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Sue Lawley's castaway is explorer Pen Hadow.

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the explorer Pen Hadow.

Pen Hadow made polar history in 2003 by becoming the first man to walk solo and unsupported the 478 miles from the northern coast of Canada to the North Pole. It was the culmination of a death-bed pledge. He had made a commitment immediately after his father's death that he would prove the family name by succeeding in the challenge - described by Sir Ranulph Fiennes as the "greatest endurance feat left on earth". He made two unsuccessful attempts at the ordeal before succeeding in May last year.

He turned to exploring in his late 20s, but had already shown himself to be a daredevil foolhardy, determined and physically strong. At prep school he learnt the importance of training and practice to develop greater athleticism and, at Harrow, he successfully ran 'The Long Ducker' - a marathon from Harrow, taking in Marble Arch and Little Venice - that hadn't been attempted for 50 years. After university, he spent four years working at the sports agency IMG and ended up by chance on a 70-day trek photographing polar bears, and the thought struck him that, with organisation, training and determination, in the same length of time he could trek to the North Pole.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Piano Concerto No 2 in B Flat Major by Johannes Brahms
Book: The Oxford Book of English Verse by Chirstopher Ricks
Luxury: A six inch nail

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 21 May 2004 09:00
麻豆社 Radio 4

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Music Played

  • Edward Elgar

    Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36: Variation IX "Nimrod"

    Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Simon Rattle

    • Soundtrack from the film Crush.
    • EMI.

  • The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra

    TV Theme - The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe

    • 100 Greatest TV Themes.
    • Primetime.

  • Kylie Minogue

    Can't Get You Out Of My Head

    • Pop Party.
    • Universal.

  • Mike Oldfield

    Ommadawn

    • Ommadawn.
    • Virgin.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Johannes Brahms

      Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major

      Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Vladimir Ashkenazy

      • Piano Concerto No 2 in B Flat Major.
      • Decca.

  • Peter Jeffes

    Music of the Night

    • Tendresses Musicales.
    • Musaeus.

  • Primal Scream

    Loaded

    • Loaded.
    • EMI.

  • Barry White

    You're The First, The Last, My Everything

    • When A Man Loves A Woman.
    • Dino Entertainment.

  • Book Choice

    • The Oxford Book of English Verse - Christopher Ricks

  • Luxury Choice

    • A six inch nail

Credits

Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Pen Hadow

Broadcasts

  • Sun 16 May 2004 11:15
    麻豆社 Radio 4
  • Fri 21 May 2004 09:00
    麻豆社 Radio 4

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