Closer to the Edge: Climbing to the Ends of the Earth

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Like a lot of people, all I knew about Leo before this was the Top Gear climb but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

On the last morning as we said our goodbyes (snatched between violent fits of vomiting amidst my desperate hangover from the previous night's partying), Rolf, the wildest of their crew, with whom I had most bonded, took me to one side. A condensed and engaging biography of Leo Houlding mixed with breathtaking adventures, a delicate balancing act of danger and pushing the limits. He has since gone on to not only summit the world's toughest peaks, but to cross continents to explore the most extreme places our planet has to offer - from the frozen mountains of Antarctica to the jungles of South America.Amazing story of adventure, but which also inspires to find one's own adventure, whatever that may be (climbing or otherwise). He has since gone on to not only summit the world's toughest peaks, but to cross continents to explore the most extreme places our planet has to offer. Join Leo at the Royal Geographical Society, for the launch of his new book, as well as discussion about this and other exciting projects. Highly recommended read to all adventure lovers, world explorers, thrill seekers as well as young parents on how to take kids out for adventures. It was Ivar Erik Tollefsen's coffee-table photobook of the first climbing expedition, one he had led to the astounding other-worldly peaks of Queen Maud Land in the Norwegian sector of Antarctica where he and Caspersen had made the first ascent of the mighty Ulvetanna ('the wolf's fang').

I stepped out of the car, walked the short way to the base of the sculpture and without pause shimmied my way up the iron fins that formed the body, onto the wing, then surmounted the overhanging head to stand on top. Excuse me, sir, I believe that was you up there and I am arresting you for a breach of the peace,' he said in his Mackem – not to be confused with Geordie – accent in the politest fashion the predicament could allow.If you can't get to the hills or crags over the festive season then the next best thing is reading about them.

The ethical debate as to where it was appropriate to place bolts for sport climbing or withhold them to maintain adventure values was a hot topic in Rogaland at the time. Closer to the Edge is the story of a remarkable climber and free spirit who has been at the top of his game for over thirty years, with still more mountains to explore.

I had just about recovered my self-esteem following my toxic hangover and responded, 'Ha, I'll climb that.

he said, attempting to make an ink impression from my granite-ravaged fingertips that left nothing more than a featureless smudge on the page. How does he assess risk and judge what level he'll take himself to be successful, and how does he balance this with teaching his own children the lessons he has learnt in some of the world's most dangerous and extreme places. Thankfully a couple of the crags in the region were so overhanging they stayed reasonably dry and we were able to do some climbing.During such explorations he has had to deal with tragedy when close friends and colleagues have been killed or badly injured, and he will discuss how you deal with such loss and carry on. In September 1998, shortly after my eighteenth birthday, I made my first trip to the Yosemite Valley in California and nothing would ever look quite the same again. m. on a Monday and the A1 was full of rush-hour traffic that I noticed were braking dangerously to rubberneck at my display. It was to Norway with a strong team that included renowned alpinist Andy Cave and the sport climber Neil Gresham, who had recently turned to trad, making the third ascent of Johnny's famous route Indian Face. Leo's name is synonymous with adventure climbing; he has consistently pushed at the limits of this game and in the process has carved out a media profile which has seen him appear on Top Gear and be pitched as one of.