Richard Villar is an author, humanitarian medic, International Mountain Leader, and committed environmentalist based between London and Cumbria (UK). He was formerly Regimental Medical Officer to the Special Air Service and has undertaken more than four decades of work in many of the world’s major conflict and disaster zones, and in more than 35 countries. His experiences have included working as a surgeon during the siege of Sarajevo, as well as in Palestinian refugee camps, the Falklands War, the North-West Frontier of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Central India, the Middle East, the Far East, Africa, Central America and elsewhere. Richard was also responsible for the evacuation of casualties from the North Face of Mount Everest in the wake of a disastrous avalanche. In addition, Richard has been operational in the immediate aftermath of earthquakes in Kashmir, Java and Haiti, during the desert conflict in Libya, in the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan, as well as Ethiopia, Lebanon, Somalia and Gaza. Through all these activities Richard has written and lectured extensively and is a popular corporate motivational speaker. He has appeared on television and radio on numerous occasions and has published widely for both academic and general readerships. His articles have appeared in The Daily Telegraph, The Spectator, the Evening Standard, Reader’s Digest, The Independent, and many other publications. Richard’s book Knife Edge (Michael Joseph & Vineyard Press Ltd) described his time as the Regimental Medical Officer to the Special Air Service, was widely acclaimed, and remains in print and highly sought after to this day. His subsequent book, Winged Scalpel (Pen & Sword), became a great success and described his time as a surgeon in some of the most inhospitable disaster and conflict zones of recent times. Richard subsequently published Never A Straight Line: Travels Through Chile and Bolivia (Vineyard Press) and An Englishman Goes Walking: Through the Alps to the Sea (Vineyard Press). He is now part-way through a travel environmental series entitled The Bit Outside, leading to four books in as many years. In a previous life, as Richard describes it, he was Editor-in-Chief, and founded, several academic journals.

Richard's areas of writing expertise include: Adventure Travel; Walking, Environment; Climate Change; Hiking and Trekking; Fitness; Wildlife; Over-50s Travel; Safaris; Conflict; Disaster; Mountaineering; Survival. He is globally active but has special expertise in Continental Europe, United Kingdom and the Middle East. Richard has developed the acclaimed long form travel blog, Never A Straight Line (www.neverastraightline.com) and an environmental blog, The Bit Outside (www.thebitoutside.com). Both are extremely popular.