Climb Your Mountain: Everyday lessons from an extraordinary life

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At the moment, I still hold the World Record of being the only person to have crossed the whole of that Antarctica ice cap, the whole of the northern ice cap and to climb the highest mountain. After serving in the Royal Scots Greys regiment of the army, he’s seconded in 1965 and 1966 to the SAS, becoming the youngest captain in the British Army. 1956 Partnering with Mike Stroud, Ranulph undertakes The Unsupported Antarctic Continent Expedition, becoming the first people to cross the Antarctic Continent unsupported, without assistance or extra supplies. At the time it was the longest unsupported polar journey in history. 1991

Explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes is setting off to climb Mount Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica, in his pursuit to become the first person to have crossed both polar ice caps and climb the highest mountain on each continent to raise money for Marie Curie. Sir Ranulph is attempting to become the first person to have crossed both polar ice caps (by traversing the Arctic Ocean and crossing the Antarctic continent) and climb the highest peaks on each of the seven continents. He was, in 2009, the first person to cross both ice caps and summit Everest. In 1982 Sir Ranulph circumnavigated the world on its polar axis during a three year trans-globe expedition travelling solely by sea and land on a route that has never been repeated, with Charles Burton. Breaks the world record for unsupported (without new supplies or assistance) northerly polar travel, with Mike Stroud in The Unsupported North Pole Russian Expedition. Ranulph also wins ITV’s Award for Event of the Decade. 1986 Frederik van Tuyll, CEO, TMF Group who are sponsoring the Global Reach Challenge said: “Sir Ranulph Fiennes is the world’s greatest living explorer. He has inspired many for generations with his perseverance and dedication, and has pushed himself to the extreme to complete some of the world’s most gruelling and difficult challenges. He has shown that to succeed in remote areas requires not only tremendous ambition but also detailed local knowledge and expertise - so he surrounds himself with a strong team, all experts in their field. TMF Group understands this too, and is excited to be part of the Global Reach Challenge team.”

Crushing grief

There’s so much to talk about that I can only briefly touch on being the oldest Brit up Everest and the oldest pensioner in Great Britain to go up the north face of the Eiger! I’ve tried to get a good mix of polar exploring, and my other adventures." Preparation for what came to be called the Transglobe Expedition began in 1972 and occupied much of Fiennes’s and Ginny’s time during the rest of the decade. The trekking team, led by Fiennes and including fellow Britons Charles Burton and Oliver Shepard, had a support crew of some three dozen people, including Ginny. They departed from Greenwich, England, in September 1979, attempting to stay as close as possible to the Greenwich meridian as they journeyed southward over land and water, until they reached the coast of Antarctica in January 1980. They remained there until October, when Fiennes, Burton, and Shepherd departed on snowmobiles for the South Pole, which they reached on December 15. Setting out again after a short time at the American base there, they arrived at the Scott Base on the west coast of Antarctica in mid-January 1981, having made the continental traverse in a record-setting 67 days. In 1969 Fiennes led his first expedition: a journey by hovercraft up the White Nile River that began in eastern Sudan and ended at Lake Victoria in southern Uganda. The following year he left the military and married Virginia (“Ginny”) Pepper, whom he had met as a child and who, until her death in 2004, would be the collaborator on many of his subsequent expeditions and adventures. A trip to Jostedals Glacier in Norway (1970) was followed by the first north-south traverse of British Columbia, Canada, via water (1971) and by a northward trek into the Arctic (1977) in preparation for his circumpolar expedition.

The Explorers Club (Br Chapter) awards him the Millennium Award for Navigation and the University of Portsmouth honours Ranulph with an Hon Dr. 1995

When he returned home Doctors insisted he wait five months before the frostbitten parts of the fingers could be removed. Ranulph, irritated by the pain and waiting, decided to remove them himself. He spent a couple of days on each finger using an electric fretsaw to take off the top third of his fingers and thumb in his garden shed.

Becomes the first person, with Charles Burton, to reach both poles by surface means during The Transglobe Expedition. This expedition also meant they were the first people to cross the Antarctic and Arctic Oceans and first to circumnavigate the world along its polar axis by surface means. 1970 Sir Ranulph Fiennes, at the North Pole during the Transglobe Expedition, having carved out a cave in the ice for temporary shelter, April 1982 (Image: Mirrorpix) Marries childhood sweetheart Ginnie Pepper and together they launch a series of record breaking expeditions. Ranulph also wins the Sultan of Oman's Bravery Medal this year. 1969 The Polar Medal, awarded by Her Majesty the Queen, is awarded to Ranulph. His wife, Ginnie, wins the Polar Medal in 1987, becoming the first woman to win the award. In the same year The Guinness Book of Records calls Ranulph ‘The World's Greatest Living Explorer’. The Royal Scottish Geographical Society also awards him the Founder’s Medal and the New York Explorers Club awards him a Gold Medal. 1983 This is one of Ranulph’s most famous expeditions, although not for the reasons he would have hoped. The trip, aiming to walk solo and unsupported (without outside help or new supplies) to the North Pole was unsuccessful when Ranulph’s sled fell through weak ice. His hands got wet when he was freeing it, resulting in severe frostbite, forcing him to abandon the attempt.If you're coming to Coles by car, why not take advantage of the 2 hours free parking at Sainsbury's Pioneer Square - just follow the signs for Pioneer Square as you drive into Bicester and park in the multi-storey car park above the supermarket. Come down the travelators, exit Sainsbury's, turn right and follow the pedestrianised walkway to Crown Walk and turn right - and Coles will be right in front of you. You don't need to shop in Sainsbury's to get the free parking! Where to Find Us Sir Ranulph is using his pursuit of this landmark achievement to raise vital funds for the charity Marie Curie. The money raised will help Marie Curie provide vital care and support to people living with a terminal illness and their families in the UK. This has all been made possible by sponsorship from long-time benefactor Paul Sykes and TMF Group. Ranulph and Mike Stroud became the first people to completely cross the Antarctic continent on foot unsupported. At the time, and for years after, this was the longest unsupported (with no assistance of resupplying) polar journey, totalling 97 days. Awarded a bar to his Polar Medal, amounting to winning it twice. The same year he’s given an Hon Dr: from UCE, now known as Birmingham City University. 1992-1993

Born, Windsor, Berkshire. His father died in action in late 1943 at the Battle of Monte Cassino. Ranulph inherits the baronetcy held by his father when he is born, becoming the 3rd Baronet of Banbury, and means he has the title of Sir. Taking seven years to plan, this was one of Ranulph Fiennes’ most epic journeys. The team, led by Ranulph, circumnavigated the world on its polar axis, using only surface transport. In total, they covered 52,000 miles over three years. Along with his expedition partner, Charles Burton, Ranulph became the first person to visit both North and South poles travelling only on the surface and to cross the Antarctic and Arctic Oceans. It was such a huge challenge no one has ever repeated the route. Sir Ranulph has also previously climbed Mount Kosciuszko in Australasia, which is included on some lists of each continent’s highest mountains in place of Carstensz Pyramid. Marie Curie is the UK’s leading charity for people with any terminal illness.The charity helps people living with a terminal illness and their families make the most of the time they have together by delivering expert hands-on care, emotional support, research and guidance. Everest is the most difficult, I've done that. And if when I'd done Everest I had done the minor ones, that would have been no problem.

MERCHANDISE

Paul Sykes, long time benefactor of Sir Ranulph, is sponsoring the Global Reach Challenge, in aid of Marie Curie.