Michael Mosley

[MrFoolish]

It's kind of depressing that this man, who tried every health trick in the book, died of natural causes at the age of 67.

Although if he succumbed to heat stroke, as some seem to be saying, is this more in the category of accident or misadventure?

I guess we roll the dice in life...

[Tedx]

I wonder if he was on any kind of calorie restriction that day?

I always remember getting off an air conditioned coach in the middle of Tenerife years and years ago. Holy cow it was like stepping into a tumble drier. I could feel the skin on my arms gently sizzling in the blazing sun. After about half an hour of aimless meandering about, I was back on the bus, knackered. I think I was only in my 20's or something. He was in his late 60's.

Only mad dogs and Englishmen etc etc....

[servodude]

I wonder if he was on any kind of calorie restriction that day?

I always remember getting off an air conditioned coach in the middle of Tenerife years and years ago. Holy cow it was like stepping into a tumble drier. I could feel the skin on my arms gently sizzling in the blazing sun. After about half an hour of aimless meandering about, I was back on the bus, knackered. I think I was only in my 20's or something. He was in his late 60's.

Only mad dogs and Englishmen etc etc....

That quote popped in to my head also

As far as I've read they were only recently arrived on the island and he took a wrong turn
It can take a day or two to adjust to the heat and it's easy to get caught out even if you're expecting it. but it sounds as though he was otherwise pretty well prepared for the walk he was on (with umbrella, water, and how he was dressed).

t just sounds like very bad luck more than anything else.

[Lootman]

I wonder if he was on any kind of calorie restriction that day?

I always remember getting off an air conditioned coach in the middle of Tenerife years and years ago. Holy cow it was like stepping into a tumble drier. I could feel the skin on my arms gently sizzling in the blazing sun. After about half an hour of aimless meandering about, I was back on the bus, knackered. I think I was only in my 20's or something. He was in his late 60's.

Only mad dogs and Englishmen etc etc....

Yeah, that is why the locals sleep in the middle of the day, and concentrate activities in the early and late parts of the day.

The part I don't get is that this was a one-way hike. So he had not even reached the half-way point. Most hikers know to start heading back before you get hot, tired, aching, disoriented etc. He just kept going as if he was trying to make a point.

At least, I am not aware that he had arranged for any transportation back to his base.

[Mike4]

I wonder if he was on any kind of calorie restriction that day?

I always remember getting off an air conditioned coach in the middle of Tenerife years and years ago. Holy cow it was like stepping into a tumble drier. I could feel the skin on my arms gently sizzling in the blazing sun. After about half an hour of aimless meandering about, I was back on the bus, knackered. I think I was only in my 20's or something. He was in his late 60's.

Only mad dogs and Englishmen etc etc....

That quote popped in to my head also

As far as I've read they were only recently arrived on the island and he took a wrong turn
It can take a day or two to adjust to the heat and it's easy to get caught out even if you're expecting it. but it sounds as though he was otherwise pretty well prepared for the walk he was on (with umbrella, water, and how he was dressed).

t just sounds like very bad luck more than anything else.

One thing doesn't quite fit. Initial reports of him going missing said he did not take his phone with him when he set off on his terminal walk, which struck me as odd.

Subsequent news reports stopped mentioning this seemingly important detail. I find myself wondering why.

Maybe the reports were wrong and he did have his mobile, in which case he should have been able to call for help, or at least use Google Maps to find his way. But he did neither so the whole thing does not really quite add up.

[Tedx]

That quote popped in to my head also

As far as I've read they were only recently arrived on the island and he took a wrong turn
It can take a day or two to adjust to the heat and it's easy to get caught out even if you're expecting it. but it sounds as though he was otherwise pretty well prepared for the walk he was on (with umbrella, water, and how he was dressed).

t just sounds like very bad luck more than anything else.

One thing doesn't quite fit. Initial reports of him going missing said he did not take his phone with him when he set off on his terminal walk, which struck me as odd.

Subsequent news reports stopped mentioning this seemingly important detail. I find myself wondering why.

Maybe the reports were wrong and he did have his mobile, in which case he should have been able to call for help, or at least use Google Maps to find his way. But he did neither so the whole thing does not really quite add up.

I recall him saying that going out walking without your mobile frees the mind somewhat (I tend to agree with him - but I put mine in my rucksack....just in case!)

[Mike4]

One thing doesn't quite fit. Initial reports of him going missing said he did not take his phone with him when he set off on his terminal walk, which struck me as odd.

Subsequent news reports stopped mentioning this seemingly important detail. I find myself wondering why.

Maybe the reports were wrong and he did have his mobile, in which case he should have been able to call for help, or at least use Google Maps to find his way. But he did neither so the whole thing does not really quite add up.

I recall him saying that going out walking without your mobile frees the mind somewhat (I tend to agree with him - but I put mine in my rucksack....just in case!)

Yes, I can imagine him saying that. But like you, I'd still take mine with me even if turned off and in the bottom of the rucksack!

I always try to understand the details of how mishaps come about especially when someone dies, in order to learn and therefore be better equipped than the victim to avoid it happening again, possibly to me.

[MrFoolish]

Hadn't he also left his wife at the beach because he wasn't feeling well? I admire the man because he pushed the boundaries on a regular basis. But sadly it seems it was one risk too many this time.

I also think about Andrew Marr who had a stroke after a hard session on the rowing machine. When does doing the right thing become the wrong thing?

[Watis]

Hadn't he also left his wife at the beach because he wasn't feeling well? I admire the man because he pushed the boundaries on a regular basis. But sadly it seems it was one risk too many this time.

I also think about Andrew Marr who had a stroke after a hard session on the rowing machine. When does doing the right thing become the wrong thing?

I too recall the initial reports that he left the beach because he was feeling unwell. And also that he had left his mobile phone at the place he was staying.

An unfortunate combination of circumstances that may have cost him his life.

RIP.

Watis

[Gerry557]

I think a 30 year old might have struggled in that heat and type of ground.

[bungeejumper]

I think a 30 year old might have struggled in that heat and type of ground.

Indeed he might. But a man who had made a career out of pushing his body to its safe limits might have been expected to take a phone for safety (if only for the map), or even just a simple compass? And what do we know about his footwear?

It also struck me as odd that he popped into a shop in Pedi but didn't seem to buy anything more to drink. (He had a small water bottle with him, but nothing more. A litre per person would be a sensible minimum.)

I don't know Symi, but I've walked the 16 kilometer Samaria Gorge in Crete in 40C conditions, and you just don't take those sorts of chances. Not unless you're as tough as the locals, some of whom were doing it in flip-flops.

BJ

[Lootman]

I think a 30 year old might have struggled in that heat and type of ground.

Indeed he might. But a man who had made a career out of pushing his body to its safe limits might have been expected to take a phone for safety (if only for the map), or even just a simple compass? And what do we know about his footwear?

It also struck me as odd that he popped into a shop in Pedi but didn't seem to buy anything more to drink. (He had a small water bottle with him, but nothing more. A litre per person would be a sensible minimum.)

I don't know Symi, but I've walked the 16 kilometer Samaria Gorge in Crete in 40C conditions, and you just don't take those sorts of chances. Not unless you're as tough as the locals, some of whom were doing it in flip-flops.

BJ

Yeah, I have done the Samaria Gorge. There were 6 of us; hiking alone is a whole other thing. A switched on phone also gives your location, which would have been handy here.

And of course at Samaria Gorge a boat meets you at the end and takes you to a bar.

[bluedonkey]

I think a 30 year old might have struggled in that heat and type of ground.

Totally agree. Nine miles alone in extreme heat over hilly and rough ground. I don't think he had much of a chance of success to be honest.

[Lanark]

I think a 30 year old might have struggled in that heat and type of ground.

Totally agree. Nine miles alone in extreme heat over hilly and rough ground. I don't think he had much of a chance of success to be honest.

Where did you get 9 miles from? The entire island is only 4 miles wide.

[GoSeigen]

Totally agree. Nine miles alone in extreme heat over hilly and rough ground. I don't think he had much of a chance of success to be honest.

Where did you get 9 miles from? The entire island is only 4 miles wide.

? Shortest distance from Pedi to Panormitis is 19.2 km.

St Nicholas Beach to Agia Marina on foot is 6km by shortest route without getting lost.

Have you thought this through carefully?


GS

[bluedonkey]

Totally agree. Nine miles alone in extreme heat over hilly and rough ground. I don't think he had much of a chance of success to be honest.

Where did you get 9 miles from? The entire island is only 4 miles wide.

Good spot. I went back to the article in the Grauniad and found this correction:

"This article was amended on 11 June 2024. An earlier version said the beach bar was “an estimated nine miles (15km)” from the spot where Michael Mosley had said goodbye to his wife. To clarify: this was an estimate that was provided regarding how far he might have walked; the actual distance on foot is about two and a half miles (four kilometres)."

[Dicky99]

It also struck me as odd that he popped into a shop in Pedi but didn't seem to buy anything more to drink. (He had a small water bottle with him, but nothing more. A litre per person would be a sensible minimum.)

Not so odd if someone was expecting a reasonably short journey back to the accommodation and not banking on taking a wrong fork and ending up going entirely the wrong way.

Puts me in mind of a walk I did in the Wye Valley on a very hot day last year. No tragic consequences for me thankfully but having started off okay I got horribly lost after taking a wrong turn which turned what should have been a leisurely walk into a way off the beaten track absolute ordeal. I ended up exhausted and very dehydrated having run out of water way too early in the walk.

It's a cruel fate that his legs couldn't have carried him just 100m further to where help might have saved him.

[simoan]

It also struck me as odd that he popped into a shop in Pedi but didn't seem to buy anything more to drink. (He had a small water bottle with him, but nothing more. A litre per person would be a sensible minimum.)

Not so odd if someone was expecting a reasonably short journey back to the accommodation and not banking on taking a wrong fork and ending up going entirely the wrong way.

Puts me in mind of a walk I did in the Wye Valley on a very hot day last year. No tragic consequences for me thankfully but having started off okay I got horribly lost after taking a wrong turn which turned what should have been a leisurely walk into a way off the beaten track absolute ordeal. I ended up exhausted and very dehydrated having run out of water way too early in the walk.

I think most experienced walkers have been in this situation at least once. The problem with dehydration is that it’s difficult to detect and yet it badly affects your decision making, sense of direction etc.

[GrahamPlatt]

Not so odd if someone was expecting a reasonably short journey back to the accommodation and not banking on taking a wrong fork and ending up going entirely the wrong way.

Puts me in mind of a walk I did in the Wye Valley on a very hot day last year. No tragic consequences for me thankfully but having started off okay I got horribly lost after taking a wrong turn which turned what should have been a leisurely walk into a way off the beaten track absolute ordeal. I ended up exhausted and very dehydrated having run out of water way too early in the walk.

I think most experienced walkers have been in this situation at least once. The problem with dehydration is that it’s difficult to detect and yet it badly affects your decision making, sense of direction etc.

Indeed. Simply doing the Fairfield horseshoe. Luckily with a large group of experienced walkers, soon put to rights once it was recognised - and not by me.

[Lootman]

It also struck me as odd that he popped into a shop in Pedi but didn't seem to buy anything more to drink. (He had a small water bottle with him, but nothing more. A litre per person would be a sensible minimum.)

Not so odd if someone was expecting a reasonably short journey back to the accommodation and not banking on taking a wrong fork and ending up going entirely the wrong way.

That part baffles me as he was mostly walking along the shore or seafront.

So you'd be conscious that the sea is on your right. That "wrong turn" would be immediately evident as the sea would still be on your right. Had you turned around it would then be on your left.

But out of sight of the sea then maybe so. I got hopelessly lost in the Sri Lankan jungle once and lost all sense of orientation. Easy to do with no landmarks or visual guides. Luckily I ran into a friendly woodcutter who showed me the way out