Into the Wild, Chile / the Guardian

On January 11th 2011, I set off on a bicycle ride from the bottom of South America.

On Chilean Independence Day 2018, the The Guardian shared some of the marvellous things I have found so far.

It was a testing job to pick the pit-stops for a one month trip that stretches from the Atacama Desert to the Pacific Ocean. The diversity in between mountains and ocean; culture and cuisine and wildlife and wilderness can send you into a spin when taking it all in on a first trip.

I didn’t want anyone to feel though that they would miss out. And the final suggested route gives you enough time to poke into the curious corners of the country whilst carving out your own largely self-guided experience.

All the transport choices deliberately avoid air travel. Partly it was an attempt to keep visitors’ carbon footprint low once in the country. Also, (and this part didn’t make my final draft) by travelling slowly through the country – sharing a bunk room on a steamer through the fiords, or gliding overnight into the desert on the 180degree reclining bed bus – you meet the people. This is where the real stories begin.

If you do get to travel to Chile, I hope you return with a rucksack full of adventures to last you a lifetime.

I’m still packing mine…

Read at the Guardian here.

The Silent Giants of Pentland Firth / Geographical

Photo: SIMEC Atlantis

This August 2018 I investigated the burgeoning tidal energy sector for Geographical magazine, and interviewed the man in charge of the Scottish project that is now largest tidal stream array project anywhere in the world.

You can read it here (opens in a separate tab)

Pucon Ultra / Trail Running

The Chilean trail running scene is exploding with races, from the high altitude desert of the Atacama, to the frigid depths of wildest Patagonia. In the Spring issue of Trail Running magazine, I told the story of the sparkling new Pucon Trail race with my photos from the flanks of Volcan Villarrica. 

You can read the original article below.

How hard Chile MM (RD pdf spread)

 

Salmon Farming in Patagonia / Geographical

This May 2018 I got a tip-off that a Chilean salmon farming company was planning a controversial 72,000tonne processing plant at the heart of the Patagonian fiords in Puerto Natales. 

The deep dive research for Geographical magazine is a story of fishy politics, questionable farming practices and the changing geography of the salmon farming industry as they move into the near-pristine seas of the southernmost waters of the planet.

I would like to express my thanks for the interviews, comment and photography provided by the Citizen Education Council of Ultima EsperanzaGreenpeace Chile, National Geographic Pristine Seas scientist Alex Muñoz and Australis Seafoods.

Click here to read online in a new tab. 

The Greenpeace sign reads ‘This is what the salmon industry is hiding’ referring to the football-field sized space each concession occupies with depth of cages equivalent to a five-storey building. (Photo: Sergio Salazar/Greenpeace). Cover photo: Greenpeace Andino.

 

 

 

Cheese Rolling / Men’s Running

An interview with the Big Cheese and all-time cheese chasing champion Chris Anderson for Men’s Running magazine

Featured photo by Luke Purdye (lukepurdye.com / @villageportrait)

You can read the original article below.

MR88_034-035 (cheese rolling)