I made the decision to climb Everest back in 2014. I’d already reached the summit of Manaslu, the world’s 8th highest mountain, in September 2013. Before that I’d said no to Everest swayed by the negative journalism, the commercialism, the ‘buy your way onto the mountain’ attitude – but, probably, most of all because I did not think I was capable. However, I decided that I’d said no too many times in my past life – I had never even thought I was capable of walking up Snowdon in years gone by! I wanted to climb Everest to test my capabilities, face my fears and do it for everyone who I’ve had the pleasure of leading up a mountain, in the UK and abroad.