Latest news with #MitchHutchcraft


Daily Mail
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I'm a female solo traveller who's been to more than 60 countries - here's how I stayed safe in Iraq
An American woman who grew up next to the Twin Towers in New York, and was just five when 9/11 happened, says she was forced to 'face her own biases' head on during an unexpected trip to Iraq – and details the extraordinary measures she took to protect her personal safety. Producer Molly McDonald, 29, was covering an 'England to Everest' charity trek for Blue Door Productions alongside ex-Royal Marine and explorer Mitch Hutchcraft when the group had to be diverted through Iraq – instead of Iran – over security fears. As 'a Western woman with a US accent' in the Middle Eastern country, Molly, who grew up in Battery Park in Manhattan, says she was anxious about her safety ahead of crossing the border into Iraqi Kurdistan. As the only woman in her group and with the UK Foreign Office strongly advising against travel there, Molly's family tried to persuade her to abandon the trip. However, the journalist, who's visited more than 60 countries, says she was determined to proceed and began putting in place a series of security measures designed to keep her safe as her group went from north to south on Iraq's eastern flank. Speaking to MailOnline, Molly says she forged a marriage certificate and wore a wedding ring despite not being married as she arrived in Erbil, which is the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. Perceptions of lone women travelling with men in the Middle Eastern country is that they are sex workers, she explains, saying she planned for the 'worst case scenarios' and put things in place to prevent them. Molly also created a cover story for herself, asking an older woman named Jacqui, who had lived in Iraq but fled to Britain when the ISIS conflict broke out in 2014, to accompany her, with the pair pretending they were related. She says: 'I was definitely apprehensive ahead of the trip, particularly when it came to more rural areas [of Iraq] where more minority extremist groups exist. 'As a woman when you do these missions abroad, there's always another layer that you think about - certainly when you're reaching countries that have different customs and belief systems about a woman's role in society'. The trip also proved a huge moment for Jacqui, who was returning after fleeing nine years ago. Jacqui had lived and worked in the country as a social responsibility consultant for five years, and had run aid programmes for those who'd been displaced from their homes between Erbil and the city of Dohuk in 2014. Molly says: 'She also had a lot of fear and trepidation, prepping me for what might happen including the customs of a younger woman travelling alone in a group of men and how that's perceived, which isn't always positively.' An Irish American, Molly also entered the country with her Irish passport so she wouldn't be identified as a US citizen. She tells MailOnline that, as a child who'd witnessed the aftermath of the September 11th terror attacks, she entered Iraq with her own prejudices. 'I grew up a couple of blocks from the site of 9/11, so I too had a lot of biases', saying even with her broad-horizons career making documentaries, it still wasn't entirely possible to put to one side the feelings about Iraq that she'd grown up with. However, there was one moment that changed everything - actually getting on Iraqi Kurdistani soil. One woman travelling with a group of men in Iraq are often perceived to be sex workers - during the trip Molly asked a fixer known as Jacqui to pretend to be an older female relative The group met a general major in the Peshmerga army, who told them they don't want to fight, only to protect their land and the environment The region's army has enlisted female soldiers since the 70s, with one telling Molly: 'We are all Peshmerga, we love our country, we love our land so we selected this way of life.' 'When we walked through the doors on landing, everything disappeared. My fears went away.' During the days that followed, she says she was able to have 'honest, open conversations with people from all walks of life' including a sheik, an activist veterinarian and Yazidi people, who were once the target of genocide by ISIS. In her ensuing YouTube video entitled 'The reality of Iraq changed me' which documents some of their journey, Molly and her colleagues meet a general major from the region's Peshmerga army, which protects the environment when not in military action has enlisted female soldiers since the 1970s. The Peshmerga fought against IS and managed to protect their region of Northern Iraq being overthrown. In the video, female soldiers tell Molly when she asks if it's difficult to recruit women: 'We are all Peshmerga, we love our country, we love our land so we selected this way of life.' Molly says: 'In my conversation with them, they talked about how fighting is not their first choice, they fight to protect and when it is absolutely necessary but they are not a fighting people'. Molly says growing up in New York, close to where the Twin Towers came down, meant she was very aware that she was arriving in Iraq with preconceived notions (Molly pictured on New York's Hudson River as a child) The initial fears over safety proved unfounded, with Molly feeling safe throughout - and now hoping for a return visit with family and friends Sights: a view of Shanidar cave, one of the stops on Molly's journey through Iraqi Kurdistan So impressed was Molly by her time in Iraqi Kurdistan, she says she now can't wait to take her partner and family members to the country to explore it more. 'Just a few weeks ago, I was back home at my grandparents' house in Ireland - they're in their 90s. To be able to show them our YouTube video, it was really moving for them. 'To have perceptions changed, to have more open mindedness on what the realities of that part of the world are – for them to say "I wish I had the chance to go there myself"'. She says the whole trip, in spite of her initial fears were eventually defined by 'warmth and hospitality', saying that the friendliness even surpassed 'that of Ireland'. Food and tea proved the leveller for Molly and her peers, she says, with it offered to them 'in abundance' during their travels. And while Molly dressed modestly, she discovered that in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, she didn't have to wear a headscarf – and the 'precautions that we had and were prepared for weren't needed'. Having open conversations about her own heritage saw her greeted with exclamations of 'We love New York, we can't wait to go there!'. The sunsets and sunrises, particularly in rural areas such as the Rawanduz Canyon were spectacular, says Molly The landscapes of the country were also thrilling, says Molly, describing beautiful sunrises and amazing ancient ruins – without the crowds that you might ordinarily get. Molly says her favourite place she visited was the striking Holy Yazidi site of Lalish Temple, which is located in the country's Nineveh Plains and dates back 4,000 years. Other highlights included the Erbil citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the colourful Qaysari Bazaar and the Jalil Khayat Mosque. As their adventure continued, the group also took time to stop and visit some of Iraqi Kurdistan's other tourist attractions, including Rawanduz Canyon, Bekhal Waterfall and Shanidar Cave. She adds: 'There were striking valleys and hillscapes where you see these oil plants centred in the middle. It was a fascinating sight to see the chimneys bursting with flames in whatever would otherwise be an untouched rural landscape.' Iraq remains off the mainstream tourism map but Molly says she'll be back as soon as she can - and that the trip upturned any preconceived ideas she had about the country, reminding her that that's the beauty of travel.


BBC News
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Mitch Hutchcraft set for more expeditions after epic triathlon
A former Royal Marine and Torquay resident says he will keep busy with more expeditions after completing a 240-day Hutchcraft, 31, reached the summit of Mount Everest after swimming, cycling and running more than 8,000 miles (12,875km).He set off in September 2024, before he swam across the English channel and completed "the longest climb of Everest in history".Mr Hutchcraft said the challenge was a dream of his since the age of five, adding there was "more stuff coming up expedition wise". 'Everything I dreamed of' Speaking to BBC Radio Devon, he said: "I swam across the English channel and then cycled 12,000km (7,456 miles) across 18 countries to India and then ran and hiked 1,200km (745 miles) across India to Nepal to Mount Everest."And then climbed Everest in the longest climb of Everest in history."Seeing the the entire world at your feet, was literally everything I had ever dreamed of for 27 years."The ex-marine topped the world's highest mountain on Sunday 11 May at 07:30 BST and said the first food he ate returning home was a chicken burger. He added: "Going from that life to this life, and obviously being very busy now with the book coming out."There is just so much going on."He has been raising money for SAVSIM, a wildlife conservation organisation for which he is an ambassador, and which also provides mental health support to veterans and others suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and similar Hutchcraft, who was originally from Cambridge, said he had not yet processed the challenge, but said he would be celebrating at a welcome home party in Torquay on Tuesday evening."I'm still adjusting to going to take a while to sink in that's for sure," he said."There is more stuff coming up expedition wise, I even signed up to something at the weekend."


The National
08-06-2025
- The National
How one man and his dog completed epic Everest trek by land, sea and bicycle
A former British soldier who swam, biked and trekked from the UK to Mount Everest said the challenge was life-changing, and that he now hopes to launch a career as a motivational speaker in Dubai. Mitch Hutchcraft completed the 13,000km journey on May 11 after 240 days of adventure. He was accompanied part of the way by his dog Buddy, who joined him in France and travelled with him, towed behind his bike in a trailer, for 2,000km, to Budapest. He has now recovered from the ultra-endurance challenge and hopes to inspire business leaders and charitable fundraisers to pursue their own dreams and goals. 'I left the Royal Marines in 2021, and then instantly got roped into rowing across the Atlantic – that's where I had the idea for this trip,' he told The National. 'I always wanted to climb Everest from sea level, to go from zero to the top of the world is something I always wanted to do. I had always wanted to swim the Channel as well, so it's been a big dream.' The route led him through the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE and Kuwait – where a kind-hearted friend provided a vehicle from which a film crew could record his exploits. 'I remember having like a lightbulb moment while I was rowing across the Atlantic, thinking, if I just link the middle bit, it becomes a triathlon, as I've always wanted to cycle across the world too,' he said. 'I thought if I swim the Channel, then I can cycle across the world, two continents, 18 countries, all the way to India, and then I can run and hike 1,200km from India to Everest, and then if I try and climb it I could achieve my dream.' Mr Hutchcraft set off from Dover on September 14 to undertake the first leg of his trip, a 34km open-water sea swim across the English Channel. Gulf leg On arrival at the beaches of northern France a few hours later, he allowed himself time to refuel and rest before jumping on his bike to begin a gruelling cycle from France to India, which took in the UAE. 'I cycled through the entire Middle East – Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi, UAE, Oman – and spent time in Dubai,' he said. 'I've got a really strong connection with the Middle East and the UAE. 'My friend from Kuwait gave me his truck for the entire way for the TV crew from the Kuwait-Iraq border all the way to Oman, so we had it through Saudi all the way through to the UAE.' When that 11,929km leg was done and dusted, it was time to run the 900km journey from India to Nepal, and the foothills of the Himalayas. That leg alone would have tested many, but then it was time for a 365km trek towards Everest base camp, which he reached on April 16. After a few weeks of acclimatisation he began his climb to the summit towards the world's highest peak, reaching the 8,849m summit at around 7.20am local time on Sunday, May 11. The 32-year-old joined the military after the death of his father 13 years ago, and was inspired to take on the longest climb to Everest in history to raise money for his military colleagues. Motivation and inspiration for others Mr Hutchcraft hopes to raise more than Dh2.5 million for SavSim, a UK wildlife conservation charity that uses animals to support military veterans with their mental health. 'I was doing this because of the love for adventure and always wanting to push myself further,' said Mr Hutchcraft. 'My dad died when I was 19, so making him proud, and making my family proud, has always been a big one for me. 'I've had so many positive messages from people, and it's become an opportunity to prove that you haven't got to be superman or superwoman to achieve your wildest dreams. I'm a very bad cyclist, I'm a very bad runner. I've had two knee surgeries. 'I wasn't even meant to be able to join the Royal Marines, which I was in for six years, so it's proof that these challenges are 99 per cent mindset. The only person that knows the definition of possible is yourself. And if you believe anything is possible you can do anything.'


The Independent
12-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Former Royal Marine completes ‘world's longest triathlon' at Everest summit
A former Royal Marine has completed the 'world's longest triathlon', which he started in the UK and finished at the summit of Mount Everest. Mitch Hutchcraft, 32, from Cambridgeshire, travelled more than 8,000 miles in 240 days by swimming, cycling, running and trekking before reaching the world's highest peak on Sunday. After setting off from Dover on September 14 last year, Mr Hutchcraft swam 34km across the English Channel, cycled 11,929km from France to India, ran 900km from India to Kathmandu in Nepal and then trekked 365km to Everest base camp. He reached the summit of the 8,849-metre mountain at 7.20am Nepalese time on Sunday. 'It's been a dream of mine since I was eight years old to climb Everest, ever since I saw it in a book,' said Mr Hutchcraft. 'Never in a million years did I think this would be how I'd get here. 'Years of preparation, eight long months of physical endurance, swimming across the Channel… the hardest day of my life, cycling across 19 countries, running 900km, and following in the footsteps of the first ever climb of Everest to reach base camp. 'It's been one hell of a journey.' He thanked his guide Gelje Sherpa, a renowned Nepalese climber, and the production team who have been documenting his adventure, called Project Limitless. Mr Hutchcraft joined the Royal Marines aged 21, after his father died, and served for six years – leaving in 2021. He said his time with the forces helped mould the 'unbreakable mindset' and resilience he has today. Other challenges he has taken on since leaving the Marines include rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean and a 5,000km self-supported cycle across America. He aims to raise £500,000 for SavSim, a London-based wildlife conservation charity which uses animals and nature to provide mental health support to military veterans. Mr Hutchcraft started his challenge by swimming the English Channel from Dover, which he said was the 'hardest day' of his life. 'I barely made it… the weather got really bad and the last five hours of the swim was just trying not to drown, basically,' he said. 'That's how hard it was, when I got to the other side I just literally got to my knees and I had nothing left.' He then cycled from France to Turkey, joined by his three-year-old golden retriever Buddy, who alternated between running alongside him and being pulled in a cycling carrier, which added 32kg to Mr Hutchcraft's bike. Buddy was taken home to be reunited with Mr Hutchcraft's mother when they arrived in Bulgaria. He has faced many challenges during his journey, including being knocked off his bike by a taxi, chased by wild dogs and being held at gunpoint in Serbia. 'I hope I can inspire people to just get out there and push themselves,' Mr Hutchcraft said. 'Never compare yourself to anyone. 'One person's 5k walk is the next person's ultramarathon and I'm just doing this because this is my thing, my combination of dreams, and I want to inspire everyone to do their own thing.' Mr Hutchcraft has been documenting his journey on his Instagram @_mitchhutch.


BBC News
12-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Ex-marine climbs Everest after 'record-breaking' triathlon
A former Royal Marine has reached the summit of Mount Everest after swimming, cycling and running more than 8,000 Hutchcraft started by swimming the English Channel on 15 September and the 240-day challenge concluded when he topped the world's highest mountain on Sunday at 07:30 team said it was the world's longest ever ascent of Everest from sea to 31-year-old, from Ramsey in Cambridgeshire, said the achievement was "more magical than I could have ever dreamed". "Although I lost my dad 11 years ago, he was with me every step of the way," said Hutchcraft, speaking to his team over the phone after summiting."It's been tough. Really tough. The most difficult thing I've ever done."But I couldn't be happier and more proud of finishing this epic adventure." After swimming the 35km width (21 miles) of the Channel from Dover, Hutchcraft cycled about 12,000 km (7,456 miles) from Europe to Digha in then ran 900km (559 miles) to Kathmandu in Nepal, before starting his 360km (223-mile) trek to Everest said he had dreamed of completing the climb since he was eight years old."Never in a million years did I think this would be how I'd get here," he said."I just want it to inspire others to believe that whatever they're dreaming, however small, they just need to get out there and smash it." Hutchcraft, who has had a full knee reconstruction, was once told the surgery would make it impossible to even join the military, let alone complete a challenge of this has been raising money for SAVSIM, a wildlife conservation organisation, dedicated to providing mental health support to veterans and others suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and similar said: "For me this is so much more than just a dream to make history, it is also the chance to raise funds and awareness for an amazing non-profit organisation very close to my heart and give back to veteran mental health and wildlife conservation."His father died suddenly when he was 20, which became a driving force in his decision to join the Royal served six years until challenge, named Project Limitless, is being filmed by a production team and is due to officially end when he returns to basecamp - which he was due to do by Monday morning. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.