Jonny Parr has climbed all over the world, but nothing beats his passion for the mountains and clifftops in his own backyard. With his company, jonnyparrclimbing.com, he leads climbers out into the wild landscapes of Ireland to help them discover their own relationship with the mountains around us.
In this video, we asked him to take a drive in the new Volkswagen Touareg and show us the climbing landscape he grew up in. It was a journey that brought us deep into the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland and one which brought the Touareg through just some of the incredible environments it was designed for.
Climbing is always a challenge, he explains, but while he is constantly aware of the risks he knows that they are calculated risks that can reveal life-changing experiences, if you let them.
"The great thing about climbing is that it's just you and nature." This can be beautiful, he says, "but sometimes you might walk away from a challenge because of your attitude on any given day. Every day you're a different climber. It's a mental approach as much as a physical one."
A full-time mountaineering instructor based in Northern Ireland, his work there most frequently brings him between the great peaks and valleys of the Mourne Mountains in Co Down and to Fair Head, a rocky headland in the northeastern part of Co Antrim. Both are incredible climbing destinations, he says. "The terrific thing about climbing in Ireland is that it's largely untouched and often you have the place to yourself. Ireland is a destination climb; it's not just that it's on your doorstep here, it generally is seen as being special and beautiful."
People from around the world come over especially to climb in Ireland, he explains. "It's a place that climbers aspire to experience, it's on their list."
I love to see people's reactions when I bring them out on the cliff. It's a sport with so many possibilities
He also has a passion for winter climbing, taking on not just the challenge of the mountain itself but using his training to help climbers discover the thrill of climbing in our unpredictable winter weather.
His enthusiasm for his sport is infectious and it fuels the courses he runs for beginners, intermediate and experienced climbers. His local knowledge and experience ensures that climbers get the very most out of their time on the hills.
Climbing is about leadership, he explains. "I love to see people's reactions when I bring them out on the cliff. It's a sport with so many possibilities."
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About the Volkswagen Touareg
This is the third generation of the new Touareg, with the German manufacturer delivering an SUV that is distinct in its design, in-car technology, and performance.
VISUAL APPEAL
From the outside, the Touareg’s wide horizontal grille and elongated bonnet contribute to a sleek and solid aesthetic. That distinctive look is carried further through a very gentle gradient in the roofline, and the use of sharp, straight side lines that run into elegantly curved shoulder lines at the rear.
The Touareg’s visual appeal is matched by its performance, with a 3.0-litre V6 TDI engine providing the power to take the SUV on a sportier drive, or to handle going off-road.
IN-CAR TECHNOLOGY
From the driver’s seat, the Touareg offers a spacious, comfortable, and uncluttered interior that can easily be modified for carrying larger cargo. Volkswagen showcases some of the latest in in-car technology, such as the optional Innovision cockpit that is made up of a 15-inch curved display providing a customisable central console, and a 12-inch screen used behind the wheel as a digital instrument cluster.
The new generation Touareg is geared-up to give a unique, stylishly comfortable, and effortlessly powerful driving experience.