SIXTY
2018 is my sixtieth year and I want to remember it well. So, in November, I’m climbing Ama Dablam, one of the most beautiful mountains of the Himalaya range.
I don’t think of myself as a climber. I’m an enthusiastic and adventurous dreamer. I love the mountains and like many people, they inspire me to go to the top. Ama Dablam is beautiful. At 6800m, it’s cold and the air’s a bit thin. With bottomless drop-offs on both sides and some technical difficulty, the SW ridge is very exposed and I expect it will be exhilarating. I’ll be in good company - I’ll be with the Keswick-based guide and six times Everest summiteer, Tim Mosedale.
The journey, and the pleasure of reaching the summit and returning safely to friends and family back home, will stay with me forever.
THIN AIR
Thin Air is a personal blog. Not something I’ve done before but I hope, an interesting way to share the story. I’ll be writing about my preparation - fell-running, cycling and climbing in the Lake District - and the adventures they lead to. I’ll reflect on the ideas that motivate me, that make me stop and think… and be amazed. I’ll write about the expedition and about Nepal’s Sherpa families who, like you and me, want their children to have the best educational start in life. I want to raise awareness of the challenges they face, and raise money to give something back to the communities who make it possible for visitors like me to climb their mountains safely.