Paul Ramsden, left, and Mick Fowler on the summit of Hagshu last year

An award-winning pair of British climbers will attempt a first ascent on a mystery Himalayan mountain.

Mick Fowler is keeping tight-lipped about the precise location of the unclimbed 6,000m peak he will attempt with climbing companion Paul Ramsden.

He will only reveal it will be on a route on the north face of a mountain, from a valley that has never been visited by westerners.

HM Revenue and Customs inspector Mick Fowler, dubbed the climbing taxman, said: “What we do know is that, when Google Earth is set at the right time of day, the shadow of one of the north faces in this valley is longer than all the others in the area. We take that as a good sign.

“Surely it can only mean that it is the steepest and biggest around?”

The pair will be supported by Steve Burns and Ian Cartwright, and will leave the UK at the end of the month and expect to complete the climb around the third week of October.

Outdoor brand Berghaus is sponsoring the expedition, and Fowler and Ramsden will test the latest kit from Berghaus’s Extrem range, including prototypes of new developments scheduled to be launched in autumn-winter 2016.

Twice winners of the Piolet d’Or Award, Mick Fowler and Paul Ramsden have achieved many first ascents during their climbing career and they have a reputation for seeking out dramatic objectives in remote parts of the Himalaya.

Both climbers have to fit in their adventures around full-time jobs, completing expeditions during their holidays.

Fowler said: “We will climb pure Alpine style, which means that we will accept the true challenge of the mountain and not use fixed ropes, bolts or siege tactics. The mountain will be left as we find it, with no trace of our passing.”

More details are on Mick Fowler’s blog on the Berghaus website.