Alan Hinkes aims to complete the challenge in eight days

One of Britain’s best known climbers faces a new challenge this week to raise funds for mountain rescuers.

Alan Hinkes, the only Briton to summit all the world’s 8,000m peaks, survived being caught in an avalanche in the Lake District last winter.

Now, the Northallerton-based mountaineer has set himself the task of visiting England’s 39 shire county tops in eight days to set a record and help raise cash for the volunteer teams who came to his aid.

The challenge kicks off this Friday with an ascent of Whernside, the 736m (2,415ft) fell that is now the highest in Yorkshire. It is due to end on 4 September with climbs up Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in the old county of Cumberland, and Helvellyn, which was the tallest in Westmorland.

The route follows roughly the old historic county tops – the high points of the counties that existed in England prior to local government reorganisation in the 1970s, though Shining Tor is being substituted for Black Hill, which was formerly Cheshire’s high ground; Turner’s Hill, the highest point in the West Midlands, has been chosen over the old Warwickshire pinnacle of Ebrington Hill; and White Horse Hill, formerly in Berkshire, will be climbed in preference to the old Oxfordshire high ground at Bald Hill.

Low point, both figuratively and in reality, is likely to come with the topping out of the 80m (263ft) high Boring Field in the old county of Huntingdonshire.

Alan’s route will take him from Cornwall to Northumberland in an effort to raise both cash and awareness of mountain rescue in England and Wales.

Hinkes, who survived an avalanche on Great End’s Window Gully in March this year, completed his round of the world’s highest mountains with his ascent of Kanchenjunga in 2005.

The incident on the Scafell range is proof that even the most experienced climbers can come to grief in Britain’s winter conditions. It sparked a major rescue callout involving two helicopters, the Keswick, Wasdale and Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Teams and the Search and Rescue Dogs Association.

The venture is being sponsored by makers of the Casio Pro Trek watch.

He said: “Personally, I can’t wait to attempt this record in the UK and having the right equipment is so important to keeping safe and alert on any trip. Living in North Yorkshire I spend so much of my free time climbing the area so the chance to set a record like this one in my own backyard was a challenge I couldn’t pass up.”

Penny Brockman from Mountain Rescue England & Wales said “Alan’s dedication to mountaineering is only matched by his contribution to it. Alan has supported the Mountain Rescue England & Wales for years and his numerous expeditions across the world have really helped to raise awareness of the cause. All the proceeds from this challenge will be donated to the charity so we wish Alan all the best and can’t thank him enough”

“Many of the callouts we get are from climbers who aren’t properly equipped, often simple knowledge of a compass and map could reduce these figures over night.  By getting involved in with this project we hope we can further educate the public and ultimately reduce the risk of needless endangerment.”

Alan plans to blog and upload pictures as he undertakes his challenge. Further details are on the Pro Trek challenge website.