(Web Desk) - An eight-year-old mountaineer from Cumbria said he is “excited” ahead of climbing to Mount Everest base camp with his mother to raise money for charity.
Frankie McMillan has been regularly climbing mountains with mother Basia since he was a toddler, and last year took on his greatest challenge yet – becoming the youngest Briton to climb Mount Olympus in Greece.
Frankie has climbed more than 500 mountains and hills, including summiting Scafell Pike when he was only four years old and taking on all the 214 Wainwrights in the Lake District.
Ahead of his latest adventure, Frankie told the PA news agency his climb to Everest base camp was a step on his journey to scaling the entire mountain.
He said: “I would like to beat the record, to be the youngest person in the world to ever go to the top of Everest.
“It’s always been my dream and we want to just at least get to base camp. I know it’s not the top, but one day we’ll be there.”
The young mountaineer said he is feeling prepared ahead of his base camp climb.
“I am feeling excited but I’m also feeling a bit nervous.
“Our biggest fear is altitude sickness and the four ways to not to get it is to drink a lot, sleep a lot, rest a lot, and walk slowly.”
His mum, Ms McMillan, 40, said the pair are planning on walking more than 130 kilometres over 12 days.
She added: “I am a little bit nervous, of course, because of the altitude, but something that is quite important to understand is that it is not a decision we took out of the blue.”
Ms McMillan, a mountain guide, continued: “I am fully aware of the risks we are taking. I have done months of research on the subject, maybe even years because I’ve climbed in high altitude myself so I have experience in this area.
“We just have to give it our best. We don’t give up but if we are not feeling well we’ve pinky promised to each other that we’re going to turn back because safety comes first.”
Ms McMillan said: “I was always keen to go and explore the mountains and Frankie often watched me walking up the mountains and one day, he just kept asking if he can go with me.
Frankie adores climbing and described his relationship with his mother as “like two peas in a pod”.
He said: “I enjoy spending time with the family, collecting treasure, all that sort of stuff – but my favourite part of the mountain is the scramble, basically rock climbing.”
Ms McMillan said: “We really get to know each other as well and also every day, every mountain, is a different adventure, a different memory.”
The pair have set up a JustGiving page and hope to raise money for children’s charity Make-A-Wish UK.