A Cumbrian boy is set to become the youngest Briton ever to climb one of Europe’s highest mountains.
Seven-year-old Frankie McMillan, from West Cumbria, is aiming to summit Mount Olympus in Greece with his mum Basia at the start of September.
Under normal circumstances, children Frankie’s age are not allowed to climb Olympus – which is three times bigger than Scafell Pike.
It requires three days of trekking and incorporates technical climbs as well as vertical ascents and descents with ropes and scrambles.
But due to his advanced experience in the fells and proficiency in climbing thanks to lessons at Kong Adventure Centre in Keswick – he has been granted special dispensation to take on the challenge.
According to the Hellenic Mountain Guides Association, Frankie’s feat will break a record and make him the youngest known Briton to ever reach the mountain’s Mytikas summit.
The duo were inspired to do the climb to raise money for Wasdale Mountain Rescue as a way of giving back to the community and crew members.
Basia, who works as a mountain leader, only started taking Frankie up mountains when he asked if he could come along on one of her trips.
They have since scaled over 280 fells and mountains including 190 of the 214 Wainwrights – with Frankie’s first fell being Catbells, which he conquered aged three.
She said: “He just asked to go with me and one day I took him. I didn’t think he would manage it and I never had a baby carrier or anything like that, but he was unfazed by it and plodded his the way to the top. It’s just all come from him.
“A lot of people say they wouldn’t take their child up mountains but he really enjoys it. We walk whenever we can and he also joins me at work on my mountain climbs.”
Basia added that she likes to add extra excitement to their walks by looking for treasure, playing games and singing songs.
She said: “The best days are when we go out walking. There are no distractions, you make new shared memories and you get to know each other more.
“Life is so busy with school and work and when we’re out walking we can literally switch off. He just loves it, that’s why we’re doing it all the time.
“We always call ourselves a dream team, we just go wild. We’re also left with loads of stories and adventures to tell.”
The pair are aiming to raise £3,000 for the mountain rescue team and have so far raised over £800.
Basia said: “Mountain Rescue is all volunteer led, so they can be at a dinner or in a cinema and have to dash off to help someone in need and they don’t get paid for it. It’s something to be appreciated and admired.
“We also see a lot of accidents, read stories and see them on Facebook and Frankie is fascinated by it all and we regularly discuss what we would do if one of us got into trouble.
“As a community we should support them where we can and give back. We’d love to raise enough money to be able to support them with buying new equipment, it’s all about giving back.”
You can donate to Frankie and Basia’s fundraiser here: Frankie’s fundraiser
