Tarka L'Herpiniere

{{Short description|British explorer, athlete, speaker, and filmmaker}}

{{Multiple issues|

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{{Infobox person

| name = Tarka L'Herpiniere

| image =

| image_size = 200px

| caption =

| occupation = explorer, athlete, motivational speaker, filmmaker

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1981|09|19}}

| birth_place = Yeovil, England, United Kingdom

| known_for = Ultra Endurance World First Expeditions

| nationality = British

| website = {{URL|primaljourney.com}}

}}

Tarka Michel Bernard L'Herpiniere (born 19 September 1981{{Citation needed|date=July 2020}}) is a British explorer, ultra-endurance athlete, motivational speaker, and filmmaker who holds several endurance records.

L'Herpiniere spent his early years climbing, skiing, skydiving, paragliding and BASE jumping before turning his hand to large-scale expeditions. Initially, these were mountaineering expeditions including Mont Blanc, Aconcagua, and Cho Oyu before developing an interest in the polar regions. In 2004, after several successful small scale expeditions to the Arctic, he attempted to become the youngest person ever to reach the North and South Poles, unaided and in succession, but due to sponsorship withdrawal, the project could not be completed.

In 2006, he attempted to summit Mount Everest without oxygen. At the North Col (7,020 m) L'Herpiniere developed HACE and had to be evacuated. In 2007, he, along with his now wife, became the first person to walk the entire length of the Great Wall of China.{{Cite web|url=https://www.famousfaces.co.uk/tarka-l-herpiniere|title=Tarka L'Herpiniere - Famous Faces|last=Dore|first=Nathan|website=www.famousfaces.co.uk|language=en-gb|access-date=2020-01-15}}

In 2008, L'Herpiniere cycled over 8,000 km through Africa on a 30-year-old bicycle with no brakes or gears to promote the charity Re-Cycle.{{Citation needed|date=January 2020}} In 2009, he completed the longest crossing of the Southern Patagonian Ice Cap by a British team.{{Citation needed|date=January 2020}}

In 2014, L'Herpiniere, along with Ben Saunders, replicated Captain Robert Falcon Scott's 1,795 mile trek across Antarctica from Scott's cabin on the coast, to the South Pole, and back.{{Cite web|url=http://scottexpedition.com/|title=The Scott Expedition {{!}} To the South Pole and Back - Antarctica 2013/14|website=The Scott Expedition|language=en|access-date=2020-01-15}}

Background and history

L'Herpiniere was born in Yeovil, England shortly before moving to Tignes in the French Alps. He is the eldest of three siblings and returned to England to be educated at Cheltenham College after obtaining a sports scholarship. In 1996, he was awarded a scholarship to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst before attending Brunel University and the University of Bath.

He is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a mentor of the British Schools Exploring Society and has used his expeditions to support a number of charities including: Make-A-Wish Foundation, Cancer Research, Practical Action, Merlin, and Re-Cycle.

Marriage

He was married to Katie-Jane (Cooper) L'Herpiniere. They became engaged during an aborted attempt to cross the Patagonian ice cap from north to south unaided in 2009.{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/8280195.stm|title=Wedding bells for ice rescue pair|date=29 September 2009|access-date=15 January 2020|language=en-GB}} She was also his companion on his trek across the Great Wall of China.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}} Now divorced.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}

Expeditions

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 100%;"
Year ! Expedition
1995 \| His first summit of Mont Blanc (aged 13 or 14).{{cite web\|url=https://aboutus.com/PrimalJourney.com\|title=Primal Journey\|website=aboutus.com\|accessdate=8 June 2019}}
1997 \| Cycled 1000 miles from Cheltenham to Nice, France (aged 16).{{cite web \|url=http://www.caroline-rose.co.uk/tarka-lherpiniere.html \|title=Tarka l'Herpiniere \|accessdate=12 January 2010 \|url-status=dead \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090129201354/http://caroline-rose.co.uk/tarka-lherpiniere.html \|archivedate=29 January 2009 \|df=dmy-all }}{{cite web \|url=http://www.rivers-of-ice.com/team/tarka/ \|title=Tarka LHerpiniere : Rivers of Ice \| Expedition Patagonia \|accessdate=12 January 2010\|url-status=dead \|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130201074806/http://www.rivers-of-ice.com/team/tarka/ \|archivedate=1 February 2013 \|df=dmy-all }}
1999 \| Ran 8 marathons in 8 consecutive days down the west coast of France carrying all his equipment.
\| 4-man team to summit Mont Blanc.
2001 \| 35-day expedition to the North / East coast of Svalbard.{{cite web \|url=http://www.ellawindsor.com/articles_MAIL_SUMMITS.html \|title=Ella Windsor - Articles \|accessdate=12 January 2010 \|url-status=dead \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106162031/http://ellawindsor.com/articles_MAIL_SUMMITS.html \|archivedate=6 January 2009 \|df=dmy-all }}
\| Winter mountaineering expedition to the Andes.
2002 \| Expedition Leader of a 23-day expedition to Cornwallis Island.
2003 \| Solo expedition to Devon Island.
\| Solo Svalbard expedition.
2004 \| Solo 27-day expedition to Russia.
2005 \| Unsuccessful Bi-Polar expedition.
\| Unsupported crossing of the Alps from France to Switzerland.
\| Climbing expedition up Mont Blanc in training for Mount Everest.
2006 \| Climbing member of EverestMax; The longest climb on earth. From the shores of the Dead Sea in Jordan (−400m) to the summit of Mount Everest (8848m).
2007 \| 4500 km trek through the Taklimakan Desert and over the Qiling Mountain range to walk the entire length of the Great Wall of China.{{cite news\|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/6666643.stm\|title=Couple trek Great Wall of China\|author=\|date=17 May 2007\|publisher=\|accessdate=8 June 2019\|via=news.bbc.co.uk}}
2008 \| 2-man expedition off the North / East coast of Spitsbergen.
\| 8000 km cycle expedition from Djibouti to South Africa.
2009 \| Polar research and support station as part of the Catlin Arctic Survey.[http://www.catlinarcticsurvey.com/profile.aspx?profileName=tarka Profile], catlinarcticsurvey.com. Accessed 25 February 2023.
\| Completed longest British crossing of the Southern Patagonian Ice cap during the [http://www.rivers-of-ice.com Rivers of Ice Expedition].{{cite web\|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/active/6325215/Patagonian-Andes-Triumph-over-adversity.html\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091017125453/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/active/6325215/Patagonian-Andes-Triumph-over-adversity.html\|url-status=dead\|archive-date=17 October 2009\|title=Patagonian Andes: Triumph over adversity\|first=Tarquin\|last=Cooper\|date=14 October 2009\|publisher=\|accessdate=8 June 2019\|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}
2014 \|Completed 1,800 mile trek from the Antarctic coast to the South Pole and back, with Ben Saunders{{citation needed\|date=April 2020}}

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 100%;"

Year

! Expedition

1995

| His first summit of Mont Blanc (aged 13 or 14).{{cite web|url=https://aboutus.com/PrimalJourney.com|title=Primal Journey|website=aboutus.com|accessdate=8 June 2019}}

1997

| Cycled 1000 miles from Cheltenham to Nice, France (aged 16).{{cite web |url=http://www.caroline-rose.co.uk/tarka-lherpiniere.html |title=Tarka l'Herpiniere |accessdate=12 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090129201354/http://caroline-rose.co.uk/tarka-lherpiniere.html |archivedate=29 January 2009 |df=dmy-all }}{{cite web |url=http://www.rivers-of-ice.com/team/tarka/ |title=Tarka LHerpiniere : Rivers of Ice | Expedition Patagonia |accessdate=12 January 2010|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130201074806/http://www.rivers-of-ice.com/team/tarka/ |archivedate=1 February 2013 |df=dmy-all }}

1999

| Ran 8 marathons in 8 consecutive days down the west coast of France carrying all his equipment.

| 4-man team to summit Mont Blanc.

2001

| 35-day expedition to the North / East coast of Svalbard.{{cite web |url=http://www.ellawindsor.com/articles_MAIL_SUMMITS.html |title=Ella Windsor - Articles |accessdate=12 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106162031/http://ellawindsor.com/articles_MAIL_SUMMITS.html |archivedate=6 January 2009 |df=dmy-all }}

| Winter mountaineering expedition to the Andes.

2002

| Expedition Leader of a 23-day expedition to Cornwallis Island.

2003

| Solo expedition to Devon Island.

| Solo Svalbard expedition.

2004

| Solo 27-day expedition to Russia.

2005

| Unsuccessful Bi-Polar expedition.

| Unsupported crossing of the Alps from France to Switzerland.

| Climbing expedition up Mont Blanc in training for Mount Everest.

2006

| Climbing member of EverestMax; The longest climb on earth. From the shores of the Dead Sea in Jordan (−400m) to the summit of Mount Everest (8848m).

2007

| 4500 km trek through the Taklimakan Desert and over the Qiling Mountain range to walk the entire length of the Great Wall of China.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/6666643.stm|title=Couple trek Great Wall of China|author=|date=17 May 2007|publisher=|accessdate=8 June 2019|via=news.bbc.co.uk}}

2008

| 2-man expedition off the North / East coast of Spitsbergen.

| 8000 km cycle expedition from Djibouti to South Africa.

2009

| Polar research and support station as part of the Catlin Arctic Survey.[http://www.catlinarcticsurvey.com/profile.aspx?profileName=tarka Profile], catlinarcticsurvey.com. Accessed 25 February 2023.

| Completed longest British crossing of the Southern Patagonian Ice cap during the [http://www.rivers-of-ice.com Rivers of Ice Expedition].{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/active/6325215/Patagonian-Andes-Triumph-over-adversity.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091017125453/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/active/6325215/Patagonian-Andes-Triumph-over-adversity.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 October 2009|title=Patagonian Andes: Triumph over adversity|first=Tarquin|last=Cooper|date=14 October 2009|publisher=|accessdate=8 June 2019|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}

2014

|Completed 1,800 mile trek from the Antarctic coast to the South Pole and back, with Ben Saunders{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

Expedition filmmaker

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 100%;"
Year ! Film ! Release ! Ref
2008 \| The Great Walk of China{{cite web\|url=https://vimeo.com/6048066\|title=Great Walk of China Trailer\|author=\|date=\|website=Vimeo\|accessdate=8 June 2019}} \| February 2009 release \|
2009 \| The African Way{{cite web\|url=https://vimeo.com/6066859\|title=The African Way Trailer\|author=\|date=\|website=Vimeo\|accessdate=8 June 2019}} \| February 2010 release \|
2010 \| Rivers of Ice \| November 2010 release \|

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 100%;"

Year

! Film

! Release

! Ref

2008

| The Great Walk of China{{cite web|url=https://vimeo.com/6048066|title=Great Walk of China Trailer|author=|date=|website=Vimeo|accessdate=8 June 2019}}

| February 2009 release

2009

| The African Way{{cite web|url=https://vimeo.com/6066859|title=The African Way Trailer|author=|date=|website=Vimeo|accessdate=8 June 2019}}

| February 2010 release

2010

| Rivers of Ice

| November 2010 release