Six-year-old Lancaster mountaineer halfway through 'Everest' 12-peak challenge

Friday, 20 January 2023 15:45

By Greg Lambert @greglam72

A six-year-old boy from Lancaster has now raised more than £2,000 on his quest to climb the height of Mount Everest.

Oscar Burrow is halfway through his mission to climb 12 mountains in the UK at a total height of 8,849 metres, the same as the world's highest peak in the Himalayas.

Intrepid Oscar originally wanted to take on Everest itself but dad Matt came up with this alternative plan, to help raise money for Lancashire children's hospice Derian House.

He has already tackled Ingleborough, Whernside, The Old Man of Coniston, Helvellyn and Skiddaw on walks with his dad, his mum Kim, 37, grandad Mark, 67, and sometimes his little sister Ada, 3.

Last week Oscar tackled his sixth of 12 peaks, Blencathra, which at 868m is one of the highest in the Lake District.

Here is a video from Oscar's Facebook page of him reaching the summit of Blencathra.

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Next up Oscar will take on Snowdon (the highest mountain in Wales) in February.

This will be followed by Glyder Fawr (fifth highest in Wales), Scafell Pike (highest in England), Cairn Gorm (sixth highest in Scotland), Bauchaille Etive Mor/Stob Dearg and finally Ben Nevis (highest in Scotland).

Matt said the idea for the challenge began when Oscar found out that Sir Edmund Hillary had been the first person to ascend Everest and said: "I want to do that!"

"We thought, what's the best way of building to that, to support him in the development of his dream, so we thought why don't we pick 12 UK mountains and climb those," he said.

Oscar, who goes to St Wilfrid's Primary School in Halton and plays under 6s rugby for Kirkby Lonsdale RUFC, has raised £2,254 so far for Derian House on his JustGiving page.

He is aiming to raise £8,849, the same number as the height of Everest.

Oscar's Just Giving page can be found here.