FEATURING PHOTOGRAPHER TIM KINGTON

What kind of person looks at the world’s tallest mountain, a frozen, oxygen-starved, avalanche-prone giant and thinks, “Yeah, I’ll have a go at that?” Tim Kington, a photographer and adventure seeker with a dream to stand atop the world, took on Everest, facing brutal conditions where the air is too thin to breathe, the temperatures can freeze flesh, and every step is a fight against nature itself. In this episode, I talk to Tim about what it takes to climb Everest, the reality of the so-called Death Zone, and why, despite the dangers, thousands still attempt to reach the summit—some making history, others becoming part of the mountain forever.

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MORE ABOUT names, words, THE MUSIC and places FROM TODAY’S SHOW

Mount Everest, known locally as Sagarmatha or Qomolangma, is Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The China–Nepal border runs across its summit point.

Mauna Kea, a dormant shield volcano on the island of Hawaiʻi, stands at 13,803 feet above sea level, making it the highest point in the state. While it holds this distinction in Hawaii, it ranks second among the highest island peaks globally, following New Guinea, the world's largest tropical island, which has multiple summits that surpass its height.

K2, the world's second-highest peak at 28,251 feet above sea level, is surpassed only by Mount Everest. It is part of the Karakoram Range and straddles a region of Kashmir, with one section falling within the Uygur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang, China, and the other in Gilgit-Baltistan, administered by Pakistan.

Sir. Edmund Hillary was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer, and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953, Hillary and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers confirmed to have reached the summit of Mount Everest.

Mount Everest has two base camps on opposite sides. South Base Camp in Nepal sits at 17,598 feet, while North Base Camp in Tibet is at 16,900 feet. Both serve as staging points for climbers and are also visited by hikers.

George Mallory (18 June 1886 to 8 or 9 June 1924) was an English mountaineer who participated in the first three British Mount Everest expeditions.

Tenzing-Hillary Airport (Lukla Airport) is a domestic airport in Lukla, Nepal, located in the Solukhumbu District of Koshi Province. Known for its challenging location, it was ranked the world’s most dangerous airport for over 20 years, as highlighted in Most Extreme Airports on The History Channel in 2010.

Bannau Brycheiniog, (the Brecon Beacons) are a mountain range in Wales. The range includes South Wales' highest mountain, Pen y Fan, its twin summit Corn Du, and Craig Gwaun Taf, which are the three highest peaks in the range.

There are several hills in Hampshire called Beacon Hill; the one we reference is near the village of Burghclere and Watership Down, in north Hampshire.

Tim Kington took two Ricoh cameras to the top of Everest, the GR III and GR IIIx.

Henrik Saxgren is a Danish photographer known for his documentary and landscape photography, often exploring themes of migration, climate, and human resilience.

In March and April 2025, Photowalk listeners have a special offer for a pair of fantastic LOWA boots, so if you need NEW boots to walk that trail, then you’ll be pleased to know that using code PHOTOWALK on www.lowa.co.uk – you can receive 25% off a price of boots or shoes up to the end of April 2025. We’re also GIVING AWAY a pair of LOWAs to UK listeners who send in a great picture story from the walks you take along the trail. Due to shipping, we can only accept entries from the UK this time around - send your letters and pictures to stories@photowalk.show

Kelvin Brown’s flickr Photowalk inspired group - join by invite by clicking on to THIS LINK.

The ENCOUNTERS workshop in April.

MUSIC LINKS: Straight White Teeth sang and wrote today's playout song Signal Flare. Music on the show is sourced primarily from Artlist and also features in Michael Brennan’s Spotify playlist GoFoto.