RETURNING TO BASE CAMP

When your adrenaline-fuelled career takes you to the remotest corners of the world, how do you choose a place to call home? British mountaineer, adventurer and motivational speaker Kenton Cool reveals why the Cotswolds offer him a way of life that is difficult to beat

As one of the world’s leading high-altitude climbers, with 14 Everest summits under his belt and the accolade of ‘first man to climb Nuptse, Everest and Lhotse in a season’, enthusiasm and a genuine interest in his surroundings are two of the attributes that have undoubtedly lead Kenton Cool to the pinnacles of his career. As we sit down with him on a winter morning, (virtually due to Covid-19 restrictions) it soon becomes clear that his zeal for the Cotswolds, the place where he has chosen to “lay down roots”, is no less than what he feels for the dizzying heights of a mountain expedition.

“Arlington Row is a beautiful stretch of cottages, probably one of the most photographed places in all of the Cotswolds, made even more famous since it’s now printed on the inside page of all UK passports since 2010,” explains Cool, an apparent mine of information on his neighbouring village of Bibury, often proclaimed as the most beautiful village in England. “It’s incredibly popular with tourists, particularly the Japanese, as I believe – and this is very much allegedly – that a Japanese emperor visited Bibury a long time ago and spoke highly of its beauty, and it is now considered an important part of the UK tour.”

As one of the world’s leading high-altitude climbers, with 14 Everest summits under his belt and the accolade of ‘first man to climb Nuptse, Everest and Lhotse in a season’, enthusiasm and a genuine interest in his surroundings are two of the attributes that have undoubtedly lead Kenton Cool to the pinnacles of his career. As we sit down with him on a winter morning, (virtually due to Covid-19 restrictions) it soon becomes clear that his zeal for the Cotswolds, the place where he has chosen to “lay down roots”, is no less than what he feels for the dizzying heights of a mountain expedition.

“Arlington Row is a beautiful stretch of cottages, probably one of the most photographed places in all of the Cotswolds, made even more famous since it’s now printed on the inside page of all UK passports since 2010,” explains Cool, an apparent mine of information on his neighbouring village of Bibury, often proclaimed as the most beautiful village in England. “It’s incredibly popular with tourists, particularly the Japanese, as I believe – and this is very much allegedly – that a Japanese emperor visited Bibury a long time ago and spoke highly of its beauty, and it is now considered an important part of the UK tour.”

Even through a screen, Cool’s passion and powerful interest in the area are palpable. It’s very fitting that the reason why he came to the Cotswolds in the first place was also one of great adventure and passion, albeit of a different kind. “I was chasing a girl,” he reveals with a self-aware laugh. “I was living in Chamonix at the time, working as a mountain guide, and she had a bolthole in Fairford.” The chase certainly paid off, as the girl in question, Jazz, soon became Kenton’s wife and now co-sharer of their Cotswolds home, along with their two children, Saffron, aged 10 and Willoughby, aged eight.

If it was romance that initially brought Kenton to the Cotswolds, it is an altogether deeper attachment that keeps him returning, boomerang-style, from the adventures that take him to some of the most far-flung destinations on earth, back to the place he and his family decided to call home – his real base camp. Cool is one of the most sought-after mountain guides, leading none other than Sir Ranulph Fiennes up the North Face of the Eiger in 2007 and Everest in 2009. “Of course, this past year has been different, but normally I can be away six to seven months of the year, and it’s always super nice to come back.

“When you live somewhere, the seasons creep up on you, but when you’re away for a period of time, the differences are stark. I feel like every time I return, I rediscover this area in some small, new way. It really is just sublimely beautiful.”

Comments like this are a testament to the natural beauty of the Cotswolds, particularly when they come from an individual who has seen sights that go beyond the average human experience. But what exactly does an international adventurer do with himself during a year when a global pandemic largely restricts travel? “A lot of my work was cancelled this year, so it was a pretty trying time for sure. But I feel blessed to be living here and to be able to just get out,” Cool states. “I normally run and I'm out on my bike a lot, but this year we’ve done lots of little missions and adventures right here on our doorstep. My wife has run the whole of the Cotswold Way and now The Ridgeway, and I’ve been there supporting her. We’ve really discovered a lot more of the area and feel very lucky and privileged to have been here during lockdowns.”

The Cotswolds, I really mean this, hand on heart – it’s just epic.

Prone to not staying still for too long, the Cools have done their fair share of exploring the area, having moved several times in the decade that they’ve been in the Cotswolds, before finding their current dream home with Knight Frank. “We’re now in a barn conversion, but it’s not the archetypal Cotswold barn, we’ve done a contemporary twist on it. It was a 1950s pig shed that we’ve really made our own. Big open spaces and a modern feel, which can be quite unusual for the Cotswolds.

“We essentially designed it ourselves and are very proud of what we’ve done. And we’re in the middle of a field with several acres and far-reaching views.”

A desire for the space Cool speaks of, coupled with the ability to "just get out" are two of the strongest driving factors behind the influx of interest rural areas like the Cotswolds have experienced during recent months. When asked about the active lifestyle that the Cotswolds offer, he predictably lights up further: “The cycling here is fantastic, the walking and running is just fab – and it’s not that far to the Wye Valley or Cheddar, where there is really good rock climbing. There’s also Far Peak Climbing Centre in Northleach, which we go to regularly, as well as Gloucester dry ski slope, where my children ski every Sunday.” Then, with a characteristic display of verve when it comes to local knowledge and curious facts, he cheerfully adds: “Did you know the ski lifts there were bought in 1973 from Italy, second-hand!”

So, aside from the landscape and physical opportunities, what else about the Cool family’s lifestyle does the Cotswolds support? “Well the transport links here are great which is super useful as I travel so much, as are the schooling opportunities,” Cool continues. “The food scene here is also amazing. My family and myself are all plant-based, and despite the association of the cuisine in this area being very gamey, there’s actually a lot of variety and heaps of places that are very happy to cater to a plant-based diet. The Wheatsheaf in Northleach we visit a lot, and The Five Alls in Filkins have done a fantastic job with their plant-based menu.”

However, it’s not just the nutritious vegan dishes that keep Cool returning to the locals. “I drink too much beer!” he exclaims. “And there are so many great pubs and breweries popping up around here! Another big tick in my humble opinion. The Village Pub in Barnsley has a beer hatch which I absolutely love.”

When you live somewhere, the seasons creep up on you, but when you’re away for a period of time, the differences are stark. I feel like every time I return, I rediscover this area in some small, new way. It really is just sublimely beautiful

With his turbo-charged globe-trotting career and idyllic family life in the leafy Cotswolds, Kenton Cool appears to have the best of all worlds. But can someone with such an innate adventurous spirit ever truly settle in one place?

“I sometimes hanker after living somewhere like Chamonix or Zermatt, but I do really like the UK. I honestly think we have some of the best landscapes and scenery out of anywhere in the world. It’s nice to have our anchor here.

“The Cotswolds, I really mean this, hand on heart – it’s just epic.”

Interested in hearing more about Kenton’s adventures? Discover his podcast ‘Cool Conversations’ available on all major podcast platforms.

Words: Rosa Smith Images: Kenton Cool