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Ailsa Ross — Author, editor, fact-checker

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Zen, disappointment and insomnia

by Ailsa Ross on January 21, 2016January 6, 2017

On Scots porridge

by Ailsa Ross on January 5, 2016January 21, 2016

The early female adventurers I love

by Ailsa Ross on October 27, 2015April 6, 2016

Scottish nature writer Nan Shepherd

by Ailsa Ross on October 27, 2015October 27, 2015

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FIERCE SURFER ALERT: About a century before Princess Kaʻiulani was born, Captain Cook arrived on Hawaii’s shores. Soon British traders, Christian missionaries, and adventurers arrived. The missionaries forced their beliefs on Hawaiians. Even though women, men, and children had been surfing on the islands for more than a thousand years, the sport was deemed “against the laws of God.” It was banned. ⠀ .⠀ Kaʻiulani went surfing anyway. In fact, she was known for going further out in the waves than almost anyone else.
My favourite towns have four things:⠀ 🚲Good hills for cycling down⠀ 🌊Seaside ⠀ 🍰Good places for cake⠀ 📚Really good bookshops⠀ ⠀ Stromness, on the Orkney mainland, has all those things. ⠀ ⠀ Especially, it has a teeny tiny absolutely magic independent bookshop called Stromness Books & Prints. ⠀ ⠀ A Guardian “favourite bookshop”, a couple of summers ago I picked up two of my favourite non-fiction books there: The Seabird's Cry by Adam Nicolson and The Periodic Table by Primo Levi.⠀ ⠀ Then, a couple of days ago my dad sent me these pics of the shop’s display window. I am amazed.⠀ ⠀ Ailsa from @WomenAdventurers
In 1975, Junko Tabei became the first woman to summit Everest. She was also the first woman to ascend all Seven Summits (the highest peak on every continent).⠀ .⠀ Growing up in rural Japan, Junko was considered a frail and weak child. Still, she loved climbing. And though her family could not afford for her to do more than a few climbs through high school, it was all she could think about. After graduating from university, Junko founded the Ladies Climbing Club — their slogan was “Let's go on an overseas expedition by ourselves." It was the first club of its kind in Japan.⠀ .⠀ By the time she passed away in November 2016, Junko had reached the highest peak in 56 of the world’s countries. Photo: Jaan Künnap⠀
Where should The Woman Who Rode a Shark go next? 📘Please suggest somewhere warmer than this Canadian glacier!
Nan Shepherd worked as an English teacher in Aberdeen, and as soon as class finished on Friday afternoons she would head straight for the Cairngorms in the Scottish Highlands. There she could be seen striding over the moors in tawny cardigans, scarves and skirts. Never trousers. ⠀ .⠀ Shepherd saw the mountains differently from most mountaineers. There were no summits as goals to be achieved. Her only hope was to be in the company of the mountain. This progressive woman is now featured on the @royalbank £5 note. ⠀
Know the name of this adventurer? P.S. The artwork is by @amyjpeg for The Woman Who Rode a Shark 📚. Isn't it stunning?

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