Interview by Tom Warburton

4 min read

Dure magazine caught up with Ben Cook and his mate’s dog as they make their way across the UK, snaking there way from Land’s End to John O’Groats.  

Ben is a former officer in the Royal Marines and earlier this year he cycled from London to Tokyo. Ben is also setting out to walk from Cairo to Cape Town, attempting to become the youngest person to do so.

Tell us a bit about yourself? What’s your background?

Growing up I played a lot of rugby, ending up playing academy rugby. After school, aged 19, I went through Young Officer training with the Royal Marines, passing out in 2014.

I did 4 and a half years in the Marines left as a Captain. I’ve travelled a lot and went to Indonesia for three months did some bits around there, cycled across Eurasia – London to Japan, as part of the “Hairy Handlebars”.

So why Africa, and why this journey especially?

I made a silly decision to walk across Africa whilst I was walking in Japan.

It seemed like the biggest and scariest thing I could think of at the time, I think looking at everything, what’s the biggest scariest thing I could in my time? It’s either Antarctica or Africa

I’m into pushing limits somewhat, it’s what led me to join the corps (Royal Marines) and wanted to see if I could do it. It’s captured my imagination for years, we’re told by the media what the continent is like. I’d like to form my own opinion, to mimic in some way what our ancestors did, all life formed in Africa.

Like most expeditions at the moment, COVID 19 has impacted yours. How have you coped with that? 

I think just adapt and overcome, Shackleton did the same. It got taken away from, I wouldn’t say I wasn’t pissed off or upset, I was.

It was really frustrating initially, but, shit doesn’t work out. We’ve just got to adapt and I think I’ve done the best I can, by saying right it’s not going to happen now, I can’t say when it will but just go with it.

What are you most looking forward to with this expedition?

To be honest, I’m not allowing myself to look forward to anything at the moment. I can’t live with that frame of mind, as I’m not going at the minute, I was obsessed.

I will look forward to the people, people’s stories, drawing inspiration from people, and the cultural diversity from what Africa offers, it interests me as a whole massively. In terms of landscape Ethiopia, the pyramids and Sudan, Kenya, and Tanzania teeming with wildlife.

Walking from Cairo to Cape Town is a huge undertaking! Tell us a little about your day to day routine?

I don’t know really, I’m not one for a day to day routine, I just live breakfast lunch dinner, I’ve never been one for planning.

“I’ve got a few micro routines, they’re my constants, and I’ve always been a pretty free person, even in the Corp (Royal Marines), I like to get up roughly at a certain time but apart from that pretty relaxed.

Several countries along your route can be quite dangerous. How are you preparing for that? 

You just got to speak to as many people as you can, to ask for info from people who’ve done the same. 

From people I’ve spoken to its not an issue, everyone’s so welcoming. There are always bad people, and bad areas just avoiding those and sticking to the main routes. I’ve spoken to different people and different organisations who’ve given me bits of info, but just play it smart.

If you get scared too much you just scare yourself out of stuff. You’ve got to take calculated risks, and it’s all you can do. Never say it never will happen, I’m pretty optimistic about most people.

You’re raising money for “One Tree Planted” Is that an important cause to you?

They are trying to mitigate the effects of climate change by planting trees across the world. The money I am raising will benefit the projects they are running in Africa, giving back to the local community I’ll walk through.

They give locals jobs and employ them to look after and farm those trees, it’s a double winner.

As the COVID pandemic has affected your expedition. You’re doing something pretty cool in the meantime. Can you tell us about your UK walk?

A few weeks before I was supposed to set off to Africa, I had this brain wave, the government said unlimited time outdoors.

I’m kind of stuck between bits, I’ve got everything I need, I may as well go walking, and walk the length of the UK. I was on a run and daydreaming about my mate's dog Darcy, so thought she would be a good company for me and asked my mate. A few weeks later we were at the start line at Lands’ End, we’ve been walking now for three weeks!

What item couldn’t you live without on your journey?

I love my flask, I’m a bit of a stickler for hot drinks, they’re good for morale, I should say Darcy there really? Both of them together!

How can people follow your journey?

I’ve got my Instagram which is @adventure cookie, I post a lot of stories on there, and I’ve also got my website which is www.adventurecookie.co.uk.