Chris Townsend
12.30pm Saturday 2nd Novemberlecture Followed by ' crossing the ice ' film |
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Outdoor writer and photographer Chris Townsend is one of the world's most prolific long-distance walkers and a veteran of various huge solo backpacking trips around the world.
British Mountaineering Council Hill Walking Officer Carey Davies talks to Chris about his exploits. As Carey puts it in a recent BMC interview, "When Chris Townsend says he's going on a ‘long walk’, he means something different to most of us".
Chris was the first person to walk the 1,600-mile length of the Canadian Rockies, and has completed the 2,600-mile Pacific Crest Trail and the 3,100-mile Continental Divide Trail. He has also climbed all of the 517 Scottish (3000'+) Munros in the first ever continuous walk (1700 miles and 575,000 feet of ascent). This summer he completed a two-month walk along the 1,200km length of the Scottish watershed .
Chris says: "As a passionate enthusiast for wilderness I have spent much of my life exploring wild places. Long distance hikes are my particular delight and I have completed many of these adventures. Many years ago I set out to communicate my feelings about nature and the joy it brings me through writing and photography."
Chris is the author of 17 books on the mountains and backpacking, most illustrated with his own photos. Many will be familiar with his work as Equipment Editor for The Great Outdoors magazine and his blog.
About Carey Davies:
Earlier this year the BMC appointed its first ever dedicated hill walking development officer in response to a survey showing that 62% of members said hill walking was their primary mountain-related activity.
Carey is former assistant editor at The Great Outdoors magazine. As 'hill walking tsar' his job is provide information and advice to new hill walkers and to the many members for whom hill walking is their main activity.
He likes sunny scrambling, long walks in the Lake District and overseas backpacking. He also enjoys fell running. He has tried a bit of climbing but finds all the heavy paraphernalia involved confusing. He harbours secret dreams of becoming a rock star.
