All nine incredible Kilimanjaro climbers proved today that there ain’t no mountain high enough as they all reached the summit, one by one, in the early hours of this morning!
Guided by the moon throughout the freezing night, they reached the summit at varying stages from 4am this morning led by Ben Shephard. In a staggered and agonising approach, all 8 climbers arrived within 40 minutes of each other, Ben, Fearne, Denise and Cheryl were first followed by Kimberley, Ronan and Gary and then Chris. The 9th climber, Alesha, had the toughest time and fell behind the group, having to stop to address severe muscle pain and the effects of altitude but, determined not to let the group down, she ploughed on at a snails pace arriving a gruelling 2 hours after the others collapsing in a heap at the top.
Ben Shephard. In a staggered and agonising approach, all 8 climbers arrived within 40 minutes of each other, Ben, Fearne, Denise and Cheryl were first followed by Kimberley, Ronan and Gary and then Chris. The 9th climber, Alesha, had the toughest time and fell behind the group, having to stop to address severe muscle pain and the effects of altitude but, determined not to let the group down, she ploughed on at a snails pace arriving a gruelling 2 hours after the others collapsing in a heap at the top.
Biting winds, temperatures of -15 and the high altitude made their trek extreme and it wasn’t until they began descending that any of them had a chance to watch the sunrise over the continent at the highest peak in Africa.
In an incredibly display of pure grit and determination, the nine celebrities have defied all odds to reach the summit as a team. Along the way they’ve overcome injury, vertigo and acute altitude sickness through their sheer resolve to raise as much money as possible for Comic Relief.
On reaching the summit the celebrities were overwhelmed as their achievement hit home.
Jeremy Gane from Charity Challenge who led the trek said “I have climbed the mountain 21 times and I have never met a more spirited, determined and humorous group who were determined to reach their goal from the outset. When the going got tough their camaraderie was unbelievable one picking the other up when a low point struck, willing each other to go on and achieve the most extraordinary feat. No-one should under estimate how gruelling this climb is. They have done this climb in the same way that any member of the public can do this climb and the scale of this undertaking is enormous which is why I think the public have been so generous."
The final push to the summit took a gruelling four hours for the fastest, trekking through steep rocky terrain in brutal gale force winds at sub zero temperatures. Before setting off from camp the team loaded up on rice and potatoes to pack in as much energy as possible, but few were able to sleep in nervous anticipation of what was about to happen.
After spending a short while taking in the breathtaking views from the summit, the team will have plenty of time to reflect on their journey as they face a seemingly endless 12-15 hour descent which is certain to try their patience. The celebrities will spend a final night under canvas at Millennium Camp before a five hour walk down through gentle Rainforest slopes the following day.
Earlier in the expedition Fearne and Cheryl both collapsed with exhaustion and altitude sickness and received anti sickness injections.
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Cheryl: It has been - without question - the single most mentally and physically challenging experience of my life. Nothing could have prepared me for what I was up for. I`m so proud of all of us for making it to the top. But it is the end result that was the sole purpose of this trip. Having experienced life here first-hand, in hindsight it has been one of my most rewarding experiences too. Hindsight being the operative word!
Ronan: I hope I can convey in words the magnitude of the last 10 days. It has been both incredible and really frustrating! We trekked over 70km through valleys hills and cliffs. The last night - up to the summit - was so tough and physically and mentally draining it almost destroyed us. But we all dug deep and persevered in the most grueling conditions - like gusts of up to 40 to 50 mph on the ridge. It was at times soul destroying. But in the end we all succeeded. I am so proud to be part of this team and most importantly of the money we raised for Comic Relief.
Gary: This has been an amazing trip for a number of reasons. First and foremost, the climbers - each successful in their own right, not trying to revive a fading career and totally up for coming out of their comfort zone for a monumental charity event. Second, to hear the totals everyday has kept our spirits up so thank you so much to the beautiful British public for being so generous. Lastly, the challenge, totally underestimated by every one of us, this climb was the hardest thing I`ve ever done in my life - I never want to see a tent or a sleeping bag ever again! The summit was a massive high but the previous eight days have been down right miserable, cold and lonely. Thank goodness we`re gonna change, and hopefully save, lives with our efforts.
Fearne: This has been the toughest eight days of my life. I have experienced some of the lowest and highest moments of my life on this mountain. The emotions were running high at all times and this is a trip I will never forget. Though being ill, sleeping in the freezing cold, and walking for what seems like forever - we all did it and are so happy with the amount of money raised and people`s generosity! Thanks x
Alesha: Feeling very numb and alone on the mountain I had a lot of time to think. The money raised so far is a testament to the British public`s ability to dig deep in times of need. The people of Africa are beautiful; I have learnt so much from them and will always strive to raise awareness of the crisis that is malaria.
Chris: Minus ten, lying in a tent with the worlds worst wind, knowing that I had to be awake at six to walk for eight hours and that was just one night out of eight.
Ben: Nine of us came out to Tanzania excited confident and clean. Eight days later we are shattered broken and filthy. We have all made it to the summit, we are all delighted its over and we all seriously need a wash. I could never convey how hard and at the same time how special this experience has been. We have shared so much together, been through so much together, and to know that so many people will benefit means that all of us together have achieved more than we could possibly imagine.
Denise: I flew out to Uganda for Comic Relief in December and witnessed first hand the amazing work the Charity is doing to help the fight against Malaria. The local people I met on that trip amazed me with their kindness and generosity. There is one woman I will never forget. A young mother who had just lost her five-year-old baby to Malaria the morning we met. She showed such inner strength, so she was my drive through the toughest times on Mount Kili. Its been the hardest, but best week of my life.
Kimberley: I went to hell and back but got to the top.
