Explorer back from Norway 'Odyssey'

Published on Wednesday 9 September 2009 09:46

A FEARLESS explorer is making his return to Edinburgh having spent nine months skiing and kayaking nearly 4,000 miles throughout Norway for charity.

James Baxter, 49, from the Grange, ended his "Norwegian Odyssey" on Sunday and is preparing to arrive back in Edinburgh this week to companions he has not seen since the start of the year.

He said: "It's been a marvellous trip – a great opportunity and I am sad for it to finish."

Mr Baxter, a landlord with properties in the city, has now raised 4,685 through sponsorship to help build three schools in a remote and impoverished valley in Nepal where there are no facilities for children. He hopes that now he has completed his journey further donations will allow him to reach his target amount of 6,099 ($10,000).

The keen adventurer began his journey on 1 January, skiing 1,677 miles up the length of Norway, from Lindesnes in the south to Kinnarodden in the north.

He then took to the open, wintry roads for a 248-mile cycle ride across to the Russian border, allowing him to then embark on a 2,050-mile paddle trip down the country's entire coast to the south and then back up to Oslo, passing bird colonies, reindeer and dramatic cliffs on his way.

He said: "There have been a few times I have been 'life-scared' as the Norwegians say, when I have been in my kayak, stuck in huge swells and not been able to get out. I have been very scared on a couple of occasions, I must admit."

At the end of May, travelling from Berlevag to Gamvik, the adventurer was caught in force five winds while paddling for his life in his kayak at around 3am.

He described a regular shower of rain hitting the left side of his face, causing his goggles to fill with water, knowing a force six wind would have pushed him beyond his limits.

But although the gruelling voyage tested Mr Baxter's physical and mental strengths, he is no stranger to such challenges, having undertaken the 95-mile West Highland Way 20 times.

He said: "I've been thinking about doing this journey for many years, having visited Norway lots of times.

"I've done lots of kayaking and skiing before and I suppose I just sort of trained on the job, not really doing a lot of preparation in advance."

A typical day for Mr Baxter involved kayaking for nine hours, camping overnight in a tent on a beach, or skiing for around 25 miles, finding a mountain cabin to take shelter in until the morning.

Mr Baxter decided to raise money to build schools in Nepal's Limi Valley having learned about the shortage of educational facilities in the area.

Children are currently being taught in primitive conditions, with no furniture, school books or blackboards. For details, visit www.skipaddlenorway.com.