The North Face-People

　　

　　A keen West Berkshire climber is setting his sights high - 29,000 ft high! Lee Farmer has climbed ten of the world's tallest mountains so far and now he plans to spend over two months in Tibet attempting to climb Mount Everest's North face.

　　A West Berkshire climber is about to embark on his toughest expedition yet: a gruelling 70 day trip to the summit of Mount Everest.

　　Follow his journey via his website here:

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　　"I can't wait to get started"

　　Climber Lee Farmer is gearing up for his Everest challenge

　　Lee Farmer is an experienced mountaineer who is flying off to Tibet in five weeks for two gruelling months as he attempts to conquer the tallest mountain in the world.

　　Lee, who is a member of the British Mountaineering Council, the Mountain Leaders Training Association and Newbury Mountain Club, will be raising money for The National Society for Epilepsy charity.

　　He has also made the ambitious promise of sending a postcard from the Everest Base Camp to anybody who sponsors him via his website.

　　He is a qualified mountain leader and spends many weekends in diverse activities such as rock climbing, mountaineering and mountain biking.

　　Listen to the full interview here or read extracts below:

　　Speaking to Henry Kelly on BBC Radio Berkshire, Lee explained exactly what the trek entails:

　　"We're going to try the North face then go along to the North East ridge, there's eight of us in total on a private invitation only expedition. We will be using what they call Super Sherpas (trained mountain guides), that means they don't fly up there but they have all been to the summit before."

　　Lee explains the dynamics of the group he will be undertaking the trip with:

　　"The common thing is that we share the same passion, or should I say obsession for this expedition. The team is made up of a lawyer, a policeman, a guy who works on an oil rig and several other people in various different professions.

　　

　　The summit of Mount Everest

　　"We will all have an opportunity to go to the top, but what you've got to be careful of is getting sick.

　　"There's not a lot you can do to prevent you suffering from high altitude problems or getting AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) but as long as you are fit and athletic you stand a good chance of making it."

　　The first British expedition to Mount Everest in the early 1920's by English mountaineer George Mallory and his partner Andrew Irvine was shrouded in mystery.

　　Both climbers disappeared somewhere high on the North-East ridge during the final stage of their ascent.

　　Lee admitted: "The route we'll be taking is where Mallory and Irvine were last seen in 1924, but I don't think we'll be thinking about that."

　　But how does Lee's family, most notably his long-suffering wife, feel about the potentially dangerous expedition?

　　"I don't ask really, I find that's the best way. But she is coming to Everest base camp with me, so she will be there for 20 days, but then she has to come back and look after the house and the cats."

　　Lee has organised and successfully led expeditions in all corners of the globe from South America, USA, Africa and closer to home in the European Alps and in the UK.