David Hempleman-Adams started his career as a mountaineer

During a career which has spanned more than 20 years, the mountaineer and adventurer from Wiltshire has climbed Everest, and walked to both the North and South poles.

He was inspired into his career by the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, and became the first man to reach the geomagnetic North Pole solo on foot in the 1980s.

A record claimed despite a polar bear attack - and not telling his wife where he was going.

I wanted to get back to 'Phileas Fogg' real adventure rather than go hi-tech David Hempleman-Adams

"I took some flak for only telling the wife I was off skiing when I set off for the Pole," he said at the time.

During an interview, he even asked the BBC's John Humphrys if a bunch of flowers would do as an apology.

Future trips were planned with full marital consent.

An interest in ballooning developed later, and the explorer has already claimed a world record for being the first person to float over the Andes in a hot air balloon.

Atlantic challenge

"I got into ballooning because at 46 I'm getting too old to ski and to climb," he said.

"I wanted to get back to 'Phileas Fogg' real adventure rather than go hi-tech.

"What we've done is minimise the risk with up-to-date satellite phones and tracking systems."

But his real challenge lay in crossing the Atlantic.

Two previous attempts, in September 2002 and July 2003, failed because of technical problems and weather conditions respectively.

But this time, the natural-born explorer has finally made it.