"When Polar Explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes turned his attentions from the great frozen wilderness of the Poles to the world's highest and most testing mountains he faced several challenges: he was just entering his sixties and recovering from a heart attack, he had no climbing experience and, not least, suffered from vertigo!

During his 40-year career, Sir Ranulph has led more than 30 expeditions and is the holder of several endurance records. He completed a 52,000 mile Transglobe overland expedition, and was the first person to visit both the North and South Poles by surface means as well as becoming the first person with Mike Stroud to cross Antarctica on foot."