Alice Morrison, often dubbed “Indiana Jones for Girls,” is known for her epic adventures in some of the world’s most remote and mysterious regions.
But this autumn, as she prepares for Royal Scottish Geographical Society talks in Dundee and Dunfermline, the adventurer’s thoughts are turning closer to home.
The 61-year-old, fresh off a summer of wild camping on the West Highland Way, is already eyeing Scotland’s next great challenge: the Fife Coastal Path and the Fife Pilgrim Way.
And she’s certain she’ll be back from her home in Morocco to do both of them next spring.
“It was on the train to Aberdeen to catch the ferry to Shetland to visit my brother that I first spotted the Fife Coastal Path,” she tells The Courier with a laugh.
“It was like, ‘Oh, what’s that?’ So I immediately put it on my radar.
“Even though I suffered doing the West Highland Way – I actually got trench foot it was so wet – I think these walking routes in Scotland are absolutely amazing.
“One way to really connect with places is to walk them because you’re physically connected to the earth.
“Everyone else who walked that path before you, you’ve got a connection with them.”
How did Alice earn the nickname ‘Indiana Jones for Girls’?
This spontaneous curiosity is the hallmark of Alice’s life.
It’s a life that has seen her move from the rolling hills of East Africa to the sprawling deserts of North Africa, always chasing the next great adventure.
Alice earned the nickname “Indiana Jones for Girls” due to her adventurous spirit, exploration of remote areas, and passion for uncovering ancient history, similar to the fictional character Indiana Jones.
It’s a nickname she embraces as it encapsulates her adventurous life, love for history, and desire to inspire others, especially women, to embark on their own adventures.
As she prepares to share the secrets of the Nabateans, an ancient Arabian civilisation, with audiences in Tayside and Fife, her passion for exploration is as fierce as ever.
And it all started as a child in the shadow of Uganda’s Mountains of the Moon.
How did Alice Morrison start her life of adventure?
Born to Scottish parents, her childhood was defined by a sense of wonder and freedom.
Her parents, both teachers, had taken the bold step to leave Scotland for Africa, a decision that would shape her life in unimaginable ways.
“We were in Uganda until I was eight, and it was this incredibly beautiful, free childhood,” she reflects.
“But then we moved back to Scotland, to Oban in Argyll, and it was a real shock to the system.
“I had grown up running wild in Africa, and suddenly I was in this quiet, very different place.”
Oban was certainly different.
She got to know Perth when her brother attended Craigclowan Prep School.
Yet the seeds of adventure were already sown.
Her parents soon moved the family back to Africa, this time to Ghana, where her love for travel and different cultures only deepened.
By the time she was 17, she was already working as a journalist in Dubai, a career that would take her to Cairo, Manchester, and eventually the BBC.
There, she became an editor before making the ultimate leap into full-time adventure.
Why did Alice decide to move to the desert?
Alice’s transition from journalism to adventure wasn’t immediate.
It took a journey across Africa – cycling from Cairo to Cape Town in 2011 – to convince her that a “normal” life was no longer for her.
“I tried to come back to real life, to do proper jobs again, but it was all over for me,” she says, laughing. “Why would you want to, frankly?”
Her adventures have since taken her across the Sahara, through the harsh terrain of the Marathon des Sables, and to the heart of the Arabian Peninsula.
It was in Morocco, where she now lives, that she truly found her stride, embracing the desert cultures and landscapes that have become her signature.
“In 2014, I moved to Morocco for three months to train for the Marathon des Sables, and I just fell in love with the country. I’m still here 10 years on,” she says.
“There’s something about the desert, the vastness, the history – it just speaks to me.”
What will Alice Morrison talk about in Dundee and Dunfermline?
Recent adventures have taken her deep into the heart of Nabatean civilisation, a once-great society that flourished in what is now Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
The Nabateans are best known for their rock-cut city of Petra, but their day-to-day lives remain shrouded in mystery – a mystery she is eager to unravel.
“Arabian Adventures,” her recent BBC series, gave her the chance to explore this enigmatic culture.
“The Nabateans coexisted with the Romans and the Pharaohs, but nobody’s ever heard of them,” she explains.
“They built these fantastic cities of the dead, but their everyday lives – how they lived, prayed, and became so wealthy – are still largely unknown.”
Alice’s talks will delve into these mysteries, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the world’s foremost archaeologists and the surprising discoveries they’ve made.
It’s a tale that combines her love of history with her insatiable curiosity about the world.
What other plans does Alice have?
While she is excited about her upcoming talks and the prospect of exploring the Fife Coastal Path and Fife Pilgrim Way next spring, her next big adventure is set to be even more ambitious.
In January 2025, she plans to become the first woman to walk from the Jordanian border to the Yemeni border in Saudi Arabia, a journey that will cover thousands of miles and countless challenges.
“It’s a massive undertaking, but I’m ready for it,” she says, her eyes sparkling with the excitement of the unknown.
“Walking through Saudi Arabia with camels, from north to south – there’s so much history, so much culture to uncover.”
For Alice, every step she takes – whether in the deserts of Arabia or along Scotland’s rugged coastline – is a step towards understanding the world better.
She’s also motivated to share that understanding with others.
Her adventures are more than just physical challenges.
They’re about connecting with the past, the present, and the people who make each place unique.
Why Scotland remains in her heart
As she continues to chart new paths, her love for Scotland remains constant.
“Even though I’ve lived so much of my life abroad, I am 100% Scottish,” she says proudly.
“It’s a big part of who I am – resilience, a sense of humour, and a desire to see the world. I carry that with me everywhere.”
Alice Morrison’s talks, “Arabian Adventures: The Secrets of the Nabateans,” will be held at 7.30pm in Lecture Theatre LT3, Dalhousie Building, University of Dundee, on October 1.
She’s also speaking at Dunfermline High School at 7pm on October 2.
For ticket information go to rsgs.org
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