Couple take children on year-long global adventure holiday

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 3 Nov, 11:18 · Archive

Leo and Jess Houlding took their children out of school for a year of travel and mountaineering across six continents.

Leo Houlding, 46, and his wife Jess, 47, took their children Freya and Jackson out of school for a year of 'adventure education'. The year-long journey began in July 2024 when Freya was 10 and Jackson was seven; they are now 13 and 10 respectively. The family travelled across six continents, visiting Norway, America, Japan, Nepal, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.

The itinerary included climbing El Capitan, a mountain in Yosemite National Park in California, scaling an unclimbed mountain in Kyrgyzstan and sea-kayaking between remote islands in Papua New Guinea. The family camped on mountain faces during their expedition.

Leo, a professional climber who lives in Staveley near Kendal, described himself and his wife Jessica, a GP and climber, as 'very adventurous people'. He explained that the decision to take a year out came from a long-held family plan. 'When we became parents, we continued to do a lot of adventures with the kids, but when they start school you have so little time for it,' he said. 'Between full-time education, after-school activities, sleeping and eating, you barely see your kids.'

The family had used weekends and school holidays for adventure time before the year-long trip. Leo said the timing made sense when Freya finished primary school. Jess quit her job as a salaried GP to enable the journey, whilst Leo managed to maintain his flexible working life around the expedition. Leo noted that for him adventure is 'a profession' whilst for his wife it is 'a passion'.

How it is being reported

• Couple take kids on extreme family holiday - including camping on cliff faceLeo Houlding and his family took a year off school for a global adventure, climbing Yosemite’s El Capitan, kayaking Papua New Guinea and summiting Kyrgyzstan.Cumberland News · 3 Nov, 11:03
• Couple take kids on extreme family holiday - including camping on cliff faceLeo Houlding and his family took a year off school for a global adventure, climbing Yosemite’s El Capitan, kayaking Papua New Guinea and summiting Kyrgyzstan.Whitehaven News · 3 Nov, 11:03
• Couple take kids on extreme family holiday - including camping on cliff faceAn adventurous couple took their young kids on the world's most extreme family holiday - including camping on a mountain face.Westmorland Gazette · 2 Nov, 09:36
• Couple take kids on extreme family holiday - including camping on cliff faceAn adventurous couple took their young kids on the world's most extreme family holiday - including camping on a mountain face.NW Evening Mail · 2 Nov, 09:36

In this story: Leo Houlding · Jess Houlding · El Capitan · Yosemite National Park · Kyrgyzstan · Papua New Guinea · Staveley · Kendal

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log