George Solt Climbing Kilimanjaro page

George Solt is raising money for Willen Hospice

Participants: George Solt

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Climbing Kilimanjaro · 1 July 2010

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Story

This appeal started last June, saying that I was going to try and climb Kilimanjaro and so become the oldest man (at 82) in the Guinness Book of Records to do so. Well, I’ve done it. I hope they accept our evidence and make it official.

The climb was in memory of my wife Jen, a passionate mountaineer who died last year aged 87. I went with my son Philip and daughter-in-law Hilary, plus their children Sam (16) Zoe (15) and Eva(12). Philip succumbed to altitude sickness, but the rest of us all got to the top. My appeal was for the Willen Hospice (near ), that worthiest of all institutions,  and people were most generous, (see this website). But it was only based  on my intention to  try it, so now that I have actually done it, maybe we can manage another round of contributions?

In the mountain’s Visitors’ Book I found no other three-generation party, or one with a 70-year age gap between the oldest and the youngest, so that’s two more records looking for someone to break them, and I don’t suppose it will happen very soon. It’s the highest free-standing mountain in the world: we took six days up and two days down, and on the peak day we were on our feet for 14 hours. Everyone suffered from headaches and nausea. There’s no technical difficulty, but it is not a doddle. I’ve never done anything like it before – but  neither have I been this old before. It’s taken me weeks to get back to normal.

Donation summary

Total
£4,020.00
+ £994.23 Gift Aid
Online
£4,020.00
Offline
£0.00

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