Pieces of me

Adventurer and television presenter Ben Fogle

1 Boots I’m quite methodical about what I wear on my feet, whether I’m in the jungle or the desert. If I had to sum up my life in one item, it would be a pair of boots.

2 Shark repellent This is my only souvenir from rowing across the Atlantic for 49 days with [rowing champion] James Cracknell. It looks so ineffective it makes me laugh.

3 Books As a child I loved reading about great explorers such as Scott, Shackleton and Thesiger stepping out and not knowing if they would fall off

the edge of the world. I’ve been lucky enough to follow in their footsteps, across Antarctica and several oceans.

4 Axe Being able to chop down wood and have a fre in the back garden reconciles me to living in London. Burning wood reminds me of Canada, where my father is from and where I spent many summers.

5 Shell sculpture Being on Castaway in Taransay 15 years ago was life-changing and emotional. Another contestant gave this to me for my birthday, as we couldn’t buy gifts.

6 Water bottle I always need to carry water. I got this in the Dolomites – I like objects with a history, and imagine an Italian soldier drinking from it on a mountain in the Second World War when I’m in the Amazon.

7 Watch This comes on every trip with me, a reminder of my life at home. It isn’t a gadget, it just tells the time.

8 Teddies These two were Ludo and Iona’s frst toys. They are the most precious things in the house, and I take them on trips and photograph them in exotic locations for the children.

The shark repellent is from when I rowed across the Atlantic. It looks so inefective it makes me laugh

Inter view by Olivia Ovenden. Photographs by Alice Whitby Ben Fogle, 42, is a British adventurer, author and television presenter. He lives in west London with his wife, Marina, and children, Ludo, six, and Iona, four.