Inverness adventurer and paralympian honoured for lifestyle
Karen Darke was presented with the Mungo Park Medal by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society for her “outstanding contribution to geographical knowledge through exploration or adventure in potentially hazardous physical or social environments.”
The medal is named in honour of Mungo Park, the Scottish explorer famed for his expeditions to West Africa, and who ultimately gave his life in pursuit of following the River Niger to its terminus.
The RSGS held that Karen has exhibited an almost unprecedented ability to overcome the challenges life has thrown at her after she was paralysed from the neck down, aged 21, following a climbing accident.
She has remained optimistic, confident and motivated in the face of adversity. Her feats in the world of self-propelled outdoor adventure have been both extraordinary and unique, completing a myriad of endurance challenges in kayaking, cycling, climbing and skiing in landscapes as diverse as the ice sheets of Greenland, the mountains of the Himalaya and the cliffs of Yosemite National Park.
The RSGS added: “What is particularly remarkable is that she has successfully completed many of her adventures whilst also working full-time as paracyclist for the GB Paralympic team which, most notably, resulted in a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Games and the award of an MBE in the 2017 New Year’s Honours List.”
Karen said: “It’s a real honour to be awarded the Mungo Park medal, and particularly special as my very inspiring PhD supervisor Prof Chalmers Clapperton was awarded it 20 years ago.
“My contribution to geographical knowledge is nothing in comparison, but I hope that my thirst for exploration of the world and sharing what I learn has brought something back to people in Scotland.”
Mike Robinson, chief executive of the RSGS said: “Karen is one of the most deserving recipients of the Mungo Park Medal in our history. There is no doubt that Karen is an inspiration and role model to us all.”
Previous winners include Thor Heyerdahl, who masterminded the transoceanic Kon-Tiki expedition, and Nicholas Crane who famously walked 10,000km from Cape Finisterre to Istanbul.
