Tell us a little bit about yourself!

My name is Calum Hudson and I'm a Double Ironman (40 hours, 22 minutes), Mostar Bridge Jumper and the middle brother of the Wild Swimming Brothers.

We are three brothers from Cumbria, England: little brother Jack (24), me (26), and big brother Robbie (29). We grew up in a small village in the Lake District and spent our childhood diving into lakes, leaping into rivers and kayaking down streams.

These days we all live apart – Jack in Newcastle, Calum in London, Robbie in Berlin – but we come together a few times a year for wild swimming adventures. Our recent expedition in 2015 saw us swim across the third biggest whirlpool in the world, The Corryvreckan, off the coast of Scotland. And later last year we became the first people ever to swim the 90-mile River Eden from source to sea on our 'Swim the Eden' journey.

Next up, we're journeying to the Arctic Circle to swim across the two biggest whirlpools in the world to raise awareness about oil drilling plans in Norway's Lofoten Islands. We believe that the wild places left in the world and the creatures that inhabit them deserve our protection, and we see wild swimming as the perfect immersive experience to bring people closer to the natural world around them.

Have you travelled anywhere recently that you have particularly enjoyed?

I was up in the Arctic Circle three weeks ago to scout out the whirlpools and meet the ship captains for our “Into the Maelstrom” expedition this August. I flew into Bodo and took a four hour ferry to our base in the tiny fishing town of Reine on the outermost Lofoten Islands off Norway's west coast. The scenery is some of the most dramatic I've ever seen – colossal granite rock cliffs tower over pristine fjords and ridgelines snake through the sea like the spines on a stegosaurus's back. I'm always drawn to the wilder untamed corners of the world and no where else really competes with the Norwegian Arctic Circle.

What's the most inspiring thing you have seen or experienced on your travels?

Alongside my brothers, cousins and an old school friend I witnessed Hindus during a pilgrimage on Ganesh's birthday in the dense, steamy jungles of Ranthambore National Park in India. They measure out the length of their bodies by kneeling then stretching out flat and repeating the process from where their fingers reach. They do this for hours on end, day after day, as they make their steady crawl towards the shrine. They're not taking pictures, posting it on social media or talking about it being a huge endurance feat – they are simply and utterly devoted to their beliefs. I found this selfless devotion incredibly humbling and it made me question my own reasons for adventure. Inspiring, reflective and extraordinary all at once.

What's your most unusual or challenging travel experience?

My most challenging travel experience was during a trip to Bosnia to make the plunge from the ancient Mostar Bridge (pictured left).

Mostar Bridge is a hugely symbolic part of Bosnia's war-torn history, destroyed during the civil war and personifying the fractured sides of the country.

Since its rebuilding, Bosnian men and women have used it as a sort of pilgrimage site whereby jumping into the icy water below is a rite of passage into adulthood. The bridge stands at 24 metres high (2 ½ times the height of an Olympic diving board).

After signing a death waiver at the local diving club and going through 10 minutes "training" from a crazed Bosnian teenager, I found myself climbing over the ledge onto the other side of the railings and edging my toes to the edge of the rock. Looking down 24 metres below was one of the most terrifying moments of my life. I stepped off and fell for what seemed like an eternity, crashing into the water below and becoming the 1,412thth person to jump from Mostar Bridge.

Tell us about a place that is special to you.

Lexie's House on the steep shores of Little Lochbroom in the Scottish Highlands. As children my brothers and I would spend our summers visiting my Grandma Wild, racing around her coppice and hiding in the bracken. Over the years we slowly rebuilt the ruined house up the hillside, carrying all the roof timbers, lugging up the bricks and carving the steps into the hillside. We transformed the ruin into a beautiful bothy replete with compost loo, hammocks, and two wood burning fires. Some of my most treasured memories are from that house, being huddled round the kettle on the stove with my brothers or watching the clouds pass over the steep mountains from the windows. Our Grandma Wild is no longer with us, but carved into the main timber beam are the words “Rest and Be Thankful” and every time I go back there I pull up a seat, look out the window over the hills and think of my gran.

Which destination is top of your travel wish list?

Ethiopia is top of my travel wish list. I want to run through the towering peaks of the Simien Mountains and watch troops of Gelado Baboons cascade from the clifftops. Journey to the ancient lost Christian kingdom of Gondar where the Arc of the Covenant is believed to rest, and trek through the otherworldly alien moonscapes of the Danakli Depression.

If you could go anywhere in the world, what would you buy to bring back home with you?

This might be cheating somewhat, but I'd go to the Sea of Tranquility on the Dark Side of the Moon and bring back a moon rock. Now that would look fantastic on a mantelpiece.

Besides clothes and a passport, if you could only take three items on your travels, what would they be?

Firstly, S.A.S Collins pocket Guide. Our Grandma Wild had this little book by her fireside and I spent countless mornings stoking the coals and reading about how to build fish corrals, which mushrooms were safe to eat and what to do in the event of a shark attack. Certainly an early catalyst for the adventurous mind and a must-have for any travelling.

Secondly, a pack of cards. No explanation required. And finally, duct tape. Things will break and duct tape can fix EVERYTHING. On “Swim the Eden” we even bandaged my head up with it, as you can see in the picture above!

Do you have any tips for travelling responsibly?

My top tip would be to remember that where your going will be unchanged after you leave it – it has been ticking away for years and years before you arrived and will continue to do so after you leave. Be humble, be a guest and bring an open mind.

Read about the Wild Swimming Brothers Into the Maelstrom challenge