By Lucy Wilkins BBC News Online

British polar explorer Pen Hadow has been criticised for undertaking an unsupported walk to the North Pole at a time of year when ice is melting.

Hadow's experience showed the benefit of planning

He spent eight days, with ever-dwindling supplies, waiting for a pre-arranged flight to pick him up from the isolated spot, as bad weather continually postponed the moment of his return to civilisation.

According to experienced expedition advisors, planning is the key to success no matter how far your journey or where you are going.

Shane Winser of the Royal Geographic Society expedition advisory centre deals with 1,000 trips a year, ranging from school trips to the Pyrenees to the last great challenges in science and exploration.

While she said it is impossible to make generalisations about such a wide range of trips, it is important to remember that the natural environment is a changing one.

"Any remote and challenging environment can change and become unpredictable. What appears to be routine can suddenly become dangerous," Ms Winser told BBC News Online.

Pete Goss's super yacht adventure ended with evacuation

"Unless you have a death wish, you think of the worst case scenario, then you do a risk assessment and have it agreed on before the worst happens," she said.

However, she said there was always the issue of asking people to risk their own lives in order to save yours.

"There are some people who want to recreate expeditions from the past, but otherwise everybody plans. It depends how far you want to push the limit, how hungry you are for fame and fortune.

The ultimate price

"In the case of Pen Hadow he knew that he would pay the ultimate price, which would be to die, if things didn't work out."

Mr Hadow's experience showed the benefit of planning, as he always knew the record attempt was a one-way trip.

With advanced technology such as weather forecasting, it was also possible to avoid potentially dangerous situations, thereby lessening the chance of risking anyone's life.

With the high seas also exerting a strong pull on adventurous souls, the need for rescue planning is just as crucial.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, while more concerned with shipping and sailing activities close to shore, advise everybody to take precautions.

Tony Bullimore was involved in an epic rescue after his yacht capsized

"It's when you get circumnavigations that things can go wrong. Coastguard in Canada and Australia have to deal with the ice rescues," spokesman James Hannon said.

He said all long-distance voyages were planned with the coastguard, but there was no feeling that unprepared sailors were putting not only their own lives at risk, but their rescuers lives in danger too.

"That's what we're here to do. It's our job," Mr Hannon said.

Satellite and radio equipment should be carried, as well as a global distress system, he advised.

Although not compulsory, authorities advise sailors to carry the equipment as it provides better communication with other vessels and coastguard stations on land, Mr Hannon said.

Adventurers

Bridging the gap between mountain and sea is British adventurer Pete Goss. He recently announced he will aim to walk in the footsteps of Captain Scott by trekking to the South Pole and back.

Mr Goss, 41, is best known for his attempt three years ago to sail a �4m "super yacht" in The Race - a no-rules round-the-world event.

The attempt was scuppered when the 120-feet catamaran Team Philips was severely damaged before the event started. The crew was evacuated in the mid-Atlantic rescue procedure took place about 800 miles west of Ireland.

Other notable rescues include Tony Bullimore, who was rescued by the Australian navy after his boat capsized in the Southern Ocean in January 1997.

He survived for four days in a tiny air-pocket underneath the up-turned hull of his yacht.

Epileptic rower Andrew Halsey, from Essex, was rescued 800 miles from the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean, after his second solo attempt to cross the ocean ended floundered with 18 times in 36 hours in gale force storms.