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AALA Adventure activities licensing authority. 

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AALA Adventure activities licensing authority. 

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http://www.hse.gov.uk/aala/
- April 1996. Adventure activities licensing ensures that activity providers follow good safety management practices.
- These should allow young people to experience exciting and stimulating activities outdoors without being exposed to avoidable risks of death or disabling injury.

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http://www.materials.ac.uk/guides/developing.asp

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- Nature decreases stress and anxiety, helps elevate mood, and helps with emotion.
- Outdoor settings, children are more motivated to work together in groups, which can improve their social skill. This skill can be transferred into the classroom for individuals.
https://www.learningliftoff.com/the-surprising-benefits-of-outdoor-learning/

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Reducing Childhood obesity through Outdoor Therapy

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Reducing Childhood obesity through Outdoor Therapy

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The benefits of

of Outdoor Learning within the outdoors on individuals in education.

- Develops self esteem, co-operate with others in the group and develops individuals respect for the environment.

- Develops  team working skills.
- Develops personal health and well being as individuals are improving motor skills".
Outdoor environments naturally inspire children to be more physically active."
https://www.englishoutdoorcouncil.org/benefits.of.outdoor.learning.html

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Why are Professional Development Skills Important?

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Why are Professional Development Skills Important?

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- A better informed and more sophisticated public is demanding a higher duty of care and level of service from professionals.
- Linked to this is the increasing risk of claims for negligence from professionals deemed to have 'failed' in their duty or given poor advice.
-  Within organisations, modern quality management systems demand that qualified people are in place to make decisions.

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in recent times schools have had strong encouragement from governments to  take there school classes into the outdoors through outdoor centre's
the attached links show governmental documents outlining safe practice and the aims and reasons for doing such trips so that the money spent is worth it all

86% of primary schools and 99% of secondary schools offer their pupils at least one school residential trip opportunity during their time in school

diverse and high quality school trips  experiences that enhance pupils’ classroom learning

school residentials have been proven to have a positive effect on children’s self esteem and confidence levels, thereby improving their emotional health and well being

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http://www.hse.gov.uk/services/education/school-trips.pdf

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https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/338498/SCE_Outdoor_Ed_Policy_Guidance_Procedures.pdf

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The growth of outdoor therapy can take financial pressures off the government regarding mental health. Using outdoor therapy as a alternative form of treatment will be more financially suitable for our healthcare system. People can also be educated in outdoor therapy to help them before they are severely affected by mental health issues.

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Regular cycling isn't just good for your physical health: it also benefits your mental wellbeing.

Riding a bike is relaxing. If you're stressed at work, you can often burn it off by cycling home. And if you're dealing with a more serious problem, cycling can help you regain some balance in your life.

Most of us probably don't give much thought to mental health. We're managing okay - or just about managing - and, unlike physical health problems, the symptoms in ourselves and others can easily be overlooked. Yet mental health charity Mind reckons that one in four us will experience a mental health problem in any given year. That's huge, an iceberg that we barely see the tip of before we or someone we know crashes into it. World Mental Health Day on 10th October is an attempt to raise awareness of mental health issues.

Mental health problems are widespread, varied, and complex. However, one of things that can help is simple: getting on a bike.

A healthy mind in a healthy body

The fact that physical exercise contributes to mental wellbeing has been recognised since Roman times; the poet Juvenal wrote the famous line 'mens sana in corpore sano'.

Exercise is even more important if you do have a mental health problem, because, as Mind explains, 'people with mental health problems are more likely to: have a poor diet; smoke or drink too much alcohol; be overweight or obese (this can be a side effect of taking medication).' They're also 'twice as likely to die from heart disease and four times as likely to die from respiratory disease.'

Regular cardiovascular exercise such as cycling can mitigate these secondary physical problems. Better yet, it can often provide some help with the primary mental health problem.

Exercise and mental health

Exercise like cycling has a range of benefits for mental wellbeing.
- Reduces stress
Aerobic exercise can reduce your levels of cortisol, the 'stress hormone'. Any cyclist will recognise the reduction in tension that a bike ride brings. If you have a mental health problem there are bigger benefits, because stress can be a trigger for other conditions.
- Reduces anxiety
Aerobic exercise stimulates the release of endorphins, the 'feel good hormones', leading to a feeling of mild euphoria - the so-called 'runner's high'. This can reduce anxiety and make you happier.
- Calmer thinking
Cycling promotes mindfulness, where you focus on the sensations of the present moment instead of being caught up in racing thoughts. You don't have to think about anything except balancing the bike, pushing the pedals, feeling the breeze, and so on. This offers a break from brooding thoughts that might otherwise become overwhelming.
- Combats depression
Exercise you enjoy boosts your mood, easing symptoms of mild to moderate depression . Regular exercise (three or more times per week) also reduces your risk of becoming depressed.
- Increases self-esteem
Exercise can make you feel more positive about yourself. As well as observing yourself becoming fitter, you prove to yourself that you're up to the challenge of, for example, riding to work and back. It can give you a sense of satisfaction and self-control that helps you withstand stress better.

These benefits are all cited by Mind. The opinion of cyclists on the mental health benefits of riding a bike chimes neatly with them. Earlier this year, Cycling UK published Rides of Way , a survey of almost 11,500 off-road cyclists. An astonishing 91% of respondents rated off-road cycling as fairly or very important for their mental health - slightly more than those who said it benefited their physical health.

Why cycling works so well

Any physical activity is better than none when it comes to improving your mental wellbeing, but cycling is particularly useful. It's low-impact, aerobic exercise that mosts people are able to engage in. It's typically cheaper than gym membership over the course of a year or several years - and some studies have shown that exercising outdoors is better for your mental health than exercising indoors.

It's exercise that you can undertake on your own or with a group, so it's as social as you want it to be. It's easy to cycle regularly because you can incorporate it into your daily routine - for example, commuting to work. It's more economical than most forms of transport too ; only walking is cheaper.

Knowing that exercise will do you good is one thing; getting around to it is another. If you've got a mental health problem, you may not feel like doing anything at all. So try to make getting on your bike as easy and pleasurable as possible. Don't give yourself unrealistic targets; to begin with, just ride your bike, even if it's for only 10 or 15 minutes at a time. Try to get on your bike in the morning - commuting to work or riding into town is ideal - as it may set you up for the day, mentally speaking. Get everything ready the night before, so there's no reason not to ride. Or do your next-ride preparation immediately after your previous ride, when your body is still swimming with endorphins and you're feeling positive.

Lastly, don't forget that exercise like cycling only complements medication and mental health therapies. It isn't a direct replacement. Don't stop taking prescribed medication without the approval of your doctor and/or your mental health support team.
Learn about the scheme

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Cycling and the mental health benefits - Cyclescheme

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Regular cycling isn't just good for your physical health: it also benefits your mental wellbeing. Riding a bike is relaxing. If you're stressed at work, you can often burn it off by cycling home. And if you're dealing with a more serious problem, cycling can help you regain some balance in your life.

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There are many centres that offer these activities for example:

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Government

Education-
there are many oppportunities to meet new peple outside of a school context, you can therfore create new friendships and relationships

Football clubs teach teamwork and communication, while scouts teach reliance and community

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Participation survey for surfing.

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https://www.rgs.org/
The Royal Geographical Society is the UK's learned society and professional body for geography. It advances geography and supports geographers in the UK and across the world and is consulting member for the EOC meetings.

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http://www.theoia.co.uk/
The OIA is a non-profit membership organisation that provides advocacy, representation, promotion and leadership. Members are outdoor retailers, manufacturers, NGO's and NGB's. It also is consulting member for the EOC meetings.

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http://www.girlsb.org.uk/
https://boys-brigade.org.uk/
The Boys’ Brigade engages with  children and young people providing opportunities to meet together in their communities and engage in a range of fun and developmental activities.

The Girls Brigade focuses around pioneering women in countries all across the world, joined by a shared sense of God’s call to empower girls to discover God’s transforming love and power in their lives.

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Most of the training is done outside because:

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Most of the training is done outside because:

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1. Most of the requirements to entry the military are done outside, so it prepares you for the actual tests
2. It challenges the participants as the weather and the terrain can vary
3. There is a huge range of activities that you can practice outdoors, from extreme sports to navigation walks.

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actvity centres- all for fun and adrenaline

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actvity centres- all for fun and adrenaline

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Council for Learning Outside the Classroom

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Council for Learning Outside the Classroom

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https://www.lotc.org.uk/
CLOtC is a registered charity existing to champion learning outside the classroom (LOtC) by:

Influencing and challenging LOtC policy and practice

Raising the profile of LOtC and promoting the benefits

Providing support for education and LOtC professionals, aiming for good quality LOtC that meets the needs of young people.

Its also a consulting member for the EOC meetings.

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https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/
Girlguiding want all girls across the UK to have the space and opportunities they need to thrive, grow and give back to their communities. They are also a registered charity.

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Why train outdoors before you enter the Military?

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Why train outdoors before you enter the Military?

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I often get emails from people young and old about getting prepared for military training, and also from veterans who want to be in the shape they used to be when they served in the military. Here is a list of just a few of the many former military officers and enlisted who train civilians to not only lose weight and get healthy, but prepare for military training too.

Boot Camp programs are popular. In fact many former military personnel of all ranks and services are now getting into the fitness business - myself included. Check out the list of veteran-owned fitness businesses around the country:

The Sergeants Program - Patrick Avon opened one of the first military group training businesses in the U.S. Patrick is a former Navy enlisted man who has created a military fitness empire in the DC/Virginia area, catering mostly to overweight executives - he also gets several students per year who seek a career in the military. He has over 45 instructors in 35 locations, all certified with a nationally recognized program. He also has his own outdoor boot-camp certification program. Check out his site for his annual Jolly Fat Man's run/party.

SEAL Training Academy - SEAL Adventure Challenge - Former Navy SEAL Don Mann and Navy enlisted reservist Dr. Steve Earle have created a week-long advanced training program (as well as a 24 hour SEAL challenge) that takes place 2-3 times a year in Virginia Beach, VA. Everything from mission planning to log PT and instruction on Combat Swimmer Stroke, diving, and free-fall all get taught in the SEAL Training Academy. This is a tough vacation! I often go and work as a guest instructor for the Academy and SEAL Challenge.

The SEAL PT Course - Jack Walston - former Navy SEAL in Houston TX and Central Park Manhattan NYC - has been doing SEAL PT for over a decade as well. He has weekly workout plans for locals as well as a SEAL Training/Special Forces mini-camp that will test you to your limits. This program actually mimics many of the events experienced in Hell Week at SEAL Training, including a 24 hour non-stop period of training.

Boot Camp Fitness, Inc. - Created by former Army sergeant, Jay Johnson of Dallas TX, who has become the Official Fitness Trainer of The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (Enough said! THAT is a success story in the fitness business!). He has been featured on many television shows and magazine publications for his creative workouts that garner great results.

The Health Colonel - Bob Weinstein, LtColonel, USAR, (ret.) can be found on the beaches of Fort Lauderdale, FL conducting early morning workouts with his students. Training many out of shape and overweight people per year, he also prepares young men and women for the physical demands of the military. If you are looking for a motivational/health speaker, The Health Colonel is your man. He motivated me by telling me that "the United States has enemy soldiers within its borders - they kill more than 3,000 people a day, their names are cancer, heart disease, and stroke." I immediately responded, "yeah and over 20 million people are being held hostage by diabetes in America."

SWAT Personal Training - Ron Holland (former USAF) out of Tucson AZ, created an outdoor and indoor fitness business in 1991 after a career in the military and police department. He has a one week in-residence boot camp where they create a military indoctrination environment (0500am wakeup!) He has recruits run, PT, eat a well balanced and nutritious chow, and hike 2 -12 miles in the Tucson area desert. Also water skills, aerobics, yoga, stretching, and other anti-aging programs are taught in a teamwork/military style program. It is very informative and positive feedback and teamwork is highly encouraged.

SEAL Team PT - Former Navy SEAL John McGuire has translated his experience into a one-of-a-kind, non-military fitness program, offering the dual benefit of world-class fitness and team-building to people of all ages and walks of life. Offered in the Richmond, Virginia area since 1998, SEAL Team PT has legions of satisfied, fit, and fulfilled graduates of all ages. To date, SEAL Team PT has graduated over 175 basic fitness classes, conducted more than 50 custom-tailored corporate team-building programs, and led more than 40 SEAL Teen and SEAL Pup classes for youth and children.

StewSmith.com - My website/fitness business has evolved since 1998 when I resigned from the Navy SEAL Team Community. At first I had a fitness boot camp business with as many as 40-50 hours of group PT and personal training a week. Now, after writing everything down for four years, I created generic programs that have helped thousands prepare for military, special forces, and law enforcement physical fitness tests. I still do some online training and local group training in the Baltimore/Annapolis MD area, but my group workouts during the week and weekend are free to those who want to join me on my swims, runs, PT etc. Once on month, we test with a variety of PFTs. These workouts now give me ideas which to write as I see issues, troubles, and ways around personal obstacles with a variety of students.

After a brief discussion with the veteran trainers we all agreed upon a few things. We focus on teaching on a basic level of fitness, habit building, and just adding basic fitness as stretching, walking/running, light PT, and drinking water to people's lives. Let them see and feel the progress they are making. Take them as they advance and PT them harder, but you have to give them a plan that works.

The plan I have here works...it will help people lose up to 25lbs if they just following the simple directions: 1) Stretch Daily! This is very important if beginning a fitness plan. Read "The Stretching Plan" article for details. 2) Drink more water - up to a gallon a day 3) Do something everyday for 45 days straight - even if that is just walk after dinner. The free "45-Day Workout Plan" (PDF) shows you how. 4) Repeat above - do not worry about food intake yet, but if no results are seen in 3-4 weeks then focus on a food plan as mentioned in plan above. Look up one of the above veterans and try a boot camp workout program this year. If you know of another veteran operated fitness business that is not listed, please send the website address/contact information and I will place it in an updated article archive so I have close to a comprehensive list.
Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. If you are interested in starting a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle - check out the Military.com Fitness eBook store and the Stew Smith article archive at Military.com. To contact Stew with your comments and questions, e-mail him at stew@stewsmith.com.
Show Full Article

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I often get emails from people young and old about getting prepared for military training, and also from veterans who want to be in the shape they used to be when they served in the military.

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Cycling participation survey.

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https://www.scouts.org.uk/home/
Encouraging young people to do more, learn more and be more. They also prepare them with skills for life.
Young people in the Scouts take part in an exciting programme of activities. They are a registered charity.

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Choose another country or region to see content specific to your location.
Contact

45 years experience of taking people on extraordinary adventure holidays.

At Exodus, we love adventure travel and always have. There's something about the feeling of visiting a new country, culture or environment - whether that's a mountain range, desert or jungle - that just can't be beaten. We first took a group of travellers to the Himalaya 45 years ago, and have since expanded to offer more than 500 itineraries across more than 90 countries. So, if you're looking for adventure holidays, or are in need of some travel inspiration for your next activity holidays, you've come to the right place.

We are proud to say that 97% of our customers would recommend us to a friend: you can read feedback in our Trip Review Centre. And it's part of our mission to do things as responsibly as possible, without damaging the environment or disrupting local communities. In fact, we work with local guides, restaurants and guest houses to positively impact their communities and to help you get closer to the heart and soul of the destinations that we travel to.

Award Winning Adventure

Our Best Selling Trips

Our trips include walking and cycling tours that take in awe-inspiring scenery and breathtaking wildlife encounters. And we have adventure holidays designed specifically for families, mixed-activity holidays and seasonal getaways, perfect for those interested in winter sports. There are unforgettable experiences in top destinations the world over. From your own African odyssey, to a journey of discovery in Central America and pioneering expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic, with Exodus these are just some of the memories waiting to be made. Join us now for the adventure holiday of a life time.

Our staff have collectively visited over 170 countries and have the passion, knowledge and insight around adventure travel that you can rely on. Contact any of our Expert explorers or Specialist Sales Team today.

Finally, for any additional information about everything from bookings to how to prepare for specific activity holidays, our ' FAQs ' can help point you in the right direction.

Your words, not ours

The TMB is a fabulous tour & is thoroughly recommended. My insights would be:

Going clockwise really does work in terms of getting the hill-legs trained up as the steeper climbs then come later in the tour. Note that this does mean that you have to do some ladders on the first day but if you take your time they are fine.
The weather of course makes a huge difference & we were lucky enough to have mostly sunny days, with just a couple of days at the end which made us take alternative routes. The views are fantastic & there's lots of wildlife about if you take a bit of time to look for it.
The campsites were generally very good. Just be prepared for toilets without seats, & even some that are the old-style hole in the ground (which we successfully avoided as the campsites weren't busy when we were there).
The wild camps were lovely, particularly the one in Les Chapieux - this does require a wash in the nearby river, but the water is surprisingly 'warm'
Most meals were in camp, but there were about 5 evening meals out which were very good.
For the swimmers there are opportunities to swim on the first day in the lake below Lac Blanc, & at Champex Lac.
I guess each leader/trip is different, but to give you a feel for it, a typical day is to wake up about 0630, get your kit sorted/bag packed, take your tent down, have breakfast, make your packed lunch so that you're ready to go soon after 8. That is usually a 'soft' target as you're generally just walking from the campsite, but one morning you do have to catch a bus. We were generally finished walking between 4 & 5pm.
Charging points for phones etc ! These were available at all campsites but Les Chapieux. I would recommend that you take a power pack & charge that up, rather than leaving your phone/watch on the charging point - only to be safe, we didn't have anything stolen, but you are on a campsite & losing a power pack would be less distressing than a phone/watch.

The Adventure Begins Here

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Adventure Holidays | Activity Holidays | Adventure Travel & Tours | Exodus

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Choose another country or region to see content specific to your location. Contact 45 years experience of taking people on extraordinary adventure holidays. At Exodus, we love adventure travel and always have. There's something about the feeling of visiting a new country, culture or environment - whether that's a mountain range, desert or jungle - that just can't be beaten.

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Why are outdoor activities important for the military?

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Why are outdoor activities important for the military?

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Military is dependent of outdoor training as most of the action they will take part in will be outdoors. The outdoor training is going to help them on a long term, getting them ready for any kind of situation.

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Association of Heads of Outdoor Education Centres

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Association of Heads of Outdoor Education Centres

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https://ahoec.org/
AHOEC is an association of leaders in outdoor learning that develops and shares good practice and represents members and influences policy development

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World Expeditions: Adventure Travel Specialists since 1975

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World Expeditions organises small group trekking and cycling adventure holidays to all seven continents including Everest Base Camp, the Inca Trail, Kilimanjaro and more!

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The Duke of Edinburgh's Award helps young people build life-long belief in themselves, supporting them to take on their own challenges, follow their passions, and discover talents they never knew they had.

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http://www.theyet.org/
The YET is a national charity dedicated to promoting safe and responsible expeditions for young people. It does this by providing advice and support to schools, youth organisations, commercial expedition providers and groups of friends who intend to run their own youth expedition.

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http://www.outdooreducationadvisers.co.uk/
The Outdoor Education Advisers' Panel exists to ensure the effective leadership and management of high quality outdoor education, offsite visits and adventurous activities, for the benefit of the children and young people of England and Wales.

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https://www.field-studies-council.org/
FSC, is an environmental education charity providing informative and opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to discover, explore, and understand the environment.

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Discover the best walks in the UK, Europe and Worldwide on our Guided Walking holidays. Get outside and enjoy a full day's walking with fellow ramblers and leave all the planning and navigation to us; it's what we're best at.

Nobody knows the best places to walk like HF Holidays and our knowledgeable guides so you'll never be short of some inside story on local features, viewpoints - and quite possibly, if you press them − the best pubs too.

Most of our UK Guided Walking holidays feature a choice of up to 3 walks each day - just choose the option which suits your mood. You can even opt for an easier walk early on, working up to harder walks by the end of the week. On our Worldwide Journeys we try to offer a choice of walks wherever possible.

Variations on Guided Walking

We want you to be able to walk your way, which is why we offer variations on our popular guided walking. Curious? Use the links below to find your perfect Guided Walking Holiday:

OUTDOOR ESCAPES | WALKING FOR SOLOS | GENTLE WALKING | SPRING & WINTER WALKING
FESTIVE WALKING | SELF-GUIDED WALKING | FAMILY WALKING HOLIDAYS

So strap on your boots, and enjoy a great day outdoors.

7 nights - From £899.00

Jan 2019 save £50pp

Follow the famous Levadas to panoramic views on the 'Pearl of the Atlantic'

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Discover the best walks in the UK, Europe and Worldwide on our Guided Walking holidays. Get outside and enjoy a full day's walking with fellow ramblers and leave all the planning and navigation to us; it's what we're best at.

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https://www.outdoor-learning.org/Membership/Professional-Communities/IOL-Field-Studies-PPG
The IOL Field Studies aims are to be the specialist voice of Field Studies and Environmental Education and to share good practice among organisations and practitioners and aid the personal/ professional development.

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https://www.outdoor-learning.org/
The IOL lobbies for aspects of outdoor learning and is the professional body for organisations and individuals who work in the outdoors.

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https://www.cci.org.uk/
CCI is an international alliance of Christian camping associations, helping one another to develop effective Christ-centred camps, conference and outdoor centre ministries.

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British Activity Providers Association Ltd

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British Activity Providers Association Ltd

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https://www.thebapa.org.uk/
The BAPA provides information, support and accreditation for members and offer consultancy and training opportunities for providers of school activity courses.

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Expeditions and Adventure Travel - Secret Compass

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Secret Compass is an expedition & adventure travel company operating in the world's wildest places. We run high-risk & extreme projects for brands, TV & film.

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A project that sought to help people to overcome mental health illnesses through activities in the outdoors has been completed in the Highlands.

It was the first time the Scottish Natural Heritage-funded Nature Connections project had been held in the region.

Based in Inverness, it involved participants going on guided walks and learning bushcraft skills.

NHS Highland said further sessions of the project were being planned.

The health board's vocational support service organised the programme of activities.

'Natural beauty'

Vocational support worker Val Stoddart said: "There is clear evidence to suggest being in the great outdoors improves both physical and mental health through enjoyable activities such as walking and woodwork.

"We are lucky to live in such a breath-taking environment and we are able to use the stunning natural beauty of the Highlands to the advantage of our clients.

"The course ran for four weeks with partnership working from Scottish Waterways Trust Inverness and Evanton Community Woods and included educational nature walks, decider skills and mindfulness sessions, woodwork, arts, bush crafts and much more."

She added: "The feedback from those who participated was extremely positive and it was wonderful to watch their confidence grow each week."

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A project that sought to help people to overcome mental health illnesses through activities in the outdoors has been completed in the Highlands. It was the first time the Scottish Natural Heritage-funded Nature Connections project had been held in the region. Based in Inverness, it involved participants going on guided walks and learning bushcraft skills.

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https://www.englishoutdoorcouncil.org
EOC is a forum of the principal representative organisations in outdoor learning, training and recreation.  Its role is to carry out those lobbying, influencing and representational roles on behalf of the outdoor sector that are more effectively dealt with by an umbrella body than by individual organisations.

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-Well-being in schools
-Well-being in the workplace
-Mindfulness
-Adventure Therapy

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Backing the Best and SportsAid nominations 2024

We are delighted to be working with our partners at SportsAid and offering the opportunity of funding and high-level sports coaching to some of our most promising young surfers. For 2024 we are looking to support up to 6 athletes...

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Jumping into the sea in winter is the most alive and present I ever feel. I get in fast - a dangerous approach if you're a beginner - when the cold shock response provokes an uncontrollable urge to inhale.

Underwater, I feel an intense mixture of burning pain and, even after doing this for years, a little panic. But it's the only time the anxious negative chatter in my head is truly silenced.

After two minutes, as my skin reaches the same temperature as the water, I start to feel comfortable and my breathing slows. After even a brief swim, I feel elated for hours and calm for days.

Like many other people who swim in cold water regularly, I love it, but I also believe it has mental health benefits.

And the first case report on cold water swimming published in British Medical Journal Case Reports shows that it may be an effective treatment for depression.

Diving in

The Doctor Who Gave Up Drugs, a series broadcast on BBC One in 2016, which I developed and presented, followed Sarah, a 24-year-old who had been taking antidepressants since the age of 17.

Her symptoms had started earlier in her teens. When we met, she was desperate to stop her antidepressants, saying they put her in a "chemical fog".

She loved swimming and, because of my own experience, I approached Prof Mike Tipton and Dr Heather Massey, both scientists at the extreme environments laboratory at Portsmouth University.

I also spoke to their collaborator Dr Mark Harper, a consultant anaesthetist at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals, to see if there was any scientific basis for trying out cold water swimming on Sarah.

Stress response

Outdoor exercise and the companionship of fellow swimmers can improve symptoms of depression and anxiety. But the team at Portsmouth believed there might be an effect of cold water immersion itself.

There is a convincing, biologically plausible, theory about how this might work.

Immersion in cold water evokes a stress response: a set of physiological and hormonal reactions that evolved millions of years ago to cope with a wide range of potential threats.

Animal attack, jumping in cold water and sitting an exam all elicit a similar response.

Heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate all increase and stress hormones are released.

But, if you immerse yourself only a few times in water of 15C or less, this stress response is reduced.

However, it is not only the stress response to cold water that reduces with repeated immersions.

Cold water swimming - how to do it safely

Approach it with the same caution you would exercise - if you have heart disease, start slow and warm

Make sure you can swim and go with a friend who can swim

Start in summer/early autumn when UK sea temperatures are 15-20°C

Start shallow - a gently shelving beach, or somewhere with a ladder

Go on a calm day - the initial two to three-minute period gasp when you can inhale water is the risky bit. Relax, do as little as possible and keep your head above the water for this period

Time yourself for two to three minutes. Once your skin reaches the same temperature as the water you'll feel warm

Six three-minute swims will have an effect on your cold shock response that will last for months. As for your mood - you'll have to be the judge until there are more studies

Check out the The Outdoor Swimming Society website for safety advice and more.

Prof Tipton and Dr Massey have shown that the response to the stress of exercising at altitude is also diminished.

This is called "cross-adaptation", where one form of stress adapts the body for another.

There is increasing evidence linking depression and anxiety with the inflammation that accompanies a chronic stress response to the physical and psychological problems of modern life.

Through cross-adaptation, cold water swimming may be able to reduce this chronic stress response together with the inflammation and mental health problems that affect so many of us.

The theory is sound, but the evidence it works is all anecdotal, apart from this case report.

Cold water swimmers describe many benefits: they never get colds and never turn the heating on in winter. Many have stories of how they came to outdoor swimming in times of grief or bereavement and found comfort, even joy, in the water.

The team at Portsmouth are starting to test these stories. A preliminary study supports the claims made about colds and further reports are being prepared about patients with a range of conditions.

'Life is good'

Since 2006, prescriptions of antidepressants have more than doubled and, while patients may take these drugs for many years, there is debate about their effectiveness.

New approaches which attempt to tackle the multiple causes of depression are badly needed.

Dr Mark Harper is cautiously optimistic. He says: "Our observations so far support the hypothesis that cold water swimming may have a range of benefits."

More than two years later, Sarah is still swimming and off all medication.

"Life is good. I still have counselling but the swimming is something I'll never turn my back on," she says.

"It helped me so much in a time of need."
Do not stop antidepressants or any other medication without discussion with your prescriber first.

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Can cold water swimming treat depression?

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Jumping into the sea in winter is the most alive and present I ever feel. I get in fast - a dangerous approach if you're a beginner - when the cold shock response provokes an uncontrollable urge to inhale. Underwater, I feel an intense mixture of burning pain and, even after doing this for years, a little panic.

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Families who send their troubled children to therapeutic wilderness camps in the US sometimes call on the services of a shadowy figure known as the "escort", writes Trisha Telep.

A phone rings in a nondescript two-storey, brown stucco house in a North Las Vegas suburb.

"First Step Adolescent Services. This is Eddie speaking."

Over spare ribs at Famous Dave's - about seven miles from the Strip - and squeezed into a booth that doesn't look big enough to hold him, international youth escort Eddie Curry talks about the late night phone calls he gets from frantic parents across the globe at the end of their tethers with wayward teens.

"When it's a girl, the dad's an emotional wreck - 'This is my little princess.' When it's a boy, it's the mother who calls."

He spends hours on the phone with parents but it can be weeks, months and even years before they make the final decision to fly Curry in to help. He has spent more than 20 years transporting troubled children to wilderness camps in southern Utah where they spend about two months trekking into the back country for outdoor therapy sessions, trying to break the destructive cycle of their normal lives.

While most of Curry's business comes from the US, Canada and Mexico, 20% comes from other countries. He also picks up children from airports in the US after parents fly them in from places as far away as Iran, Dubai, Israel, Brazil and Hong Kong.

In 1992, he took time out from his job as an airframe mechanic to give "youth transport" a try. Twenty-one years later, and more than 2,500 escorts under his belt, he's been kicked, punched, slashed, bludgeoned, attacked with hockey sticks and baseball bats.

This is a scary thing for a kid to have to go through
Eddie Curry

The 45-year-old father knows how out-of-control teenagers tick - he used to be one. More than six feet tall aged 15, there was always plenty of opportunity for trouble. By 17, he was drinking a lot and getting in regular fistfights with his estranged father.

Parents at their wits end find Curry through internet searches, the wilderness programmes he works with or just by word of mouth. And they hire him for all sorts of reasons - drug and alcohol problems, violence and trouble with the police are among them. Often, more conventional treatment like therapy has failed or been refused.

"If you have me there, it's gotten to the point where talking is done. There is no conversation happening or very little. And the little bit the parents are getting is usually yelling and screaming."

Many families take out loans and re-mortgage houses to get their child help - a British parent will pay up to $6,000 (£3,500) to get Curry to come to the UK.

Once hired, he quizzes the parents about the child's hobbies, interests, routines and likes and dislikes. Does he smoke? What time does he go to sleep? Does she have a boyfriend? Is he or she likely to get violent? Are there any weapons in the house?

In Minneapolis, he was faced by a wall of swords and knives, while in Oakland, California, he had to wrestle with a 15-year-old who was his own height for a Glock G42 pistol lying on the bedroom floor.

He holds out his hand to reveal a long, thin scar, now faded with age. "That was a kid that caught me with a straight razor in Orange County, 32 stitches. My first year on the job. Two weeks before I turned 24."

After flying in with his wife Tyna, he'll arrive at a pick up between two and six o'clock in the morning, depending on the time of the return flight.

"Getting in that early in the morning, I know the chances of them being on their way up from a drug are slim. It's more likely they're on their way down," he says.

He spends 10-15 minutes asking the parents questions before heading to the child's bedroom. How were things last night? What kind of mood were they in at bedtime?

Then they all go up the stairs to the child's bedroom, Curry and Tyna following close behind the nervous parents.

"Coming in like a storm trooper, shouting 'get up, get dressed, let's go!' and not explaining things, not talking to the kid and joking around with them, and not doing all these things to get them comfortable with you, that's a bad experience for the child."

After the child is awake and the parents have introduced the visitors, the parents leave the room, and they don't get to say goodbye.

He pulls up a chair and starts to explain everything to them. He doesn't stand over them. He doesn't yell, he doesn't scream.

Why send your child away?

"He punched me, hit me, he wouldn't let me get out of the room sometimes," says the mother of Stephen, a British 14-year-old. "He locked me out of the house. It got to the stage where I didn't want him in our home because he'd be violent, smashing up doors every night. Any little thing could set him off and that would be it. He would go ballistic.

"I felt he was dying in front of me and if I didn't get him help, he would've died."

She'd seen wilderness camps on TV and one of them gave Curry's contact details - she decided this was her only option.

But on the day Curry arrived to collect him, Stephen was arrested so his mother took him to camp herself. Eddie returned him to the UK eight months later, after camp and some time in a US boarding school.

Stephen liked Curry and loved the camp, says his mother. He is now at boarding school, he takes medication and he has more challenges ahead.

"He was completely different. More interactive, chatty. He was proud of himself and what he'd accomplished. His self-esteem had really gone up."

"Parents always ask: 'What are you going to say? What are you going to tell them?' I don't know. I have no idea. I just react to the kid."

Almost every child says: "You're not going to make me go. I'm not going." Many children get hysterical, many cry. Some go berserk. To Curry, these kinds of reaction are only natural.

"I always put myself in these kids' shoes. If I had some guy come into my room at five o'clock in the morning and break this news to me, I'd be annoyed."

That's not to say that he believes a word they say though.

"Most of the kids I pick up are just liars trying to get out of going. They'll look you straight in the eye and lie. But I listen to their stories. I show them compassion. These are kids, not criminals. They might be doing some illegal stuff but they're just kids that are screwing up, making bad decisions and hanging out with the wrong people. They're not bad kids."

They talk. And talk. And talk some more.

"I just wear them down. I'm not going to lose. I tell them that not going is not an option. How they want to go is where their option lies. I will get them anything they want within reason." That includes food, cigarettes, magazines - anything that is going to make the trip more pleasant for the child.

His record for getting a kid to agree to come with him is five minutes. On average, it takes about an hour. The longest it's ever taken him is two.

One British parent who turned to Curry says: "He's got a very sensible approach - no uniforms, no use of force, no medication. He is just very, very good at talking to kids."

In the car on the way to the airport, he'll brief the child about the programme. Those who know what to expect are the ones most likely to succeed the quickest at camp.

"A lot of these kids have problems with drugs but it's also with patience, working together as a team, communicating with others - that's what their big problems are. A wilderness programme teaches them the basic skills they're going to need to function in society. They have to start fires without matches. That takes a lot of patience because it's hard to do."

Wilderness therapy has existed across the US for decades, and supporters say it results in better communication between the child and parents, increased self-confidence, and even better academic results.

"The key thing is that it disrupts negative patterns of behaviour and allows us to help them learn and establish some new healthy behaviours and ways of interacting with others," says Steve Demille of RedCliff Ascent, one of the companies operating in Utah.

But Nicki Bush, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California, warns that camps are not the silver bullet parents are hoping for and pay a "ludicrous" amount of money for.

And though Curry only takes children who agree to go, he says, Prof Bush says many children find being escorted to camps a traumatic experience, and often perceive it as an abduction.

"The children are further estranged from their family because they feel violated and betrayed by the experience and then they're raised with a bunch of strangers out in the wilderness and they don't actually get to repair or bond with their family and build relationships there."

Real change won't come under duress, she believes.

But Curry says his methods are the first step towards recovery. Three months after he picked up a girl, 16, from a crack house in Phoenix, Arizona, she had put on 20lbs and looked well again.

"This is my child back," another grateful parent says. "He's respectful, he's talkative, he's funny again."
Follow @BBCNewsMagazine on Twitter and on Facebook

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The man who takes troubled youths to therapy camp

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Families who send their troubled children to therapeutic wilderness camps in the US sometimes call on the services of a shadowy figure known as the "escort", writes Trisha Telep. A phone rings in a nondescript two-storey, brown stucco house in a North Las Vegas suburb. "First Step Adolescent Services.

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It was 1841 when an obscure peak in the Himalayas was recognized as the tallest mountain in the world by a British survey team led by Sir George Everest, and whom Mount Everest was named after in 1865. Today, climbers from across the world attempt to scale it's mighty face. For those who reach the summit of Mount Everest, they have climbed to the top of the world. For many who fall short, injury and death is their fate. The allure of climbing to the peak of Mount Everest has drawn climbers for over a century and no matter the risks it will continue to draw explorers for years to come.

We have put together this comprehensive guide about Mount Everest and it's climbing history. If you ever have had a fascination about Mount Everest or dream of climbing up Mount Everest yourself you will find plenty of helpful and useful information in this post.
What is the Elevation of Mount Everest?
The height of Mount Everest was first measured to be 29,002 feet, but was later revised in 1955 to 29,029 feet, and this measurement stands till today.
Location of Mount Everest
Mount Everest is located in the Mahalangur mountain range and is situated on the border of both China and Nepal. The summit of Mount Everest lies on the border of Nepal to the south and Tibet (China) to the north. The discovery of Mount Everest by George Everest and his team soon caught the imagination of mountaineers worldwide. The initial attempts to climb Mount Everest could only be made in 1921 from the north side (known as the Tibet side), when Tibet first opened it's borders to the outside world. Nepal was still closed to foreigners at the time so climbing from there was not yet possible.
The History of Climbing Mount Everest
The first people to officially climb Mount Everest began their attempts in 1921. Two British Expedition team attempts in 1921 and 1922 failed to reach the summit of Mount Everest though. In 1924, wo members of a British expedition team, George Mallory and Andrew Irvine were seen just 800 feet from the summit, before being engulfed by bad weather. Though Mallory's body was eventually found in 1999, it could not be established whether he or Irvine actually reached the summit as nothing was found on him to prove it. The mystery remains unsolved til this day.
Mount Everest First Ascent
The first climbers to stand on top of Mount Everest were Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and a Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay from Nepal on May 29, 1953 from the Nepal side. Hillary and Norgay were members of a British expedition led by Colonel John Hunt. The successful summit made them world famous
Mt Everest Climbing Season
The top of Mt. Everest is engulfed by the jet stream for a major part of the year, making climbing near impossible due to high winds and extreme sub zero temperatures. It is only when the winds die down in May and again for a short period in September, that we have a so called 'Summit Window', when conditions are safe enough for climbers to try and reach the summit. The other reason that climbers make summit attempts primarily in May and September is to avoid the harsh winter snows and summer monsoon rains.
About Mount Everest Climbing
There are 18 different climbing routes to the top with the South Col or the Northeast Ridge Standard being the most popular. Though not as difficult to climb as K2 (the second highest mountain in the world), Everest has its fair share of avalanches, crevasses, sudden storms, strong winds and below 40 degree F temperatures. Many climbers struggle in what is known as the 'Death Zone' which refers to an elevation of over 23,000 feet, where the oxygen content in the air is just a third than at sea level.

The risks involved in climbing Everest are great. Even when using bottled oxygen, mountaineers can experience fatigue, nausea, vomiting and other related problems such as hypothermia and frostbite. Climbers normally spend months acclimatizing to get their body ready for the extreme conditions which they will encounter. Many people that have climbed Mount Everest come back with both physical and psychological problems from the climb.
Climbing Mount Everest
Approximately 800 people attempt to climb Everest annually and there have been over 4,000 successful climbers on Mount Everest in history. You might be wondering who is the person who climbed Mount Everest the most times? Actually, two Sherpas hold the record. Both Apa Sherpa and Phurba Tashi Sherpa have both reached the peak of Everest 21 times. Professional climbers are not the only people who have climbed Mount Everest though. Climbing Everest is a dream held by many around the world. If you want to be one of the few who get to say: "I climbed Mount Everest!" then you will need to hire a professional guide. Many Mt Everest climbing guides charge over $75,000 USD for people to join Mount Everest climbing expeditions. If you are interested in climbing up Mount Everest then you will also need up to three months to make the journey. It takes 19 days round trip to trek to and from Everest Base Camp. Once at Everest Base Camp it then takes an average of 40 days to climb to the peak of Mt. Everest. The reasons for the duration is that in order for the human body to adjust completely to the high elevation then climbers must spend time at Base Camp and must make a series of acclimatizing climbs to the various camps to climb Mount Everest.
Climbing Mount Everest via The South Col Route (Nepal Side)
Climbing Everest requires months if not years of preparation and training. There are various rudimentary camps at different elevations which act as depots or stations used by climbers during ascents and descents. The camps for the South Col Route are described below:

Base Camp - 17,500 Feet

This lively camp is like a small village with hundreds of tents with people from all over the world, ringing of satellite phones and a constant chatter among the groups. Climbers usually rest at Base Camp for several days for acclimatization, to reduce the risk of high altitude problems.

You will also see trekkers at Base Camp as well. Thousands of trekkers each year make their way to base camp for a view of Mount Everest but do not attempt to climb higher than camp. It is one of the most popular long distance treks in the world.

Khumbu Icefall - 17,999 Feet

The famous Khumbu Icefall is known as one of the most dangerous sections of climbing Everest via the South Col route. Huge crevasses and large seracs pose serious problems for climbers. Crossing through the Khumbu Icefall can take 3 to 5 hours for a fit climber who has properly acclimatized and more than 12 hours for an average conditioned climber with insufficient acclimatization. Most climbers try to head out as early as 4:00 AM before the ice begins to thaw which decreases the risks of danger when traversing the Khumbu Icefall.

Camp 1 - 19,685 Feet

At the end of the Khumbu Icefall is Camp 1. Camp 1 is a vast area of endless snow, deep crevasses and dangerous ice walls prone to avalanches. Start early in the season as by the end of May, the snow starts to soften which makes climbing more difficult. When leaving Camp 1, climbers can also experience extreme heat in this section as there is no natural protections from the sun's rays on the climb to Camp 2.

Camp 2 - 21,000 Feet

The last rocky outcrop before the Lhotse Face, Camp 2 is considered to provide the most stunning views with clouds rolling in from the Himalayas into the camp. The climb to Camp 3, is via the Lhotse Wall which can be very challenging. It is a sheet of ice and you need to be careful as you traverse via fixed ropes with risk of sporadic rockfall coming from above.

Camp 3 - 23,625 Feet

Camp 3 is carved into the mountain and your tent must be secured to the mountain wall for safety. To reach Camp 4 you need to traverse two rocky sections on the wall known as the 'Yellow Band' and ' Black Turtle' which lead to the "Death Zone".

Camp 4 - 26,300 Feet

Camp 4 rests on a plateau between Mount Everest and Lhotse (the 4th highest mountain on Earth) called the South Col and is in what is known as the "Death Zone". The "Death Zone" starts at 23,000 feet and is where the body begins to die from a lack of oxygen. The scenery at Camp 4 is magical as you have a clear view at many of the Himalayan giants rising through the clouds.

The Summit - 29,029 Feet

From Camp 4, you climb to the peak through the small plateau of the South summit, and then cross the Knife Ridge, a sharp and steep ridge, with the Hillary Step in the middle. The Hillary Step is a steep rock face and the last major obstacle before reaching the Summit.

For those who reach the Summit, they have accomplished something extraordinary. But the seasoned mountaineers know that getting to the Summit is only half the battle. They must have the strength and fortitude to get back down to base camp.
Danger of Climbing Everest
Since the first attempt in 1921, Everest has claimed over 250 lives. In May 1996, eight climbers lost their lives and a further four more perished during the season. These events were described in John Krakauer's book 'Into Thin Air' and later turned into a Hollywood motion picture film 'Everest' which was released in 2015. There were a number of reasons for the 1996 disaster which included poor decision making, improper planning, climber bottlenecks, and a severe blizzard.

A deadly accident occurred in 2014 as well, when 16 Sherpa guides were killed by an avalanche at 19,000 feet, while fixing ropes for climbers in the Khumbu Icefall.

The single most deadly tragedy in Everest history occurred on the fateful afternoon of April 25, 2015, when a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal and the surrounding areas, resulting in a massive avalanche which struck Everest Base Camp and took the lives of at least 22 people.

These tragedies have not deterred climbers from attempting to scale Everest. Sadly, as the climbers on Mount Everest grow in number, so does the death count.
Sherpa
The Sherpa are the brave and hardworking ethnic people who live in the Khumbu Valley of the Himalayan region that have assisted westerners and other climbers in accessing Mt Everest and other Himalayan peaks. They are very friendly and easy going people and take immense pride in their mountaineering heritage. Without the Sherpa to carry gear, oxygen and other equipment and to prepare the climbing routes with ropes and ladders the journey up Everest would be impossible. The Sherpa have been an integral part to mountaineering success on Everest since 1921. Many Sherpa climbers have been among the deaths in recent years and there has been a push in the global climbing community to recognize the sacrifices of the Sherpa community and the hardships placed on their families. Several funds were started after the 2014 disaster to help the families that Sherpa climbers have left behind.
Why People Climb Mount Everest? George Mallory was once asked: "Why climb Mount Everest?" His famous response was: "Because it's there!"
With all of the danger and risk you might ask yourself why do people climb Mount Everest? For many climbers, a Mount Everest ascent is the ultimate challenge. The lessons learned from climbing such as overcoming fear and adversity, is a powerful reward to anyone who attempts this climb.

If you would like more information on Mount Everest or if you dream of trekking to Mount Everest shoot us an email at info@explorerspassage.com. We always love to chat about adventure!

We look forward to seeing you on the trail!

Jeff & The Explorer's Passage Team

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It was 1841 when an obscure peak in the Himalayas was recognized as the tallest mountain in the world by a British survey team led by Sir George Everest, and whom Mount Everest was named after in 1865. Today, climbers from across the world attempt to scale it's mighty face.

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-Wilderness Therapy
-Breathe Outdoors
-Outdoor therapy rehab
-Four Circles

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Is a type of sport that is dependent on the outdoors  this includes: Water sports, Climbing, Mountain biking and many more.
Some people may say that it is thrill seeking sports and it is for people that like danger. However some people will disagree with that as there are many different categories within the adventure sports as there are the thrill seeker to being an adventurer socially.

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NGB's
Outdoor school trips

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Edmund Hillary (left) and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay reached the 29,035-foot summit of Everest on May 29, 1953, becoming the first people to stand atop the world's highest mountain.

National Geographic revisits the 1953 British summit to Everest when the first people stood atop the world's highest mountain.

Excerpted From "50 Years on Everest," by Contributing Editor David Roberts, National Geographic Adventure, April 2003

By today's standards, the 1953 British expedition, under the military-style leadership of Sir John Hunt, was massive in the extreme, but in an oddly bottom-heavy way: 350 porters, 20 Sherpas, and tons of supplies to support a vanguard of only ten climbers. "Our climbers were all chosen as potential summiters," recalls George Band, 73, who was one of the party. Fifty years later, Band's memory of the campaign remains undimmed. "The basic plan was for two summit attempts, each by a pair of climbers, with a possible third assault if necessary. On such expeditions the leader tends to designate the summit pairs quite late during the expedition, when he sees how everybody is performing." Anxiety over who is chosen for the summit team would be a hallmark of major Everest expeditions for decades to come. But never again would the stakes be quite so high.

By the spring of 1953, the ascent of the world's highest mountain was beginning to seem inevitable. First attempted in 1921 by the British, Everest had repulsed at least ten major expeditions and two lunatic solo attempts. With the 1950 discovery of a southern approach to the mountain in newly opened Nepal, and the first ascent of the treacherous Khumbu Icefall the following year, what would come to be known by the 1990s as the "yellow brick road" to the summit had been identified.

At first it seemed the Swiss would claim the prize. In 1952 a strong Swiss team that included legendary alpinist Raymond Lambert had pioneered the route up the steep Lhotse Face and reached the South Col. From that high, broad saddle, Lambert and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay then pushed all the way to 28,210 feet (8,598 meters) on the Southeast Ridge before turning back-probably as high as anyone had ever stood on Earth.

Now the British were determined to bring every possible advantage to their spring 1953 offensive-including hiring Tenzing, 38, as their lead Sherpa, or sirdar. Earlier British expeditions, though impressive in their accomplishments, were often charmingly informal in style. Hunt's intricately planned assault, on the other hand, was all business. "You get there fastest with the mostest," observes mountaineering pundit Ken Wilson. "You have a military leader who is totally in tune with that philosophy, and you don't dink around in an amateur sort of clubby way."

From the start, the 33-year-old beekeeper Edmund Hillary (not yet Sir Edmund) was a strong contender for one of the summit slots. "It was his fourth Himalayan expedition in just over two years and he was at the peak of fitness," Band says. The heavily glaciated peaks of his native New Zealand had proved a perfect training ground for the Himalaya. Hillary earned respect early in the expedition by leading the team that forced a route through the Khumbu Icefall. "A sleeves-rolled-up, get-things-done man," Wilson calls him.

Still, logistical snafus, the failure of a number of stalwarts to acclimatize, and problems with some of the experimental oxygen sets stalled the expedition badly. The team took a troubling 12 days to retrace the Swiss route on the Lhotse Face (in part, perhaps, because the British were not as experienced on difficult ice). In despair, Hunt began to wonder whether his party would even reach the South Col.

The expedition finally gained the col-the vital staging area for a summit push-on May 21. This was late enough to be worrisome, for the monsoon, whose heavy snows would prohibit climbing, could arrive as early as June 1.

Because they became the first men to reach the summit of Everest, Hillary and Tenzing would earn a celebrity that has scarcely faded in 50 years. Who today remembers Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans? Yet Hunt's plan called for Bourdillon, a former president of the Oxford Mountaineering Club, and Evans, a brain surgeon, to make the first summit bid.

Despite a relatively late start and problems with Evans's oxygen set, Bourdillon and Evans crested the South Summit-at 28,700 feet (8,748 meters), only 330 feet (101 meters) short of the top-by 1 p.m. on May 26. But Evans was exhausted, and both men knew they would run out of oxygen if they went on. They agreed to turn back. Says Michael Westmacott, Bourdillon's closest friend on the 1953 team: "It was a decision Tom always regretted."

So it was that three days later Hillary and Tenzing set out for the top. Their pairing was hardly an accident. "It had always been Hunt's intention, if feasible, to include a Sherpa in one of the summit teams, as a way of recognizing their invaluable contribution to the success of these expeditions," Band says. "Tenzing had already proved he had summit potential by his performance the previous year with Lambert.

In fact, he had been at least 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) higher than any of us!" Indeed, Tenzing (who died in 1986) was the most experienced Everest veteran alive, having participated in six previous attempts on the mountain dating all the way back to 1935. (To those who criticize the practice of leading paying clients on Everest, Himalayan Experience founder and longtime Everest guide Russell Brice has a barbed, half-joking response: "You know who the first guided client on Everest was? Ed Hillary.")

But Hillary, too, had proved his worth, seeming to grow stronger as the expedition progressed. Band notes that Hillary had also realized what a powerful team he and Tenzing would make. "During the expedition, with hindsight, one can see that he made a deliberate effort to develop a good partnership with Tenzing," Band says. "It paid off. Hillary and Tenzing were the logical second party for the summit. But this was not determined at the outset, only during the course of the expedition as it evolved."

With an earlier start from a higher camp than Bourdillon and Evans's, Tenzing and Hillary reached the South Summit by 9 a.m. But the difficulties were far from over. After the South Summit, the ridge takes a slight dip before rising abruptly in a rocky spur some 40 feet (12 meters) high just before the true summit. Scraping at the snow with his ax, Hillary chimneyed between the rock pillar and an adjacent ridge of ice to surmount this daunting obstacle, later to be known as the Hillary Step. The pair reached the highest point on Earth at 11:30 a.m. on May 29.

The men shook hands, as Hillary later wrote, "in good Anglo-Saxon fashion," but then Tenzing clasped his partner in his arms and pounded him on the back. The pair spent only 15 minutes on top. "Inevitably my thoughts turned to Mallory and Irvine," Hillary wrote, referring to the two British climbers who had vanished high on Everest's Northeast Ridge in 1924. "With little hope I looked around for some sign that they had reached the summit, but could see nothing."

As the two men made their way back down, the first climber they met was teammate George Lowe, also a New Zealander. Hillary's legendary greeting: "Well, George, we knocked the bastard off!"

Their fame was spreading even as Hillary and Tenzing left the mountain. "When we came out toward Kathmandu, there was a very strong political feeling, particularly among the Indian and Nepalese press, who very much wanted to be assured that Tenzing was first," Sir Edmund recalls today. "That would indicate that Nepalese and Indian climbers were at least as good as foreign climbers. We felt quite uncomfortable with this at the time. John Hunt, Tenzing, and I had a little meeting. We agreed not to tell who stepped on the summit first.

"To a mountaineer, it's of no great consequence who actually sets foot first. Often the one who puts more into the climb steps back and lets his partner stand on top first." The pair's pact stood until years later, when Tenzing revealed in his autobiography, Tiger of the Snows, that Hillary had in fact preceded him.

Neither man anticipated how much, in the wake of their success, the appeal of that patch of snow more than five miles in the sky would grow. "Both Tenzing and I thought that once we'd climbed the mountain, it was unlikely anyone would ever make another attempt," Sir Edmund admits today. "We couldn't have been more wrong."

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Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay - 1953 Everest

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National Geographic revisits the 1953 British summit to Everest when the first people stood atop the world's highest mountain.

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History and famous events