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Home Latest

Cumbrian boy becomes youngest Briton ever to summit Mount Olympus

by Lucy Edwards
04/09/2023
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A Cumbrian boy has become the youngest Briton ever to climb Mount Olympus – one of Europe’s highest mountains.

Seven-year-old Frankie McMillan, from West Cumbria, summited the Greek mountain on Saturday September 2 with his mum Basia.

Under normal circumstances, children Frankie’s age are not allowed to climb Olympus – which is over 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 Cumbria’s fells and proficiency in climbing thanks to lessons at Kong Adventure Centre in Keswick – he was granted special dispensation to take on the challenge.

Basia said: “We’re feeling very very happy right now, it was a long time coming, we’ve been preparing for it for months.

“It still feels unreal that it’s already done, but Frankie is already excited, he’s already planning his next adventure and asking when his next school holiday is.”

On Friday, day one of the climb, the pair walked for five hours before staying in a refuge with other climbers overnight where they prepared to summit the mountain the next day.

She added: “We set off at eight o’clock and we were already walking, it was very rocky and atmospheric, you did have this feeling you were in the high mountains. It was very different to the mountains here.

“We were very nervous being around so much rock with so little green. But when we got to the last push before the summit, that’s where things started to get more serious.

“The last kilometre was vertical climb, so the ropes and helmets went on and off we went. I remember when we were climbing up I thought right, okay, we can do it. It’s fine, but then I had the thought that it’s the only way up and down – so it did scare me!

“But Frankie did great, we had a Hellenic Mountain Guide with us and he said he had never met a child so able at rock climbing which was lovely to hear. Frankie had no fear, he was so determined.”

According to the Hellenic Mountain Guides Association, Frankie’s feat has broken a record and has made him the youngest known Briton to ever reach the mountain’s Mytikas summit.

Once the pair reached the very small summit, they had a few minutes to take pictures and write in a book left at the top for those lucky enough the conquer the mountain.

Basia added: “At the summit we were very overwhelmed and excited to be there, we were there for around five to 10 minutes before we started going back down.

“At one point we actually had someone above us shouting ‘watch out, rockfall’ so we had to traverse as far to the right as we could and as quick as we could and some big rocks fell in our direction and when it was quiet our guide said, it’s all good, let’s carry on!

“It just made it more real how dangerous the climb can be. We saw some little plaques and crosses from a couple years back where people had fallen to their deaths, so it made it really real.

“I climb a lot of mountains in the UK and I’ve done Kilimanjaro and that was a walk in the park in comparison. Honestly this was probably the hardest because it was really technical.

“But we were prepared for it, and if I’d had any serious doubt I would never have taken him. But it was definitely the hardest technical climb I’ve had myself as an adult.”

Basia, who works as a mountain leader, started taking Frankie up mountains when he asked if he could come along and the rest is now history.

They have since scaled over 280 fells and mountains including the 214 Wainwrights – with Frankie’s first ever fell being Catbells, which he conquered aged three.

Basia said: “Everyone was stopping and chatting to him on the way down Mount Olympus and when we said we had been to the Mytikas summit their eyes would widen in shock and they couldn’t believe it.

“People were taking photos and filmed him for a YouTube channel, he was a sensation. Even our guide who has summited it 600 times has never taken any of his three teenage children to the top.

“It was just a very proud moment. Frankie is now saying Aphrodite is his girlfriend and that he is fighting with Zeus and we’ve come back with a bag of Greek pine cones because they were his treasure.

“I think he’ll remember the refuges too. It was all bunkbeds with adults and seven-year-old Frankie in the middle saying to me ‘did you hear that snoring or smell that smell’ it was all very bizarre for him.

“But he said the climbing was his favourite part overall. I don’t think we’ll stop here, I think it’s definitely just the beginning.”

The duo were inspired to do the climb to raise money for Wasdale Mountain Rescue and have now raised over £2,150 for team and are hoping to hit their goal of £3,000 soon.

The pair are considering Peru’s Rainbow Mountain and Morocco as options for their next adventures and eventually, Everest Base Camp when Frankie is old enough.

You can donate to Frankie and Basia’s fundraiser here: Frankie’s fundraiser

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