“Mountaineering, climbing - whatever name you want to give it - is probably the most honest thing there is”

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Sometimes… there’s room for one more episode. Even though Mountain Air is currently on a summer break between the end of series 3 and the eventual arrival of series 4, a timely interview opportunity came along that proved impossible to turn down.

The recently released book “Walking Out of the Dark: How I Learned to Love Life Again” comes from first-time author Kelvyn James. A searingly honest piece of writing, it recounts profound tragedies and long-endured traumas but ultimately describes “a life-affirming journey through mountains, memory and meaning”.

In this conversation, Kelvyn describes the origin of the book, and discusses why healing, mental health and the outdoors are so profoundly connected.

* Learn more about Kelvyn here: https://mountainservices.co.uk/

If you’d like to buy a copy of the book - profits from which go directly to the charity Wellness Walks - you can do so via the Wellness Walks website or on Amazon via the links below.

* https://wellnesswalks.org.uk/product/walking-out-of-the-dark-signed-hardback/

* https://www.amazon.co.uk/Walking-out-Dark-learned-again/dp/1068519436

Listen, enjoy, tell your friends.

[episode recorded on 16/06/25]

00:00 - Introduction

02:17 - Welcome from the most confused place in Britain

04:08 - A litany of outdoor achievements (“an insight into high-functioning ADHD”)

06:50 - An overview of Walking out of the Dark; “I didn’t know I was writing a book for a long time, I thought I was writing a journal”

09:00 - “Even from the darkest of things, people can find a way”; describing the “black hole” at the centre of the book

14:48 - Release and healing in the outdoors; a place to be open with others; the psychology of the outdoor experience

16:15 - “Mountaineering, climbing… whatever name you want to give it, is probably the most honest thing there is”

18:10 - “Climbing was the first thing where I felt me, where I first felt in charge... and when what happened happened, it was climbing I went back to”

19:20 - “I didn’t expect people to react well, and pretty much they all universally did... it gave me a sense of worth”; a personal history of a love of climbing

24:20 - Learning to lead in the outdoors: “I remember asking my instructor what his real job was”; thoughts on the tough financial reality for outdoor professionals

28:53 - All about Wellness Walks; walking from home during the COVID pandemic; putting an advert on social media and waking up to dozens of requests; the honesty that comes from walking and talking without the need for eye contact

35:00 - “I didn’t see the joy in the world for a long time, but the miracle is that joy doesn’t disappear”

38:35 - Greatest Mountain Memory: a peerless viewpoint just outside of the Chamonix valley

42:20 - All the time, money, freedom… where do you go and what would you do? Climbing Pinnacle Ridge on the Helvellyn range.