Simon Quinton Smith takes on a 23 day trek in Nepal

Could you trek around Nepal for Greenfingers Charity? Some might say “possibly”. Would you trek to 6000 metres altitude around the world’s third highest mountain in Nepal for Greenfingers Charity? Most would say “unlikely”.  Would you do that Nepal journey of 250 kilometres in winter in just 23 days without any comforts of home? Everyone but Simon Quinton Smith, bon viveur and director of Quinton Edwards would probably say a flat “NO”.

But as a great friend of Greenfingers Charity, Simon agreed to do the winter trek around Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world.

As he prepares for his departure next week, Simon told us, “I must do these sorts of challenges while I am able and while I can generate plenty of funds for Greenfingers - a charity that continues to build therapeutic gardens in the grounds of children’s hospices.

"Today is my last day in the office for 4 weeks because on Sunday I am heading to Nepal to embark on a 23 day Kanchenjunga North Base Camp trek! When my friend asked me to join him on this trek, I said yes not realising that I would be living in a tent for the duration!

"I will have no home comforts and very little contact with the outside world! No wine with dinner, no comfortable mattress, only primitive facilities and a demanding trek so it's going to be a real personal challenge."

Simon and his intrepid family are regular supporters of Greenfingers Charity. His daughter Millie took part in last year’s Greenfingers Skydive and his son Josh took part in this year’s Richard Jackson’s Flower Power Art Challenge.

But trekking around Himalayan mountains is a completely different challenge. Apart from demanding terrain and few other trekkers this K3 Base Camp Trek is remote and at altitude. Simon says, “I hear that altitude sickness is one of the biggest problems, so fingers crossed I can complete this trek. Yes, it’s going to be tough, but I am I doing it to support a GREAT cause.”

Unlike the Everest Base Camp trek which is done by 35,000 tourists a year staying in modern accommodation, eating cheese burgers and drinking ice cold beers whilst uploading their photos to Facebook, Kanchenjunga sees less than 1000 tourists per year. The remote heights, breath-taking scenery, and challenging landscapes are said to lure a breed of trekker looking for something extra.  They want to experience the real Himalaya, the old Himalaya without comfortable mattresses or take-aways.

Donations on Simon’s JustGiving page will show you the huge personal challenge that Simon is undertaking and the work that Greenfingers Charity does designing and building therapeutic and recreational gardens in hospices established to benefit children with life-limiting conditions.

www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk