Alastair Borthwick had a passion for the outdoors. This became one of the things that he was most known for over the course of his remarkable life. Scotland was where he was born in 1913. He left school early because he had no use for it. He believed that he could become successful without sitting in a classroom endlessly. He always liked to write. Therefore, he thought that becoming a journalist would be a fun way to make a living. He would be able to travel the world and get paid for it at the same time. This inspired Alastair to apply for a newspaper job at the age of 16. He was praised by his boss for having a gift for writing that was far beyond his years. He was given his choice of subjects to focus on. He decided to write articles that had to do with the outdoors.
Working for the newspaper enabled Alastair to go rock climbing for the first time. This led to him writing many articles about it over the course of his life. Rock climbing became one of his main interests. Prior to Alastair’s articles, rock climbing was mostly done by people with a lot of money. However, the exposure that Alastair’s articles gave to the sport made average people want to give rock climbing a try. Alastair’s books about the sport of rock climbing are arguably the most well known works of entire career. They have been reprinted in dozens of languages around the world. Many people would consult with him about rock climbing because no person on the planet was thought to have more knowledge on the subject.
Alastair Borthwick distinguished himself in battle during the second World War. He fought on two continents during the conflict. He served mostly in the role of an intelligence officer. He would eventually reach the rank of captain. He decided to pen a book about all of the adventures he had while he was in the military. The book that he eventually wrote got great reviews because it was written from the perspective of a soldier who was in the trenches and was under fire. Many books about wars are written by high ranking officers who were always very far away from the front lines.
Alastair Borthwick would eventually move from the printed word to the spoken word in terms of his journalistic career. He was offered a number of jobs broadcasting on radio and television. He would continue in this capacity for many decades. One of the greatest achievements of his life came when he was awarded the title of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). Alastair Borthwick has been an inspiration to many young people in Scotland who want to pursue a career in journalism. His coverage of various outdoor activities on radio, TV and newspapers gave him the reputation of being the preeminent outdoorsman of his generation.
Alastair Borthwick passed away in 2003. However, his legacy continues to live on. All of his writings have remained in print for decades. This has allowed new generations to discover them. There have even been several universities across Europe that have had classes focusing on Alastair’s life and career. This will tell you everything you need to know about how revered he is.
