I have written about Everesting by bicycle. Now there is Everesting for walkers.
Everesting on foot
What is it? The aim is to walk the height of Everest – 8848m (29,029ft) – in multiple walks.
Each walk must be in a different location and you record the total height elevation from start to finish of each route.
Tell me more: If you are looking for a new goal to become fitter or enjoy more time outdoors in 2016, Everesting is a great idea.
You could choose to “Everest” in one year, six months, one month or even in one big outing if you are looking for something epic.
Another option is to see how many times you can Everest in one year.
As an example, walking Ben Lomond, on the shores of Loch Lomond, gives you 974m of total elevation.
Add Goatfell, on the Isle of Arran, for 874m of elevation gain and Broad Law, north of Moffat in Dumfries & Galloway, for another 420m.
Although the top of Broad Law has a summit of 840m, the walk starts at the Megget Stone at an elevation of 420m.
These three walks bring you to 2268m of elevation, which is more than a third of the height of Everest.
Who is Everesting?
In Scotland, some of the first walking “Everesters” have been Scouts and Explorers from four Greenock & District troops.
In 2015, 29 teenagers, including boys and girls, have Everested, while three have Double Everested.
They have climbed 48 hills – including 29 Munros – climbed as a Scouts group or with their families.
Andy Yarr, leader of the 85th Greenock & District Scout Group, said: “It’s been a great challenge and one that the youngsters have really risen to.
“It’s given them great motivation to go out and walk in Scotland’s countryside.
“It has also been something that many of the scouts and have taken back home and enjoyed with their families, too.”
Franek Jakubowski, 12, of the 70th Greenock & District Scout Group, has Double Everested.
He said: “I wanted to walk in the mountains and have fun, but it was also the appeal of the challenge that I liked. That’s why I’ve done a Double Everest.”
Andy reveals how Everesting has been quietly growing among the Greenock Scouts groups.
He said: “The idea first came about thanks to a former leader, Graham Patrick, in the late 70s.
“He decided that Everesting was achievable and something that the scouts would recognise.
“Since then the Everesting challenge has taken place about five times but in 2015 we have seen the most Scouts and Explorers take it up.
“We are delighted with the enthusiasm and how many have reached the goal of Everesting and Double Everesting.”
Anything else to try?: The Scouts receive awards for different stages en route to Everesting.
The first is for reaching the height of Ben Nevis at 1344m, then the Eiger at 3970m and Kilimanjaro at 5895m.
You could try Nevising, Eigering and Kili-ing on your way to Everesting in 2016.
Anything else to know?: You might also have heard about Everesting by bike.
In recent years, Everesting has become a popular endurance challenge for cyclists.
Riders choose one hill to repeatedly cycle until they reached an accumulative total of the world’s highest summit.
This article appeared as an outdoors column in the Sunday Mail. Read the full article as a pdf.
