Neil Wightwick.com
Explorer & Adventurer
With 5 mountaineering first assents in Patagonia, new ice climbing routes in Scotland, rock routes in Australia and a row across the Atlantic under his belt Neil Wightwick is quickly gaining the reputation as one of the UK’s leading young adventures. Neil was born in April 1977 and brought up in England, Germany, Canada and Scotland. His passion for adventure began when he was just seven years old. Neil rock climbed regularly with his father and completed their first ice climb when Neil was only 10; their family holidays regularly consisted of cycling around Scotland or climbing mountains around the world.
Neil’s outdoor career began when he was 15 with a series of rock and ice climbs in Scotland, from school he would often be found abseilling or climbing up local buildings and local bridges; he was often caught half way up or half way down the side the school building which lead to many stern letters to his parents. Traveling around Australia in 1995/6 he climbed on virgin rock creating new climbs throughout the Australian desert. Heading to university in Scotland Neil spent much of his time in the Highlands, climbing on rock or ice and when the weather was bad surfing or white water kayaking. His time at university also saw bigger climbs undertaken in Utah, Colorado and the European Alps.
After graduating from Glasgow University in 1998 he began a career instructing in the outdoor industry. Working for local outdoor centres taking people climbing, kayaking and hill walking eventually taking up a post as the General Manager of the Glasgow Climbing Centre.
Whilst working in the industry Neil met many people with the same interests and it was not long before he was working on a project to take a team of 7 in to the unclimbed Cordon Navarro Mountain Range of Southern Chile. This area with unforgiving weather, surrounded by the unrelenting southern ocean is no place for the fair weather climber. The expedition was a success, climbing 5 previously unclimbed peaks and mapping areas for the Chilean Government.
Not long after returning from Chile Neil dislocated his shoulder playing rugby, after waiting 18 months for a shoulder operation Neil found himself sitting at home trying to get his shoulder strong again. Around the same time an old school friend called and proposed he should join a team to row across the Atlantic in 2005. Neil jumped at the chance to take part in another adventure and spent the next two and half years preparing mentally, physically and financially. On January 18th 2006 Atlantic4 rowed into Antigua with over 3000 miles of ocean, two tropical storms and one hurricane behind them. Atlantic4 became the 2nd ever crew of 4 to successfully cross the Atlantic between the Canaries and Antigua.
In October 2007 Neil and one of his rowing companions set out to run accross the Kalahari Desert in 6 days. Running upto 2 marathons perday Neil managed to cross the desert despite temeratures in the mid 50's and the most rain the desert had seen sinse records began.Neil now spends his time writing about his adventures, running the Glasgow Climbing Centre and preparing for his next challenge.