The team of 30 hikers, led by army major Robert ‘Rab’ Lundie, have been walking in extreme weather in Wales and Scotland as they prepare to trek around the base of Mount Everest and Kalapathar in Nepal.
Rab assembled the team of local people in December and January after running an article in White Horse News last year.
Rab said, “Preparation training for Westbury 2 Everest continues to gather momentum. We started with 57 volunteers and the team has gradually decreased in size, as I expected, to a more manageable 30 people.
“The team has bonded extremely well and taken part in numerous local walking events, as well as more challenging ones in the mountains of north and south Wales and in Scotland. I’m very happy with the team’s progress and that we still have a varied range of male/female participants of varying degrees of ability and ages.”
The ‘Westbury 2 Everest’ expedition will set off in March next year, and will see the team hiking at altitudes of 5,555m in extreme cold and possibly snowy and icy conditions.
The team completed their toughest challenge yet in July when they climbed Tryfan, Glyder Fach, Glyder Faw, and Snowdonia in Wales.
Rab said, “This was our toughest challenge yet as a team. Gareth Hopkins, Becky Midgley and Kev Sheppard did fantastically well with their map reading skills and leadership qualities that saw the team return safely home.
“Both myself and Gareth, as team leaders, congratulated the teams on a superb effort and assured all that if they work that hard they will be more than up for the challenge in Nepal.
“Although it’s not been nice for some, every trip we have completed thus far has been subject to the most hideous weather conditions. I have taken a bit of flack as I seem to always jinx and book bad weather, but it has been an excellent way of testing our kit and equipment, physical resolve and mental agility.
“Everything for the expedition is going very well and the team are starting to get itchy feet as we draw down to departing.
“The coming months will be essential to prepare and every opportunity will be taken to best use the winter weather in the coming months. I’d like to thank all team members for their continued drive to train and support each other, and for the team members who have organised bespoke training events and social gatherings.”
