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5 inspirational adventurer mothers

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Davina McCall Completes Her BT Sports Relief Challenge

Davina McCall Completes Her BT Sports Relief Challenge

I’m in trouble with my kids. I’m not going to be at home on Mother’s Day. I’ll be on my way to Sicily instead (for work) and have been told that I ‘won’t be getting any presents then’. I said that we could celebrate Mother’s Day the following weekend if they’d like to, when I’m back home, but nobody answered me.

Oh dear. To stop myself from feeling guilty I’ve made a list of mothers who’ve been on REALLY BIG  journeys without their children. Although I don’t know how many Mother’s Days they were away for, if any. These are the culprits.

Davina McCall 

British TV presenter and mum-of-three Davina McCall raised more than two million pounds for Sport Relief, a charity for vulnerable people in the UK and abroad. Davina did this by completing an incredibly tough Sport Relief 2014 triathlon over 500 miles from Edinburgh to London in just seven days. The presenter was filmed running, swimming and cycling her way through gruelling weather conditions in February – afterwards she said that this was the toughest thing she’d ever done. Luckily Davina finished her journey before Mother’s Day. Phew.

First woman to cycle around the world

Annie Cohen Kopchovsky was a mother of three children under six when she set out from Boston, USA, to travel around the world by bicycle in 1896. She did this because of a $10,000 bet that no woman would be able to do such a thing. She financed her trip by sticking adverts to her clothes and bike. She managed the journey in just under 15 months, claimed her $10,000 prize and rejoined her family. Annie must have missed at least one Mother’s Day but there’s no record of her children’s reaction to this.

First woman to reach the top of Mount Everest

Junko Tabei was the mother of a three-year-old daughter when she went on an expedition to Everest in 1975. The expedition was a success and the Japanese climber became the first woman to reach the top of the highest mountain in the world. In 1992 Junko then went on to be the first woman to complete the Seven Summits – the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. If she timed her expeditions well she may have managed to always be at home for Mother’s Day but this hasn’t been confirmed.

First mother in space

American chemist Anna Fisher was one of the first female astronauts recruited by NASA. She gave birth to her first child in 1983. The following year, when her baby daughter was 16 months old, Anna became the first mother to go into space. She was on board the space shuttle Discovery on a mission to recover two failed satellites. As her child was a baby when Anna went into space it’s likely that if she did miss Mother’s Day she got away with it.

First person to run 20,000 miles unaided

Rosie Swale-Pope gave birth to her son in 1971 on board the small boat she was sailing from Gibraltar to Australia and back with her husband and young daughter. Following the death of her second husband three decades later, Rosie set off to run around the world on her own. Rosie pulled a cart behind her containing everything she needed and her 20,000 mile journey took nearly five years. Rosie must have been away for at least four Mother’s Days, possibly five.

I wonder if their children were cross with them before they set off. Do you know of any other inspirational adventurer mothers to add to the list? Have you ever been away from home for Mother’s Day?

About Gretta Schifano

I'm a freelance journalist and blogger specialising in family travel with teenagers, trips when parents manage to travel without their kids, and 50+ travel. I also write about vegetarian travel, parenting teenagers, adoption, SEN, ADHD and anxiety. My work's been published by the Financial Times, Guardian, Independent, National Geographic Traveller, Lonely Planet and others. I've lived and worked in Italy and Spain and am now based in rural south-east England with my husband, adoptive and birth kids and our dog. I previously worked as a social action radio producer for the BBC.

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  2. Charly Dove says

    What a wonderful post, all incredible women with amazing stories. I cried like an idiot in Sport Relief but Davina got me at least 3 times! I always wondered why she smiled on the bridge and it’s because she could see her kids.

    I don’t think you should worry about being away (not that you are!), it can’t be helped. Apart from anything else you’re a mummy every day and that’s what matters. I seem to be sharing mine with my in-laws!
    Charly Dove recently posted…MAD Blog Awards Finalist – PhotographyMy Profile

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  11. suzanne3childrenandit says

    This really is a tough one, I feel for you! But please don’t feel guilty, as mothers our lives are one massive guilt trip and our children like nothing better than rubbing salt into the wound. I have no doubt that your children will NOT remember this in years to come. Forget about it and remember these amazing women!
    suzanne3childrenandit recently posted…Overcoming HurdlesMy Profile

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  12. Kirsty Hijacked By Twins says

    I am sure that you won’t be in their bad books for long. That is a list of brave, inspirational women. I don’t think I could go away for even a fraction of the time that they have. The longest I’ve been away from my 9yo is 3 days when hubby and I had a honeymoon break and we’ve only just had our first night without the twins. Hope you have a great journey, I’d love to visit Sicily x
    Kirsty Hijacked By Twins recently posted…How Does Your Garden Grow? Week 13 2014My Profile

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This is a personal blog written and edited by me, Gretta Schifano. Sometimes I’m given products or sent on trips to review, but I always make this clear and give my honest opinion. See my About page for full details.