Q In terms of travel, what is your guilty pleasure?
Q What does an average family holiday with the Grylls look like? How has having children changed the way you travel?
A My perfect holiday is always to our small island hideaway in North Wales. This really is where I feel most at home. We have no mains electricity or water and run everything totally of-grid, and we love it. Our three boys, Shara and I are happier there than anywhere else on Earth. It’s adventure and solitude mixed with fun and family. We dive, train, paraglide and climb. It’s a very special place. Having children with us when we travel just makes the adventure more fun. And when things go wrong it takes the frustration away, because we’re all in it together. I like that feeling.
Q Where in the UK would you head for an adventure, and why?
A Snowdonia National Park is a one-of-a-kind place of incredible natural beauty, and the real heartland of mountainous Britain. It’s somewhere that still takes my breath away every time I’m lying over its rugged peaks in my paramotor, or hiking up with the family – a real national gem of unspoilt terrain, moments from the sea. The magic of the area is that it can be whatever you want it to be: gnarly and testing for training and itness, or a fun family outing with a gentle route up to the summit, to take in the awe-inspiring views. I feel proud that I have oten brought Hollywood stars to the area, and we try to ilm as many shows as we can up there, as it’s near home and can be so wild.
Q You’re adept at dealing with extreme situations. What aspects of more conventional travel experiences do you tend to find challenging?
A Security queuing and long delays. I have never been a very patient person.