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Bristol to Base Camp: the countdown continues

Izzy Payne

17.02.2023

As we eagerly await the kick-off of the highly anticipated PHASE Base Camp expedition, Ryan and Alex have been keeping themselves rather busy. Here’s what the boys have been up to recently.

Last week saw Ryan and Alex meet the rest of their expedition crew and take on a weekend adventure. The boys braved the elements to hike the magnificent Pen y Fan alongside their six teammates. This Welsh wonder of the Britsh Isles is the highest peak in south Wales, standing at a mighty 2900ft. This mini-hike was both a good opportunity to flex their fitness levels and get to know the team they’ll be traversing Everest alongside.

Bristol to Base Camp (BTBC) is an annual campaign led by PHASE Worldwide. PHASE empowers women in remote regions of Nepal with the tools to provide for their families in challenging weather conditions, installing healthcare systems in isolated rural areas and teaching families the importance of nutrition and health. Two of our team, Alex Chiu and Ryan Gledhill, are taking on this massive challenge in aid of a fantastic cause.

It was a brilliant trip to Wales to meet up with the team and conquer Pen y Fan in the wind and rain! Even though the view wasn’t one to soak in, it was great to escape the city for a short while and get 7+ miles in our legs!

Ryan

The walk was their first opportunity to meet the group Alex and Ryan will be embarking on their adventure. The gang got along swimmingly, as expected, and stoked the fires of excitement within them. This weekend was the first and last time that the team would be together before they see each other on day one of the expedition.

Pen y Fan is a magnificent walk as it’s nestled in the heart of the Brecon Beacons with outstanding views from its highest point. Ryan and Alex’s walk, however, was pretty damn grey and wet. Although they didn’t get to take in the scenery thanks to the low-hanging cloud and rain, the weekend was still a great success.

Super fun meeting the rest of the Bristol to Basecamp crew in real life after months of video calls. The wind and rain certainly made it much more interesting but was a great opportunity to test out some of our new gear. The realisation that we’re going to be hiking like this continuously for days is now sinking in…but I’m so excited about it now!

Alex

Other than traversing Welsh peaks, Ryan and Alex have been working their way through the detailed checklist provided to them by the expert team at PHASE. Between their very detailed kit lists and an uber-comprehensive preparation plan, our guys are prepared.

The challenge is less than 5 weeks away so Ryan and Alex are still both asking for donations to get them over the fundraising finish line, using their networks to push awareness on their social media. Stay tuned to hear more about their journey to Everest Base Camp.

Ryan’s donation page Alex’s donation page