A wonderful trip to the South Shetland Islands, through the Antarctic Sound to the Danger Islands and south along the Antarctic Peninsula as far as Peterman Island onboard National Geographic Explorer speaking for Lindblad Expeditions. We had several days of the most glorious weather during which it was hard to tear myself away from my favourite spots on deck taking photographs - sleep felt like a poor reason to miss out on drinking in such spectacle!
Where is Felicity right now...?
Feeling thankful
So delighted that the B.I.G. North Pole Expedition due to take place in April 2022 has earned the prestigious support of Rolex. The association adds enormously to the credibility of both the scientific and exploration ambitions of our project and we couldn’t be more thrilled.
Training on an Icelandic Glacier
A wild and stormy week of training with the B.I.G. North Pole Expedition team on Vatnajokull in Iceland - Europe’s largest glacier. We spent three of our five days tentbound in high winds but made good use of the time. We managed to complete our planned science training under the guidance of Dr Ulyana Horodyskyj who joined us, as well as preparing tent and travel routines for the expedition across the Arctic Ocean due to take place next April.
Vatnajokull was truly stunning - what a priviledge to be out there at this time of year - and as we were collected from the glacier at the end of our week the vehicles took us to the summit at Grimsvotn for a real treat…a dreamy view accross the Grimsvotn caldera. Complete bliss.
Huge thanks to everyone who helped and supported us throughout the week. If you’d like to see how we got on, you can follow our progress at www.bignorthpole.com
On Channel 4 News
A short film about our Team Umiaq Iceland to Greenland Sailing expedition was broadcast on Channel 4 News and is now available online.
It is a great little film that makes me ever more excited to see the full documentary currently being edited by film-maker Sophia Scott to be screened at COP26 in Glasgow next month…
…I have such good memories of this expedition. Above all, what a priviledge to travel with such an inspiring group of women - miss you all x
Enjoying a new book release
Life Lessons From Explorers: Learn how to weather life’s storms from history’s greatest explorers (Welbeck, 2021)
I'm so proud of this book!
It was released back in July but after some complex logistics I only just got my hands on a physical copy - and it's beautiful! Huge thanks to Isabel Wilkinson at Welbeck Publishing for producing such a lovely thing.
The book was such a joy to work on. The aim was to delve a little deeper into well-known stories to provide a fresh perspective, but also to shine a spotlight on some lesser-known stories that have the ability to be both surprising and thought-provoking.
Some highlights for me were discovering the extraordinary humanity of Neil Armstrong, learning about happiness and simple joy from Agatha Christie, exploring the incredible life of Olaudah Equiano, taking a look at Amelia Earhart's attitude to risk, breaking down the tragic resilience of David Livingstone...and so much more!
It was also an exciting thrill to be able to select some truly inspiring images to accompany the text, from extracts taken from the field notebooks of Gertrude Bell or Charles Darwin, to snapshots of ground-breaking machines that have carried humans to the depths of the oceans and to the edge of space.
In all, I came away with a new stock of memorable quotes, snatches of profound wisdom and, most of all, a renewed belief in the pure brilliance of human beings and the importance of nurturing our inner explorer.
The book is available across the UK in all the usual places (as a hardback) and will be released in the US later this year. If you have a copy, I'm eager to hear what you thought of it...!
Sailing Iceland to Greenland
Like most of the world, I’ve been stunningly stationary for the past 18 months - so it is taking a little time to adjust to the fact that tomorrow I’ll be setting off on my first journey in such a long time, and it’s a fabulous one!
I’ll be setting sail with Joan Mulloy, Irish competitive ocean offshore sailor; Karen Darke, multi-medal winning paralympian and mountaineer; Sophia Scott, film maker and carbon/reclaimed plastic tech visionary and a team of inspiring, positive action focused leaders and achievers to travel from Iceland to Greenland. We’ll be exploring Prins Christian Sund and the channels behind Cape Farewell at the southern tip of Greenland that have only recently become navigable due to the reduction of ice, investigating plastic and other non-organic pollution and looking at some of the stories of environmental change both past and present in Greenland.
Can’t wait!
You can follow our progress via Twitter @TeamUmiaq or by searching for #TeamUmiaq
On Vigur Island
Vigur is a tiny island - just 2km long - in the far northwest corner of Iceland’s Westfjords. To the north of us is the uninhabited peninsula of Hornstrandir, to the west is Greenland.
Despite being just a stone’s throw from the Arctic Circle, the island feels busy right now - it is overflowing with a joyful chaos of breeding birds, while the fjord around it has been described as ‘whale soup’ due to the number of mostly humpbacks passing through. We’re getting human visitors too and it has been such a pleasure to guide many of them around the island, sharing Vigur’s wonderful history and heritage as well as its wildlife.
While sharing knowledge of this special place, we’re learning too - from visiting scientists, local experts and from the wildlife itself. Slowly we are discovering what we can improve - for us and our visitors, but most importanly for the birds and seals that call this island home.
...in books!
Too many years ago I enjoyed a brilliant trip to San Francisco to speak at the Women's Travel Fest organised by the indomitable Kelly Lewis. In a crowded food truck park in a backstreet of the city it had taken me hours to find, Kelly asked if she could interview me for a book she was working on. Today, that book gets launched into the world and I can't wait to read it. Congratulations Kelly!
"Tell Her She Can’t: Inspiring Stories of Unstoppable Women" by Kelly Lewis shares the true stories of 35 inspirational women who overcame the naysayers to achieve “impossible” dreams — dreams that other people said they couldn't do. Part travel, part memoir, and part interview compendium, these inspiring women share their stories to help readers transform adversity into a springboard for empowerment and success. Available everywhere books are sold on June 29th, 2021 and online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, or at www.TellHerSheCant.com/book.
I was also very honoured to find myself included in ‘Toksvig’s Almanac: An eclectic meander through the historical year’ by sandi Toksvig - a book that has lengthened to infinity the list of historical women that I need to know more about…and which has alerted me to the fact that there is a proper term for friends that like to meet to chat over cake: ‘muffin-walloper’.
Womenomics Science Award 2021
Grateful thanks to Above & Beyond Group, Tine Arentsen Willumsen and the Womenomics Nordic Business Conference for presenting me with The Womenomics Science Award at a virtual award ceremony live from Copenhagen this morning.
The Womenomics Awards are presented to ‘inspiring female role models who are not only leaders in their respective fields but have also used their voice to inspire and engage others’, so I was very humbled to be recognised in this way. I was particularly touched by the citation which spoke of the impact of ‘passing it forward’, inspiring other women and bridging cultural barriers - aspects of my expeditions which have required much extra effort over the years but of which I am very proud.
“Not only are you, personally, making a difference, but you also act as a role model, inspiring the next generation of young women to step into projects that break boundaries and records in their fields, especially in fields previously dominated by men, such as STEM and exploration.”
Thank you for such wonderful recognition - it is hugely motivating.
I was delighted for the opportunity to share something of the recent Women's Euro-Arabian North Pole Expedition with the conference as I accepted the award, as well as the history of dramatic change in the Arctic Ocean - the issue which is driving the forthcoming B.I.G. (Before It's Gone) North Pole Expedition in 2022.
Congratulations to fellow award winners Sofie Linde - a figure at the forefront of the Danish #MeToo movement; and, together, the trio behind Europe's leading financial learning platform, Female Invest; Emma Due Bitz, Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen and Camilla Cloëtta Falkenberg. I'm honoured to be in your 2021 cohort.
Mordor
Geldingadalur
The last eruption in Iceland I was lucky enough to see - from a distance. A series of cones opened up to the north of the vast Vatnajokull glacier but along with record-breaking volumes of lava came toxic gas too. Very few people were allowed to get close. We instead drove over Vatnajokull and from a vantage point 25km away looked down on the eruption. We could see the colours of the sky against the green of northern lights, through binos I watched the lava thrown into the air as liquid solidify and fall like a wall of stones - but most memorable of all was the noise. Even from the distance of 25km there was a constant sound of breaking glass, like a heap of ceramics being constantly heaped up by a bulldozer.
This eruprion couldn’t be more different. The crack has opened up just 30km outside Reykjavik and is what the Icelanders call a ‘tourist eruption’ - easy to access, lots of lava, little toxic gas. The site is constantly monitored by the authorities but when everything is ok, visits are allowed. We walked in alongside many others to take a look. What struck me was that there was no sound. Perhaps the wind, the frequent helicopters flying overhead or the crowds hid the noise of the volcano. The second thing was the heat. It was a cold day and at first it was a relief to feel the wafts of warmth coming from the lava. But get too close and it was like hitting a wall of searing heat. It was impossible to withstand it for long. So our visit became a ‘Goldilocks’ mission - not too close, not too far, but find the spot that is just right…
Down with the eiders...
In this month’s Geographical Magazine I was thrilled to see my feature appear about our experiences during our first year at Vigur in the Westfjords (NW Iceland) learning the skills, history and realities of the traditional Icelandic practice of collecting eiderdown from wild eider ducks. It is a wonderfully symbiotic relationship between man and nature for mutual benefit that is almost unique to Iceland and has become part of the cultural fabric.
We continue to have plenty of challenging experiences on Vigur as we prepare for our second season of collecting eiderdown and I look forward to writing more about it !
Here is the link to the article:
And if you would like to know more about Vigur and follow our progress, look for @islandvigur on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or our website: www.vigurisland.com
Finishing lessons...
Today I submitted the last chapter of a book I was commissioned to write about the life lessons we can learn from the lives and stories of history’s greatest explorers. Each of the 15 chapters looks at a different explorer and a different characteristic. Choosing just 15 from the endless list of incredible, inspiring and absorbingly complex explorers throughout history was a tough ask but I think we came up with a great selection - our inclusions range from ancient times to the modern day, from Japan to the Poles, names everyone knows and names that are not so well known (but should be!).
It has been a brilliant project to write and I have really enjoyed the excuse to get to know some of my heroes better - and to gain some new ones. I already miss it and yet spending day after day reading about dedicated and talented overachievers and workaholics has had its challenges too!
The book is already available for pre-order online but is due for publication at the end of the summer by Welbeck…
Enjoying island life...
Iceland is being very kind to us up here in the Westfjords this winter - we may not have as much snow as last year but the storms are short-lived and not-so-bad meaning that we at least have the opportunity to get out and enjoy the snow that is here. AND we’ve been able to see the sky quite a lot, which is a great fortune when the heavens turn green. It is not lost on us how fortunate we are to have such opportunity and space to move around and be outdoors.
Celebrating the first sighting of Antarctica
It has been 200 years since the first sighting of Antarctica. To mark this anniversary - and Antarctica Day - the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust have made a series of three short films as part of their #antarcticainsight programme.
Alongside films featuring ice swimmer Lewis Pugh and photographer Neill Drake, I was delighted to be asked to speak about the inspiration that can be drawn from Antarctica's past to inform our future. It was great to share some memories of my time working for the British Antarctic Survey looking at climate and ozone but also to talk about the Antarctic Treaty which was signed 61 years ago and is a great example of what the human race is capable of when we put our minds to it.
You can see all three films on the UKAHT website along with lots of great content to mark the anniversary.
Opening pre-orders of the new book - available for 30 days!
Pre-orders of the new book are now available via the link below:
https://www.publishizer.com/polar-exposure/
'Polar Exposure' is the story of The Women's Euro-Arabian North Pole Expedition told by Felicity and team members in their own words to create a multi-perspective account of this poignant and remarkable journey.
Pre-orders are open for just 30 days. By pre-ordering you not only become one of the first to get a copy of the book and be inspired by this insightful polar narrative but you can also access some special bonus material from the team such as signed photographs, invitations to an exclusive book launch event, arrange for team members to join book club meetings via video link and even deliver virtual keynotes at your business or event - all free-of-charge with an order. Take a look at the bonuses on offer!
By making a pre-order you also help us to achieve our dream book deal and help us spread the positive and much needed message of this inspirational group of women - so please support us if you can by making a pre-order - only available until 14th November 2020!
Looking for a team to climb Kilimanjaro!
Come climb Kilimanjaro with me to celebrate International Women's Day in 2021!
1st - 11th March 2021
I would love to share this classic challenge with a small but great group of determined women so get in touch if you would like to be a part of it. The team is open to 8 women over the age of 18, and to both UK and International participants.
We plan to tackle the Lemosho route which is one of the longer routes - meaning better opportunity to properly acclimatize and less chance of any altitude problems - but importantly, also allows us time to experience more of the crazy variety of different environments on Kilimanjaro(5895m), from rocky plain, to rainforest to alpine to glacier.
The trip aims to send a proud and positive message to womenkind from the highest point in Africa on IWD but has also been designed in collaboration with operators 360 Expeditions to support women on the mountain; firstly by including as many female porters, guides and cooks in the local support team as possible and, secondly, by ensuring that any donations or funds raised by the team and given to 360-expedition's hugely successful Kilimanjaro Education Program will be set aside to assist local women who aspire to work on the mountain. As 360° Expeditions managing director Marni Oostra explained to me, local women who might love to join teams working on Kilimanjaro often, 'have no means so currently dare not to dream. Money can be spent in childcare allowing them to have a career as well as money spent on educating and training them up as porters, guides and cooks.'
Marni was so excited about this trip that she has kindly promised a free 100L Berghaus kit bag to each team member. Thank you!
For costs of joining the trip and detailed information on everything from itinerary to kit to environmental and social responsibility please go to:
https://www.360-expeditions.com/.../kilimanjaro-lemosho/...
Don't hesitate to get in touch with me or with 360° Expeditions if you have other questions or would like to talk through joining the team. Covid is a worry for everyone right now and although we each have to make our own decisions on when to plan travel again there are reassurances to be had and safeguards in place which can be discussed thoroughly before booking.
I look forward to hearing from you and to preparing for a new and meaningful adventure (we need it!)
Travelling the Arctic Coast Way
Travelled the Arctic Coast Way - Norðurstrandarleið that was launched last year and traces the very northernmost bits of Iceland where the skies are huge and the seas even bigger. I've always been drawn to the lonely 'sticky-out-bits' of a map so 900km of empty peninsulas and wild Atlantic shores was too tempting. (Social distancing not a problem out here either...).
The Arctic Circle marker on Grimsey
We continued the theme with an overnight trip to Grimsey, the island some 40km off the north coast of Iceland that is the only part of the country that falls within the Arctic Circle. The exact position of the Arctic Circle is marked with a big sphere that is rolled slightly each year to mark its movement across the island.
The bird cliffs on the island were empty at this time of year but still spectacular to walk around before our Covid-responsible ride home on the ferry.
We've been taking every opportunity this summer to tour some of Iceland's heritage museums and historic places around the country, soaking up inspiration on ways to share more of Vigur's fascinating past with our visitors (and simultaneously trying out as much rival hjónabandsæla as possible, of course!).
In the press...
I seem to be everywhere this month! It’s always lovely to be asked for an interview and a couple I have given recently were published in National Geographic Traveller UK and Italian magazine D of La Repubblica, hot on the heels of my interview with German paper Die Zeit last month.
My feature article about Community Trekking in Tigray also appeared in the latest issue of Geographical Magazine, which was not only great to see in print but the feedback I received for this account was really wonderful. Thanks so much to everyone that got in touch x
Spotlight on…Tigray, Ethiopia: Pathways to Progress. Geographical Magazine (click on image for link to article).
Why We Travel: Felicity Aston on the power of the Polar Regions to teach vital conservation lessons. National Geographic Traveller UK (click on image for link to article)
'Picking' Eiderdown
Eiderdown is a very rare and valuable commodity. For centuries it has been used to keep those who could afford it warm at night, and today it is used in specialist clothing worn by explorers, mountaineers and even astronauts to protect them from the most extreme of environments.
Eiderdown is incredibly light as well as warm. It is shed by female eiders (kolla in Icelandic) when they lay their eggs each year so that the warmth of their bodies can reach the eggs (and eventually young) that they sit on. Once all eggs in a nest are hatched, ducklings and mother leave the nest leaving a mound of wonderful down behind them.
An eider nest (bottom right) hidden by the shoreline at the base of a cliff that must be found and the eiderdown collected.
In Iceland farmers have long made use of this by-product and developed a special relationship with the eider. By providing a safe place for the eider to nest, farmers have helped to establish large eider colonies, making it easier to collect down on a larger scale. The practice of eider farming is unique for its sustainable and bird-friendly approach, working for the mutual benefit of both man and duck.
Since the beginning of June I have been working on Vigur to help ‘pick’ eiderdown from the nests that are scattered all over the island - some 3500 of them. It takes many hands and several visits to each nest to collect all the down and we are not finished yet. The wild eider are free to nest anywhere they please on Vigur and so the nests with their lining of down can be found literally anywhere, often in the most hard to reach places. It is a wonderful excuse to spend long days outside and to get to know this wonderful island very well indeed - and very satisfying to see the heaps of down in the barn slowly get larger!
Rescheduling RGS tour dates
******UPDATE 25 SEP 2020: Postponed Tour Dates Cancelled******
Wonderfully, my four speaking dates in Darlington, Worcester, Exeter and Bristol that had to be cancelled in April have now been rescheduled for November and December. So glad that I will still have the opportunity to share the story of the Women’s Euro-Arabian North Pole Expedition 2018 with you after all, even if it is a little later in the year than planned.
The new dates are:
Saturday 28th November - Darlington Hullabaloo Theatre
Sunday 29th November - Bristol Tobacco Factory
Tuesday 1st December - Worcester Huntingdon Hall
Thursday 3rd December - Exeter Phoenix Theatre
Full details of each date plus box office information for venues can be found on the Forthcoming Events page. If you hold a ticket for one of the postponed April talks the relevant box office will be able to transfer your ticket for the new date or provide an alternative solution.
Huge thanks to Beth John at the Royal Geographical Society for working so hard to ensure the talks were postponed rather than cancelled. Thanks too to the four theatres involved. It is always such a pleasure to visit and speak at the many regional theatres and Arts Centres around the UK - they are such a treasure but this terrible pandemic is likely to ensure we lose many of them. I really hope those that survive the current economic troubles will find themselves well supported by lots more people enjoying the fantastic shows, films, events and talks they offer - including mine! Let’s all ensure we still have local theatres thriving in the future…
