EveRRest 2022 - The quest for Base Camp!

Final preparations are underway. We've had lots of flight changes over the last two days but thanks to the persistent people at Intrepid we are sorted again and great news, plane fans, we are on a Dreamliner for the first leg of the outbound flight, which has cheered Vicki up no end.  Steve and Vicki went to visit Reuben's Retreat last week. We can't express enough just how amazing they are and how impactful your donations are to their work. Thank you so very very much. We think we might hit £10,000 from all the Bolton at Home Trekkers' fundraising including Edward and Anne last year, which is just unbelievable! This week we are resting up a bit, eating well, staying hydrated and packing our bags ready for Saturday. We want to be as ready as we can be. Here's the itinerary as it stands at the moment: Saturday 25th - Sunday 26th March: travel to Kathmandu via Doha. Get our visas, trekking permits, phone SIMs and duffel bags and hopefully a bit of sleep. Monday 27th -...

Some updates on what we have been doing and what's to come: Fundraising First of all, a huge, huge thank you to everyone who has donated so far. Our fundraising total so far across all our BH trekkers past and present is £8748 which is not far away at all from our target. Across the whole team of trekkers we have raised nearly £90,000! Nic, Reuben's Mummy had some lovely words to share about what this means to them. You can read them here . https://www.justgiving.com/team/EveRRest22 Preparation Update from Vicki: With 4 weeks to go I have packed my bags. We have a very strict weight limit of 15kg for the trek and I wanted to see how much space I would have to take some familiar snacks with me so I had a day off on Monday and packed it all. I think the answer is I will have my coat packets filled with snacks and will look like Joey from friends when he wears all Chandler's clothes when I board the plane to Lukla. I've bought things I never thought I would - some water-fr...

Now that Edward and Anne have recovered from their adventure now and we are turning our attentions to the next trek. So that I'm not alone flying the flag for Bolton at Home, Owen Tomlin has been selected to join her on the trek and joining us will be our Bolton at Home colleague, Steve Roden, who has decided to join the trek off his own back as it's such an amazing challenge. Our flights are booked for March 25th 2023 and with just under 6 months to go, preparations are getting well and truly underway.  Firstly, we've updated our JustGiving page to reflect our new team and as always welcome any and all contributions. We will be updating on our fundraising activities over the coming months.  Secondly, there's a small matter of a very long trek up a very steep hill so I'm back in the gym in the morning and on the hunt for suitable walking boots.  Watch this space for more information on our new intrepid adventurers and show your support at: https://www.justgiving.com...

I got very excited, updating work people and our Justgiving site that I didn't actually share the exciting news here. Saturday morning was the big day and despite not feeling great, Anne and Edward made it to Gorak Shep for a tea break before the big trek to Base Camp. It was so cold that water bottles froze and it's tough moving about at that altitude so a long day. Edward was quoted as saying he's never doing this again. I guess I can't persuade him to come with me next year ... The group took Reuben's photograph with them and it was emotional and a fitting reminder as to why we are going through this. Saturday night was back in Gorak Shep before a descent of 1000m the next day, hopefully to some thicker air! Monday's trek was 'just' 5 hours but this meant time to visit the monastery in Tengboche and the 400m descent means some richer vegetation.  Here's some photos from Edward from Base Camp and the start of the journey back. Still time to donate ...

At nearly 5000 metres altitude now. I understand most of the group are feeling the effects of the altitude (53% of the usual oxygen!) now so let's send all our positive vibes for the early start up to Gorak Shep tomorrow and cross EVERYTHING that Edward and Anne make it to Base Camp.  From the photos it's looking much more wintery and rugged. Proper Himalayas now.  Photo by James Phillips

Not getting as many updates now as WiFi and charging gets patchier but had word from another trekker that today was an acclimatisation trek up to 4800m then back down to Dingboche to rest for the evening. I'm starting to get a feel for how much of a challenge this really is. Sickness at this altitude seems pretty common and it's -6°C overnight so not easy conditions but worth it for such a good cause! According to the itinerary tomorrow is a trek up to Lobuche then all being well the big day will be Saturday. I can't imagine how it will feel to reach Base Camp especially in the knowledge that after that it's all downhill, in a good way.  Thanks for all the support again. We are not far off our fundraising target either so thanks so so much! Photo by James Phillips. Look at that view! 

Thanks to there being wi-fi even up in the Himalayas, we are still getting updates from Edward and Anne. Today was another tough climb after getting up at 6am. After 5 hours of trekking to the lunch spot the weather changed somewhat with thunder, lightning and hail. Thank goodness for ponchos. Sounds like a tiring day but the views still look great!

Day 4 of the trek sounded a tough one covering 11km in 8 hours to reach Phortse. The paths look steep and the group are seeing yaks now as it's too high and steep for mules etc. It's getting colder at night and I think the toughest parts of the trek are to come.  Edward's sending some photos through still so phone signal must still be good and I know they all appreciate all the support.  Check out the contour lines on the map of today's route: Tonight's accommodation with a view: You can see the path on this one: Hardy travellers: Very hardy travellers!

Edward and the group have completed the next part of the trek up to Namche Bazaar. They crossed 7 hair-raising suspension bridges (really not looking forward to those next year) and made it to Namche on Sunday. To help cope with the altitude they are staying Monday night in Namche as well and have been on a hike today to help acclimatise and to get their first glimpse of mighty Mount Everest. Spirits seem high but it sounds challenging trekking at that altitude. Edward said for the first few minutes each trek is hard to breath and get your heart rate down. The views look spectacular but it's definitely hard work up there by the sounds of things. Here's some photos of day 2 and 3 of the trek. There's full 4g signal in Namche but we don't know how it will be further along.  Thanks everyone for the support and it's so great seeing the donations coming in.  You can donate here if you are able. At the Everest viewpoint Looking forward to the food!...

Edward and Anne are off! On Thursday they flew out, arriving in Kathmandu on Friday after a long layover in Doha, a wait for baggage and a power cut. An early start on Saturday morning got them into Lukla on a Twin Otter just before flights were stopped due to bad weather. Day one to Phakding was completed and today the long trek to Namche Bazaar is underway. Here are some photos so far (Thanks to fellow trekker James Phillips for some of those) and thanks so much for the donations that keep coming in. I'll continue to update the blog with updates from the team where I can but can't help feeling a bit jealous of the warm weather so far, though that will change quickly!  The flight to Lukla Team Reuben's Retreat at the airport View down the runway at Lukla The road to Namche Ok so at least my shower is indoors Night one's accommodation

  Three and a half weeks to go A couple more county tops done since the last update. We headed east last weekend and did Black Hill which used to be the highest point in Cheshire. It’s now about 20 miles from the boundary with Cheshire. This weekend we headed north to do Whernside, one of the Yorkshire three peaks and formerly the highest point in the West Riding of Yorkshire. We’re now at a total of 22,586 feet and two more big ones will get us to the Everest summit at 29,032. We’re hoping to fit Snowdon and Aran Fawddwy in before we head for Everest.       W e’ve been using these longer walks to try out some of the things we’re planning for the trek. This weekend on Whernside we gave trekking poles a go (the verdict’s still out) and also sterilising tablets and hydration powders in our drinks (just about palatable). Will give the poles another outing on Snowdon. The fundraising is also going well. Not too far to our target now. Any support at this l...

  5 weeks to Everest - an update from Edward The countdown is on to our trek to Everest base camp and we’re stepping up preparations. Most of the kit has been bought now but after chatting to someone on Sunday's walk we’re going to get some trekking poles and give them a go. Two walks last weekend. 8 miles walking home to Adlington from Smithills and then 9 miles today doing Kinder Scout from Hayfield. This gave us a lot of the elements we’ll face each day on the trek: 6 hours of walking – check 600m of climb – check Cold and windy – check The one thing we can’t prepare for is oxygen levels ranging from 75% of UK levels at the start of the trek to 50% by the time we reach base camp (fingers crossed) Two more county tops done since the last update, Cleeve Hill In Gloucestershire as part of the British Night Orienteering Championships and then Kinder Scout on Sunday. It’s going to take some going to reach 29,000 ft of climb before we go but if we get a decent spell of w...

  An update on our EveRRest trek. Due to the ongoing uncertainty around Covid, particularly around entry rules to Nepal, as well as people being unable to make the trek for various reasons, Reuben's Retreat decided last week to defer the EveRRest Trek to next year. Edward is unable to make the trip next year so we tried to move our booking to still go this year with the same travel company. Edward has managed to secure the last spot on a trip so he can still complete the challenge as planned this April and I will be travelling with the charity group next year. Whilst we are disappointed not to be able to face the challenge together, we are committed to completing it so this is the best solution we can find. I am looking forward to cheering Edward on from afar and getting all the tips for my trip and I have an extra year to get ready now as well. Thanks everyone for all your support so far and every penny raised has been a help to this wonderful charity. We are at 82% of our fundrai...

Hi everyone! Ed and Vicki have been busy over the last month, fundraising and training for the big trek. First up, Edward has been adventuring in the snow. Here's an update from him: As some of you will know, we’re raising money for a local charity, Reuben’s Retreat, and taking on a trek to Everest base camp in four months. Doing some preparation by climbing a selection of the old county tops. After a break over the autumn, managed a trip up to Cumbria over the weekend and with a break in the weather on Sunday, took on Helvellyn. The weather was benign at the head of Thirlmere but definitely not benign on Helvellyn where it felt like being in a snow globe! As if the Everest Base Camp trek isn't a big enough challenge, Vicki has spent the last 6 months or so getting in shape and training for a marathon culminating in a very picturesque 22 miles in the Derbyshire Dales followed immediately by 4 miles of objection from her body for the previous 22 miles. She managed to finish it a...

With just over 6 months to go (new departure date and flights are confirmed for April 7th), we have had notification that Virgin Money Giving, the platform we were using for our fundraising, is closing at the end of November this year. This is a shame as it was a convenient way to fundraise but there is some good news: All the donations so far are safe and will be passed to Reuben's Retreat as planned so no need to worry and as always we remain very grateful to everyone who has supported us and Reuben's Retreat so far.  We have a brand new fundraising site on JustGiving. I know a lot of people are used to JustGiving as well so hopefully it will make it a bit easier for people to donate as well.  We have put the total raised so far as the 'offline total' on JustGiving. We are well over halfway to the target and still over 6 months to go until we set off.  Our flights are booked!  The new site is: https://www.justgiving.com/team/EveRRest22 It will ask you to choos...

A hard act to follow Vicki’s last, brilliant blog but a quick update from me, Edward, about preparations and Reuben’s Retreat.     Like Vicki, I also had the chance to visit Reuben’s Retreat earlier this year. I was amazed to see the scale of the project taken on by one family and how far along the road they are to creating a facility for  children with life limiting conditions and their families or those families who have tragically been bereaved . It was a lovely sunny day when we visited and with Howard Park adjacent to the old cottage hospital which is being converted, it does offer a brilliant location for the charity.   Anne and I have been working out way through some of the old county tops with the idea of climbing a selection of them that together will make up the height of Everest. It’s taking longer than we thought but we did start with Linco l nshire  (26ft!)  and Norfolk  which together only made up about 650 feet. We’ve moved on to more s...

First off, thank you so much to everyone who supported our prize draw either by donating prizes or buying tickets. We raised over £400 from it so thank you again especially to our prize donors: Anthony Collins Solicitors Jewson Builders Merchants Real Axe Bolton Stannah Stairlifts Studio 82  in Radcliffe Chrome Beauty & Skincare MoonGazy Holistics Zumba Astley Nice Work Run Ruth Bridges Jewellery   Grumpy Old Surfer Vicki's friends Helen Harrell and Baz Massey Last Thursday I got the chance to see what a difference the money so far is making to Reuben's Retreat with a tour round with the effervescent Becca. It really brought it home to me just what valuable work the charity carry out and the passion the team have for making a difference is overwhelming. From its beginnings in Nic's (Reuben's mummy) spare room, they now have a site on an old hospital once famous for being the place where L. S. Lowry saw out his final days. The Lodge is the completed part of the devel...

Hi everyone. We should have been setting off on our trip next week but we have some great news to share. Our wonderful travel agency over at Intrepid Travel have rearranged our trip for April next year so on April 7th we will be flying to Kathmandu to start the trek to Everest Base Camp on April 8th. We are excited to have the new date and also to announce our exciting Big Easter Prize Draw!  Thanks to the generosity of Bolton at Home's partners, local businesses and our friends we have many great prizes for our prize draw and all the money raised will go straight to Reuben's Retreat. Check out their websites as well to see what they offer.  £100 Love2Shop vouchers from Anthony Collins Solicitors Google Nest Mini (5 of them) from Jewson Builders Merchants Axe Throwing for 4 people from Real Axe Bolton £25 voucher for M&S (4 of them) from Stannah Stairlifts Vouchers for hairdressing from Studio 82 in Radcliffe £15 skincare voucher from Chrome Beauty & Skincare Voucher ...

Ho ho ho! We hope you have all had some benefit from the festive season. For everyone, 2020 has been a year of change. For some it has been dramatic and upsetting and for others it has brought disappointments and perhaps opportunities. We have a couple of updates to share as we take some time out from work to recharge our batteries and spend some time at home. Some more time at home that is.  First piece of news is really positive. Our Virgin Money Giving total currently stands at a huge £1,420! That's 30% of our overall target and we are so very grateful for every pledge of help. We have a couple of hundred pounds pledged as well that we are just figuring how to get on to the page so we are well on our way. We've had a big jump in sponsorship thanks largely to our corporate partners. Edward has reached out to them to let them know about our challenge and we have had a hugely positive response. A big thank you to: Mike Roche at Savilles Forbes Solicitors PJ Services, Bolton Ven...

Hi, Vicki here. Things have been pretty busy at work and also just with this whole global pandemic going on there is a lot of uncertainty so I wanted to give a little update on where we are up to.  I'm continuing with my marathon training despite a couple of hiccups, like it being cancelled and having a bit of a dodgy knee but I found another one to do and having some top notch advice on fixing my knee so hopefully I can still complete a marathon this year. Edward and I both live in Tier 3 areas of the UK so my plans to get some hikes in are going to be a little limited for a while and this could also scupper my marathon plans so I am turning my energies to the other, more important preparations for this trip and the reason we are doing it - raising a whole load of money for Reuben's Retreat.   Having joined the group later on than most I am quite a way behind the other fundraisers so time to have a think about how I can get support for this great charity. I'm hatching p...