AFTER days of trekking through the Himalayas, Swindon Army doctor Captain Francis Atkinson and the rest of the Walking With the Wounded expedition team have arrived at Mount Everest Base Camp.
The group, who were all injured fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, will now spend the time acclimatising and training to overcome the hazards they will encounter on the world’s highest mountain.
Cpt Atkinson, along with Cpt Martin Hewitt, Cpt David Wiseman, Private Jaco van Gass and Karl Hinett will live at the site more than three miles above sea level for the next seven weeks before their assault on the summit.
It is important for the team to relax and hydrate for the next 24 to 48 hours, as the oxygen level at 16,404ft is half that at sea level and It is common for people to suffer from mountain sickness.
Temperatures in the area have reached -15C on recent nights.
Once they are comfortable the team will start their training regime, which involves climbing the nearby 20,341ft Lobuche mountain and tackling an obstacle course through the ice fall.
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