Builder Peter Brittleton climbed to the summit of Mount Everest at 0200 GMT on May 23, 2008 - surely the first son of Kirkby Stephen who can boast of having followed in the immortal footsteps of Hillary and Tensing.

Peter at the top of the Khumba Icefall, the Western Cwm and Lhotse behind

Heavy traffic

They were not alone as up to 270 climbers were assembled there all looking to the summit and itching to climb. But acclimatisation is the watchword for them all and so began the 'ups and downs' of their treks.

Peter and Mark Proctor (on ladder) in the Khumba Icefall

All these preparations were going to plan when Peter and his team were informed by the Nepalese Army and Tourism Ministry that due to the Olympic flame summit attempt from the North that all activity on the whole of Everest was to be seriously curtailed until further notice.

It was not to be until May 8 that the Chinese finally got the flame to the top after interrupting the all-important programs of the many expeditions waiting to climb.

Camp 3, halfway up the face of Everest's sister peak Lhotse at 7100m, was reached by the team on May 12th and although they returned back to Camp 2 by then all the fixed lines were in place for the attempt on the summit.

The crucial decision 

The return to Base Camp to rest was the finale to the preparations and a summit attempt was pencilled in for May 22nd. 

Looking up the Western Cwm from Camp 1

The summit of Everest stands at 8850m and that last 1000m can be a killer, quite literally, so this decsion was crucial as there was only one professional climber in the group.

Peter had never been at this altitude before (termed 'The Death Zone' by the pros) and he was a long way from his usually activities of renovating houses and building extensions.

Success

The summit of Everest, viewed from Camp 3

At the time of writing Peter is half way back down and should reach basecamp by May 25.

A great feat

I'm sure we can all agree this is one of the greatest feats ever achieved by an ex-pupil of Kirkby Stephen Primary and Grammar Schools and as far as I'm aware a first for the town. So if you see Peter in the pub when he gets back be sure to buy him a pint. He surely deserves it and he has been dry for well over a month!