winter.

Don’t pay for a guided tour – do it yourself

There are some activities where this does not apply. Horse riding, glacier walks, diving the continental divide at Silfra. If you have the budget to do these activities, go for it. Some of the guided tours offer to do things that you can effectively do yourself such as seeing the Northern Lights, the Golden Circle tour and any other excursions to beaches or waterfalls. This is why having a hire car will save you money in the long run.

The Golden circle is absolutely achievable without a tour. By travelling in your own car, you can beat the crowds to the Geysirs, Gullfoss and Þingvellir National Park.

This guide has only gone into southern Iceland. The country has much to offer, especially in the more remote north of the country.

Your expenses can be split into three categories: accommodation, food and entertainment

Travelling to a budget can be simple if you can keep these three things to a minimum. There is so much free and natural beauty in Iceland. An adventure here does not need to cost a fortune.

If you have any further tips or advice to reduce travel costs in Iceland please leave a comment below.

KIT AND EQUIPMENT FOR A WARM WEATHER CYCLE ADVENTURE

29th August 2017 By Adam Hugill 1 Comment

I’ve just returned from a week of cycling around the island of Cyprus. Here is a list of the kit and equipment I took on the adventure. It is slightly modified due to the temperature of Cyprus in August. In short – less warm kit, more water. I didn’t take a tent as I just slept using a sleeping bag in the open. I also didn’t take a bivy bag but I would recommend that you do take one, just in case it does rain. However, the chances of it raining in Cyprus in August is very low indeed but it can happen. I’ve seen it for about 20 minutes just once.

Solar pannels are great when the weather is going to be predictibly sunny.

My kit list consisted of:

Bicycle Equipment

Bicycle – Ridgeback speed metro with Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tour tyres. Purchased the bike to get to work but also does a great job on adventures. A brand new one costs about £380.
Two sets of Altura panniers. I wouldn’t recommend these as they ripped on the second day. In total, I have only used these for about 20 days of cycle touring and light use to go to commute work. Next time I will buy a decent set, like these Ortlieb panniers
Garmin Edge 200 GPS Bike Computer – awesome little cycle computer. Battery lasts for ages. Simple and easy to use
Water bottles were locally bought from shops. In the Republic of Cyprus, a 1.5 ltr bottle of water costs about €1. In the North of Cyprus, they cost the equivalent of £0.20. I used a 1 ltr bottle as my main drinking bottle and carried 4 litres in one of my panniers. I would easily get through 10 litres a day
Bike lock – used a couple of times when I stayed in hotels
CatEye front and back lights. These take AAA batteries which are easy to get hold of
Frame bag. I have Deuter one which works well. I use this for my phone and any small bits of money
Saddle bag for a repair kit. I use a Topeak Aero Wedge saddle bag
Two inner tubes and a repair kit with patches
Small pump
Bicycle multi tool. I have a Topeak Bike Multitool
Leatherman knife/multi tool
Small cable ties
Duct tape
One bungee chord. This can be handy for many things. I used it to secure my broken pannier after it ripped.

Clothes/Kit and Equipment

Suncream – I used factor 30. I would recommend this as a minimum if cycling in Cyprus in August
Lightweight sleeping bag. I used a Snugpak Jungle Bag. These are fairly cheap, lightweight and are what the British Army issue for use in the jungle and hot climates. It has a mesh zip that can cover your face to stop ants and mosquitos bothering you whilst you sleep
Light weight foam roll mat. I used an old cut down military issue one. If I was to go again, I would probably take a more substantial mat
Flip flops
Trainer socks x2
Shorts x2
T shirts x2
Lightweight travel towel
Helmet
Sunglasses
Phone (doubled up as my camera)
GoPro Hero 4 silver with 2 spare batteries and helmet mount
Trainers
Journal/notebook and pen
Passport
Travel credit card with no overseas transaction fees
European health insurance card
Chargers including an Anker PowerPort Solar Charger and Anker PowerCore 20100 power bank. These are two bits of kit were brilliant. It’s the second expedition I’ve used them on now and I would highly recommend them

Medical/Hygiene

Medical kit – plasters, bandage, tape, pain killers and antiseptic cream
Toothbrush and paste
Shower gel
Talc
Deodorant (optional)
Wet wipes
Comb (optional but great for morale if you have hair)
Moisturiser (optional but again great for morale)
Toilet paper

FINDING TIME FOR ADVENTURE

12th July 2017 By Adam Hugill Leave a Comment

“Imagine there is a bank account that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening the bank deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to used during the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course?

Each of us has such a bank, it’s name is time.

Every morning, it credits you 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off at a lost, whatever of this you failed to invest to a good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours. There is no drawing against “tomorrow”. You must live in the present on today’s deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness, and success.

The clock is running. Make the most of today.”

Marc Levy, If Only It Were True

I have previously written about my need for balance in life. Too much of anything is bad. If I sit on my arse all day, staring at a computer screen in the office I will become tired, jaded and fed up. Equally, if I spent 3 months living out of a rucksack and wild camping every night I will also become tired, jaded and fed up.

It is much easier to fall into a trap of the first example – the sitting on your arse and not doing anything fun and exciting. Finding time for adventures can be tough. Life can get in the way. For many people, time is taken up doing things they don’t really want to do.

I often sit and read through social media feeds that appear to show people spending all of their time on adventures and doing cool and interesting stuff. There may be a very small minority that actually do this, but most adventure types have boring and normal stuff to do as well. The difference between them and the rest of the suckers who are sat at home watching reality TV is that the adventure types work hard to fit the adventures into the white space. To prioritise and plan.

The last 12 months of finding time for adventures

In the last 12 months, I have spent a total of about 12 weeks away on adventures. This includes some weekends but doesn’t include a week away on holiday with the wife to Croatia. Some of the adventures I have written about on this blog:

I’m pretty lucky that I’ve been able to spend about 5 of these weeks away as a member of organised expeditions with work. However, that leaves 7 of these weeks spent away during my own time – either on weekends or during my holiday entitlement. Again, I am lucky to have a generous holiday entitlement of 38 days (works out to just over 7 weeks as only Mon-Fri counts). This gives me space and time to be able to plan adventures but rarely for more than a week or so at a time.

The planning in advance is key. If you know when your time off is, protect this and let your intentions be known to your friends and family. This will give you time to research and save up some money for the adventure (or you could spend no money, like my busking adventure in Northern Ireland).

Talk to your friends and family

I’m also lucky to have an understanding wife that supports my desire to go away on adventures. She understands that it makes me happy and I usually come home in a good mood. She also gets some peace and quiet which is also a bonus.

If you have a partner, try planning a joint adventure. Even if it’s just for a night. My wife does not share my love for sleeping in farmers fields and washing in ice-cold rivers but she has come on a one night adventure with me this year. For her, this was a big deal.

Make it fun. Have a campfire (or in my case fail to light one and forever face the humiliation and shame of being a terrible fire-starter). Bring some nice food and even a bottle of wine. Just remember to take all your rubbish with you and leave no trace.

Make the most of your weekends

Weekends are a precious piece of time that I protect as much as I can. Don’t waste your time off doing boring and useless things such as sitting in front of the TV on a Sunday, nursing a hangover. You will regret the time you have wasted. I’ve been there and done it. I regret it and aim to make up for these lost hangover days.

Instead of spending the weekend getting drunk in the same old pub with the same old people, get out and have a weekend of adventure. Go and find the highest point within an hour of where you live and walk to the top. Make your way to the coast and have a wild camp on the beach (make sure you check the tide times). Get a group of your friends together and learn to stand up paddle board. The list is endless. Don’t waste your life going to a non-descript Weatherspoons and drinking overpriced flat lager every weekend. Don’t get me wrong. Every once in a while is fine but like I said at the beginning, too much of anything is bad.

“Our time is running out”

Muse, 2003

Time is our only finite commodity. If you have read up to this point you are now a couple of minutes closer to the end than when you were when you started reading. This thought is eye opening. There are plenty of calculators on the internet that will predict how many seconds you have left to live. Make the most of this coming weekend. And the next one. Find the time for the things you love. For me, that is to head out on adventures and spend time with friends and family.

***

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ADVENTURE GRANTS 2017

25th June 2017 By Adam Hugill Leave a Comment

Most adventures will have some cost (although it is possible to go on a brilliant adventure for free). There are many different ways to get the money needed to fund your expeditions.

Grants are just one of the methods of getting funding.

I was surprised to discover so many grants were available. There are a large number of adventurers and companies that are willing to give you money. Sounds almost too good to be true. In exchange for their money, you will usually have to provide the company with some form of publicity. Post expedition reports are common. As are articles, photos and videos. Some companies claim all commercial ownership of your adventure. All this in exchange for their money.

If you are ok with this, applying for a grant is a great way of funding your expedition.

Listed below are many different adventure grants. Some are general adventure and travel grants. Others are more specific (such as mountaineering grants or even a Landrover based adventure!).

If you know of any other adventure grants that would be useful for this post, please let me know. I will update the list.

The Horizon Lecture Adventure Fund

Amount: £450
About: This fund enables people to undertake their own adventurous expeditions. Applications are accepted from all walks of life. Successful applicants will share their adventure by delivering a short talk at a Horizon Lecture
Deadline: There is no fixed closing date for the fund so you can apply anytime.

For more information on how to apply, follow this link.

The Next Challenge Grant

Amount: A share of up to £2,000 (usually £100 to £200 per trip). You can get help from the founder, Tim Moss, if you want it and he has a small amount of equipment he can loan out too.
About: The Next Challenge Grant is a bursary for small expeditions and adventures. The money comes from a combination of a personal donation from Tim Moss, small crowdfunded donations and contributions from other adventurers.
Deadline: 7th April 2017. The Next Challenge grant has closed its applications for 2017. A list of the winners of the grant for this year can be found here. You could use this list for inspiration for your own epic adventure.

Applications for 2018 will soon reopen and it is likely that the closing date will be in April 2018. For advice on the application process, you can follow this link.

The Adventure Fund

Amount: £100 minimum.
About: Sidetracked Magazine supports the Adventure Fund. This is a fantastic starter fund for general adventures.
Deadline: 1st March each year. Applications for 2017 have now passed. For more information for 2018 applications, follow this link.

Journey of a Lifetime Award

Amount: £5000
About: The Royal Geographical Society and BBC Radio 4 have partnered together for this award. A £5,000 grant is available for one person for an original and inspiring journey anywhere in the world. The award recipient will receive training in radio broadcasting from the BBC and will record their experiences for a BBC Radio 4 documentary.
Deadline: 2nd November 2017

For more information and guidelines, follow this link.

The Altumate Challenge 2017

Amount: £5000
About: To apply, create a 2min video about your idea for The Altumate Challenge 2017. They want to know about you, what you want to achieve and why. The more creative the better!
Deadline: Upload the video onto YouTube/Vimeo etc and send the link along with your contact details and social media handles to altumatechallenge@altumconsulting.co.uk before 5 pm Friday 30th June 2017.

National Geographic Grants

Amount: Early career grants are typically funded for less than US $5,000. They will consider requests for up to US $10,000. Standard grants are typically funded for less than US $30,000. They will consider requests for up to US $50,000.
About: Applications are accepted from around the world, and specifically encourages applicants from outside the United States to apply. Applicants planning to work outside of their home country should include at least one local collaborator on their team.
Deadline: In 2017, the National Geographic Grants Committee will meet four times: January, April, August, and November. Please observe these deadlines for submitting your Standard Grant Application: Deadline of July 1, 2017, for decision by November 30, 2017. Deadline of October 1, 2017, for decision by January 31, 2018. Future deadlines will occur on a quarterly basis.

Neville Shulman Challenge Award

Amount: Between £5000 and £8000
About: The Award aims to further the understanding and exploration of the planet, its cultures, peoples and environments while promoting personal development through the intellectual or physical challenges involved in undertaking the research and/or expedition. Applications are invited from both individuals and groups.
Deadline: 30th November 2017

For further information, follow this link.

Land Rover Bursary

Amount: A bursary of £15,000 is available and in addition, applicants can apply for a discretionary fund of up to £15,000 to support essential expedition related costs.
About: If you have a plan for an epic driving adventure this bursary will loan you a Landrover Discovery and a load of cash.
Deadline: 30th November 2017

For detailed information, follow this link.

The Royal Society for Asian Affairs Travel & Adventure Award

Amount: Up to £1000 and two years’ gratis membership of the Society.
About: Applicants aged 18-25 at the time of the proposed trip. Applicants should submit a plan of a project involving travel in a country or countries of Asia, relating to the geography, history, politics, environmental conservation, culture or art of the area to be visited. Any part of Asia, including the Middle East, may be chosen. Plans should be costed as far as possible and should state the duration of the travel involved and how the costs will be met.
Deadline: The next award application process is anticipated in Sep/Oct 2017 for travel in 2018.

Timmissartok Foundation Grants

Amount: Generally about US $100.
About: The Timmissartok Foundation will partially support projects that involve “travel with a purpose” in which a particular passion is to be explored. The foundation was founded in 2000 to assist individuals with adventurous projects that will take place in a foreign country. Levison Wood is amongst the alumni that have received an award from the Timmissartok Foundation.
Deadline: Applications are accepted throughout the year. The applications are encouraged to be brief. If you want to apply, follow this link.

Des Rubens and Bill Wallace Grant

Amount: £200-£2000.
About: The John Muir Trust offers this Grant to give people the opportunity to seek out life-changing experiences in wild places of the world in ways which will benefit both the person and the wild places themselves. The grant commemorates two former Presidents of the Scottish Mountaineering Club who each led inspiring and adventurous lives. This grant is only open to UK applicants with a Scottish interest/link. Your project should involve travel to wild places, must be adventurous, have an educational or scientific component and be a life-changing experience leading to a commitment to practical action to conserve wild places.
Deadline: 5th January each year.

The Julie Tullis Memorial Award

Amount: A small grant (£200-£800).
About: A grant to assist deserving female mountaineers or any disabled climbers or mountaineers, both male and female, to achieve their climbing or mountaineering ambitions.
Deadline: Closing dates are 1st November (for expeditions or projects taking place before March the following year) or 1st March (for expeditions or projects planned for the rest of that year). Link to the application form.

Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowships

Amount: Individually calculated for the trip.
About: UK citizens with a British passport that are passionate about they do. You need to be keen to share your passion for inspiring others. Your project must require you to travel overseas (for four to eight weeks), but you must also clearly explain why you need to travel and cannot carry out the project from the UK.
Deadline: Apply before 5 pm on 19th September 2017.

Chris Walker Memorial Trust Expedition Grant

Amount: £1000
About: Applications are welcomed from aspiring Greater Ranges climbers who need help to fund expeditions with the objective of establishing new routes, repeating rarely attempted lines or visiting unexplored areas. Successful applicants will be expected to provide a summary expedition report and photos for use on the Chris Walker Memorial Trust website.
Deadline: 1st December 2017. Here is the link to the application form.

The Gino Watkins Memorial Fund

Amount: £500 – £6000
About: The Fund provides approval and grants in aid to well-conceived polar expeditions. Each year the Fund helps appropriate expeditions to visit not only Greenland and other high Arctic lands, but also the Antarctic. Ventures to Iceland in the summer and to Norway are not usually awarded grants.
Deadline: 31st January 2018. For more information follow this link.

Captain Scott Society Awards

Amount: There are two awards available. The spirit of adventure award for £2000 and the Vivian Fuchs Award for £500.
About: The spirit of adventure award goes to an individual or Group that best exemplifies Captain Scott’s ‘Spirit of Adventure‘. In particular, the Society is looking for adventurous ‘firsts’. These could include the scaling of unclimbed peaks, navigational firsts, sporting firsts or expeditionary firsts of any kind. Applicants should also take into account the scientific objectives of Scott’s expeditions. The Society reserves the right to vary the distribution of this Award.
The Vivian Fuchs award is restricted to the 11 – 19 year age group. The Society is very flexible with respect to the type of activity to be undertaken but is particularly interested in character building or unusual exploits.
Deadline: Applications should be received in time for adjudication by the end of March in the year of the Award. The Award is usually presented at the Society’s Annual Dinner to which the successful applicant (or representative of a Group) is invited as a guest of the Society. The Dinner is always held on the 13th June.

British Mountaineering Council (BMC) Expedition Grant

Amount: £200 – £800.
About: Grants are for BMC members, focused on younger climbers. Significant and innovative ascents should be planned.
Deadline: Closing dates are the 1st November (for expeditions taking place before March the following year) or 1st March (for expeditions planned for the rest of that year).

Alpkit Foundation

Amount: £50 – £500.
About: Alpkit give money to individuals, groups, schools and organisations to enable outdoor experiences and expeditions that otherwise couldn’t happen; e.g. giving a cash grant to a school to fund transport costs. Alpkit also provide discounted equipment for purposeful adventures and expeditions to individuals, groups, schools and organisations at discounts that wouldn’t be viable without support from the Alpkit Foundation
Deadline: No deadline but should be applied at least 3 months before the planned activity.

The Lord Mayors 800th Anniversary Awards Trust

Amount: £50 – £1000
About: Need to be aged 18-24 and have a close connection to the City of London. Can be used for teaching overseas, community work, wildlife work and summer schools
Deadline: Grants are awarded twice a year, in the late spring and late autumn for projects starting in six months.

Transglobe Expedition Trust

Amount:£1000 – £2000
About: Charity that was established to perpetuate the memory of Sir Ranulph Fiennes Transglobe Expedition. Past recipients include Ed Stafford and Ollie Hicks.
Deadline: No deadline, apply throughout the year.

Scientific Exploration Society’s (SES) Explorer Awards 2018

Amount: £2000 – £8000
About: The SES seeks the rising stars who could become major players in the next generation of explorers, willing to take on risks in a sensible way and who share the values of grit, curiosity, integrity and leadership. A number of awards are available with the Scientific Exploration Society:
- SES Cadogan Tate Explorers Award – £2000
- The SES Gough Explorer Award – £4000
- The SES Rivers Foundation Award for Health & Humanities – £5000
- The SES Sir Charles Blois Explorer Award – £5000
- The SES Inspirational Explorer Award – £5000
- The SES Elodie Sanford Explorer Award – £8120
- The Neville Shulman Explorer Award – £7000
Deadline: The SES Explorer Awards 2018 will be announced and launched in the Autumn of 2017. Check back to this page regularly as more will be added in due course.

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KIT LIST FOR THE HIMALAYAS

20th April 2017 By Adam Hugill 1 Comment

Next week I will be setting off on a three-week trekking expedition to the remote Dolpo area of Western Nepal. The aim of the expedition is to trek from Juphal to Jomson, passing over 3 peaks above 5500m. I will be trekking with 12 other members of the Army Mountaineering association (AMA) to celebrate the AMA’s 60th anniversary.

The expedition is being supported by porters throughout. This means that I am able to take more kit than I would normally take if I was self-supported. However, I have tried to keep the kit down to the essentials.

Here is a list of the kit I will be taking:

Mountain Clothing

1 pair of boots/Salomon X Ultra Mid 2 Gortex* – Great pair of boots

1 pair of flip flops/sandals

3 pairs of trekking socks

1 pair of walking trousers/Mountain Equipment Men’s Ibex Softshell Walking Trousers* – expensive but I love these trousers

1 pair of shorts/Nike running shorts

1 waterproof jacket/Regatta point 214 Blue – I think it cost about £50 a few years ago.

1 pair of waterproof trousers/£10 pair from a camping shop

1 pair of waterproof gloves/Mountain Equipment Men’s Gloves* – these are waterproof, warm and not too big

1 fleece/Buffalo style – Army issue

2 pairs of Under Armour compression shorts* to be worn as boxer shorts

1 pair of gaiters/Berghaus Expeditor Gaiter*

2 synthetic t-shirts/1 Adidas sports top, 1 Rab t-shirt

1 baselayer/Helly Hansen Lifa Dry Stripe Crew Base Layer*

1 woolly hat (with bobble on the top)

1 pair of likely to be fake ray bands that I found at the bottom of the ocean whilst diving in Egypt

1 black baseball style cap

Trekking Equipment

1 backpack/Osprey Kestrel 48 Backpack Green* I’ve not really tested the pack out yet. This trip will be only the second time I have used it

1 sleeping bag, 3 seasons with waterproof compression sack/Robens Caucasus 600* This trip will be only the second time I have tested this bag. I used it on a wild camp in Wales and it felt very warm. First time I have used a down bag

1 fold up foam roll matt/Cheap and nasty

1 pair of walking poles/Trekrite Antishock Hiking Sticks / Walking Poles* I have used these a few times. Seem to be decent poles. The number one best seller for walking poles on Amazon

1 whistle

1 compass

1 metal mug

4 dry bags/I have collected a number of different brands and sizes over the years and have no huge preference. The Ortlieb Ultra Lightweight Dry Bags* are a good place to start

1 lightweight bivvy bag/Karrimor X lite bivvy bag. Paid £20 for it a few years ago. Still going strong

1 headtorch/Petzl tikka plus 2. Bought this a long time ago, so long that they no longer make them

1 travel towel

1 spoon

1 small padlock

2 – 1 ltr water bottles/I use the CamelBak Chute Water Bottle* but any water bottle will do the job. Cheapest bottle is to reuse an Evian one

Medical/Health

Factor 30 suncream

Prescribed high altitude medication and antibiotics/Azithromycin, Ciprofloxacin (diarrhoea), Nifedipine(HAPE), Dexamethasone (HACE) and Acetazolamide (mountain sickness)

1 roll of loo roll

Personal med kit – (paracetamol, plasters etc)

Toiletries – toothbrush, toothpaste, moisturiser and soap etc. Small amount.

Electrical Items

Smartphone – Samsung Galaxy S7

Kindle with a load of books on it

GPS/Garmin Foretrex 401 GPS Watch* I have had this GPS for years. Great bit of kit that uses AAA batteries

Nikon S1 camera with an 8 GB SD card with 3 batteries/ I’ve used this camera for a few years now. Takes a decent picture and is small and compact

GoPro HERO4 SILVER*/With a 64GB micro SD, selfie stick and 3 batteries

Solar charger /Anker PowerPort Solar Lite* I bought this for this trip. Still to see if its good or not

2 Power banks/One is a dodgy one that I bought in Egypt, the other is the Anker PowerCore 20100*. I have been impressed the Anker chargers so far

A load of AAA batteries and a couple of spare memory cards

International power socket adapter

Headphones/AKG Y40 Headphones* good quality and value for money headphones

iPod nano from 2007. Still in working order.

Other Items

Notebook for journal writing and pen/pencil

Passport, passport photographs for the visa

Travel insurance forms and other documents

A photograph of family, I find pictures can often be a great ice breaker with locals

Normal clothes (t-shirt, jeans) to be left in Kathmandu

As a group, we will be carrying extra medical supplies, a sat phone, ropes and maps.

Camping Equipment

As I am a member of a group expedition, we are not taking individual tents for the expedition. We are using group tents that will be put up by the porters. Food is also provided by the trekking company on the expedition.

If I am being honest, I am not sure how I feel about not being completely self-sufficient. I hope it doesn’t take away from the physical challenge of trekking for 3 weeks. It is the first large group expedition I have been on. I am far more used to being self-sufficient.

I am really excited about this expedition to Nepal. The clothing and equipment I am taking is a mixture of high-end products (boots, rucksack) and cheap (waterproof trousers, roll matt). The more money you can afford to spend, the more comfortable you will likely to be but the kit I am taking isn’t much different to what I would take on a week of trekking in the Scottish Highlands (other than the altitude meds).

Let me know what you think? Any bits of kit that you would recommend for an expedition to the Himalayas? Let me know in the comments below.

*What is this?

If you buy using these links it earns me a small amount of commission. I use all of the kit listed and recommend itas I see fit. I am honest and upfront about this.

Adventure Inspiration, Ep.5

By Adam Hugill / 30th March 2018

I've been following Ed Pratt for over a year or so now as he attempts to Unicycle around the world.

Inspiration

Adventure Inspiration, Ep. 4

By Adam Hugill / 23rd March 2018

A post by Ayadh Ahmed on why motivation isn't that important but action is (link to post on medium). Whatever you do,

Inspiration

Adventure Inspiration, Ep. 3

By Adam Hugill / 16th March 2018

A beautifully made video that makes me want to head out on my bicycle and hit some waves: #headwindhaters < I don't

Inspiration

Adventure Inspiration, Ep. 2

By Adam Hugill / 10th March 2018

Alistair Humphreys and Leon McCarron talk about making a living from an adventure in a pub in Ireland. “Adventure is about growth.”

Ultra Training Diary: Week 1 of 13

By Adam Hugill / 4th March 2018

The first week of a training plan always goes well. I have written out all of my planned runs in

Inspiration

Adventure Inspiration, Ep. 01

By Adam Hugill / 2nd March 2018

I spend far too much time surfing the web in search of inspiration. Reading travel articles, watching short films of

I’ve signed up for an Ultra Marathon!

By Adam Hugill / 26th February 2018

Drunk on endorphins from running two half-marathons in the space of a week, I have decided that for my next

Successfully running a trail half-marathon when you are “Obese”

By Adam Hugill / 20th February 2018

According to the NHS BMI Calculator, I am officially obese. Even as I write this, I don't actually think I

Successfully running a trail half-marathon when you are “Obese”

Thoughts and Ramblings

Interview with LimitlessPersuits.com

By Adam Hugill / 8th February 2018

Recently a website reached out to me through Instagram and asked if I would like to be interviewed for their

First Anniversary of Adventure with Adam – A Review of 2017

By Adam Hugill / 12th January 2018

I can’t quite believe that a whole year has passed since I started the Adventure with Adam blog. This feels

First Anniversary of Adventure with Adam – A Review of 2017

HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATE ON AN ADVENTURE

16th April 2017 By Adam Hugill Leave a Comment

When planning an adventure I usually set off from point A and finish at point B. This is the simplest and easiest to measure method of travelling. Often my adventures are in remote places, with little reliable mapping and sketchy internet coverage. Even so, I need to be able to reliably get to my final destination. Navigating isn’t a black art. It’s usually much simpler than people first think.

Here are the best methods to navigate on a human powered adventure.

Map and Compass

You can’t go wrong with a trusty map and compass. With a little practice, this method is one of the best to navigate, especially on remote adventures.

Pros:

“Trust your compass” is the advice I was given during my training in the military. The map and compass are reliable and once you are comfortable with the skills required to use them, it is one of the best ways to navigate.
No batteries required. If you want to disconnect from technology, this is the best method to navigate.
Relatively cheap. A decent compass will last a lifetime. I would always recommend a Silva Compass.

Cons:

Can be a difficult skill to master. Navigating using a compass requires practise and skill fade can set in if not used frequently.
Easier to use when travelling on foot. Can be more difficult to use a map when cycling or using other transport, but not impossible.
If travelling over large distances, carrying multiple maps can become a pain.
Mapping in less developed countries can be pretty terrible. We are lucky in the UK that our mapping is at such a high standard. Once you head into Africa or other less developed countries, the mapping can become hard to follow is not often accurate.

Google Maps

If you have a smartphone, you have access to google maps. Through the magic of modern technology, you are able to turn your phone into a pretty powerful GPS. I have successfully used google maps this to navigate on adventures in Europe and Africa.

Pros:

Good for following roads. Even in less developed countries, the mapping can be better than actual paper maps.
Fits in your pocket. Means no carrying off masses of paper maps.
Will tell you where you are without using data. Location services work even when data is turned off.
Tip – if you know where you are going in advance and the area is not too large, you can download the map area offline. This saves data costs whilst travelling. For instructions on how to do this, read here.

Cons:

Whenever you rely on a piece of technology, it can fail. It can be as simple as your battery running out or your phone could be damaged.
You will find yourself checking your phone more frequently, which not a good thing. Adventures are a great way of disconnecting from technology.
You will likely use more power from your phone which means that charging will become an issue. This can be avoided if you write down the directions you wish to follow into a route card. For an idea of what a route card should look like, check here or here is a simple route card I made on one of my adventures through Belgium.

GPS

Using your phone as a GPS (Global Positioning System) is one option. There are plenty of other handheld GPS’s that are available on the market. Some will give you simple features such as your position and heading. Other have full maps included.

Pros:

Can be used in conjunction with a map and compass. A GPS should not fully replace a map, especially in remote places. If you are cycling and using roads, you can take more risk and use GPS more.
Easy to use and 99% accurate (usually).

Cons:

Similar to google maps, technology can fail.
Can be expensive.
A GPS will tell you where you are but can often struggle to tell you where to go. Blindly following a GPS can lead to disaster. If you are using a GPS, be aware of your surroundings and don’t follow it off the edge of a cliff.

Asking for directions

If you are heading out on an adventure with no strict time limit, why not leave the maps at home and trust signposts and locals for your directions advice.

Pros:

Will lead to more social interactions with locals.
One of the simplest methods.
Could lead to some advice to visit somewhere you didn’t consider.
Cheapest and easiest method. Also the most fun

Cons:

Some locals will have only ever travelled to places by car. If you are walking or cycling, this could lead to poor advice and directions to busy roads.
Can often be unreliable.
Language barriers could become a problem in some countries

A combination of the above

There is no hard and fast rule for which method to use for navigation. You can use one, none or all of these. The journey can be enhanced by leaving technology behind and travelling by following the bearing of a compass or using the sun to travel. When I cycled along the coast of Northern Ireland, I rarely used any of the above methods, I just kept the sea in sight and to my right. Using rivers, oceans or other geographical features is a great way of navigating.