Douglas Anderson, Manufacturing Manager at Chemring Energetics UK, set himself the huge challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for a local charity, Beautiful Inside and Out.
We’re delighted to report that Douglas completed his challenge and raised a fantastic £6,500 to help families dealing with the traumas of suicide and youngsters struggling with suicidal feelings. We caught up with Douglas to find out how the challenge went.
What inspired you to climb Mount Kilimanjaro?
“After visiting Nepal in November 2019 and going to Everest Base Camp, I was initially planning another expedition for 2021 (until 2020 happened and the world shutdown!). Mount Kilimanjaro was the first on a shortlist of options. It was a similar type of challenge but offered a very different hiking and cultural experience.”
Tell us a bit about the charity you are supporting and why.
“The organisation that I am supporting are called Beautiful Inside and Out. They are an incredible charity set up in 2014 by Pauline Moriarty following the tragic suicide of her 13-year-old daughter, Jenna. It has grown into a vital service that has supported thousands of people by providing a wide range of support services, such as specialised counselling, group meetings, drama workshops, and play therapy sessions.
“The pandemic has had a huge impact on youngsters' mental health. The work that they do is incredible. The charity covers the whole of Scotland, but Pauline lives locally to me, and their origins are in Ayrshire. After chatting with her at length about her own experience and the people they are supporting, it is a cause that I feel passionate about, and I am sure will support again in the future.”
How much training did you have to do?
“I am a keen hiker anyway and had a lot of the gear needed from trips in the UK and my previous trip to Nepal. Training wise, aside from a few extra running miles, I mainly focused on maximising the mountain miles in the run-up to departure. This made for some pretty miserable wet, windy and snowbound days in the Scottish Highlands over the winter! How you will be at altitude is probably the single biggest unknown risk, though.”
Did you do the climb with a group/organisation? How did you find the trekking and sleeping arrangements?
“Kilimanjaro sits within a national park, and it is illegal to climb without a guide. We used a company called Ian Taylor Trekking, which dealt with all the logistics on the mountain and was fantastic. The trekking takes you through different climatic zones. Starting in the rainforest, you move through the moorland, alpine desert, and arctic zones. The scenery and vegetation change constantly and are varied throughout the hike and were spectacular.
“We slept in tents, which was a new experience compared to Everest Base Camp. The higher you go, the colder it gets at night, so you need a good mat and sleeping bag, and altitude can make it difficult to sleep too. You also need to drink a minimum of three to four litres of water per day, and it takes a couple of days to get into a routine that avoids you being up all night. A lot of our group struggled with sleep. Luckily, I had no issues and probably averaged more hours of sleep than normal!”
What was the most challenging part of the climb?
“Without a doubt, the summit hike. You arrive at the 4,800mt high camp at around mid-afternoon the day before, after a relatively short-day hiking. You then eat a combined lunch and dinner and try and get some sleep. You set off for the top at 1 am, in temperatures well below zero, with minimum gear and a headtorch. The climb to the peak at 5,895 is relentless, and the effects of thin air are notable. We summitted at 6 am for sunrise, exhausted and cold, but with huge smiles and a real sense of achievement.”
What did you enjoy the most?
“It was great experiencing East African culture in general. Sleeping in the rainforest with monkeys jumping around in the trees above our tents was a surreal and incredible experience that I will never forget, and the view at sunrise from the top was mind-blowing. It was also great to raise over £6.5k for a worthy charity, and we met a wonderful group of people who I am sure will be part of future adventures.
“I would 100% recommend a Kilimanjaro trek to anyone. As for another challenge like this, negotiations have begun in my household for a possible 2023 expedition!”