42
43
Having just completed the epic Devizes-Westminster with his wife Helen, and
achieved his lifetime ambition of paddling the previously unexplored Baliem
River in Papua New Guinea, we caught up with Steve to find out why he loves
paddling, what’s in his kit list when heading out on a big adventure and
how he will be clocking up the miles during National Go Canoeing Week.
Why do you think people should
pick up a paddle this National
Go Canoeing Week?
• Fitness - all forms of paddlesport offer you
• Psychological well-being - being outside in
beautiful wild places is just fantastic!
• Friendship and teamwork - Paddling an
open canoe or double kayak you need to be in
sync with your friend who’s in the boat with
you and you need to be watching each other’s
backs. That’s a really good bonding experience
and a great way of maintaining friendships!
• There is also the opportunity to raise money
for charity and win some prizes so they are all
good reasons to get involved.
and into the
When you’re heading out on your big
adventure, what is the top of your
kit list and what must have items
do you have to have with you?
Nowadays I usually have a rule of one luxury
item so I would say I strip back all of my kit, I
have the lightest sleeping bag, the lightest bivvy
bag I possibly can, and then I make sure I add
something like a pate, or nice biscuits, or perhaps
a little hip flask with a nip of single malt scotch.
What will you be doing this
National Go Canoeing Week?
I’m going to make sure I log onto to the
website to clock all the miles I paddle that
week. I think everyone should do the same
because we have a target of 30,000 miles
and that would be brilliant to reach!
Interview with Steve Backshall by Laura Peberday
the potential if you want it to get fit and to
exercise, but you don’t necessarily need to get
very fit.
out
of
the