Sir Ranulph Fiennes: Adventurer who pushes his body to the limits

Published on 18/09/2012 00:00

Sir Ranulph Twisleton Wykeham Fiennes is the epitome of the English eccentric explorer.

Educated at Eton, then serving in the army for eight years, he turned to exploration and writing as a means of earning a living. One of his early expeditions was supported by his friend Prince Charles,who called it a “mad and suitably British enterprise”. Sir Ranulph was the first person to circumnavigate the world crossing both North and South Poles and the first person to cross Antarctica on foot. He discovered the lost city of Iram in Oman in an expedition in 1992.

In 2008, he had to abandon an attempt to scale Everest because of exhaustion and in 2000 an attempt to walk to the North Pole ended with severe frostbite and led to him sawing off the ends of his own fingers. In 2003, he abandoned an attempt to run seven marathons in seven continents on seven days – just months after suffering a heart attack.

He has written several books and raised millions 
for charity.