Dad reaches great heights in memory of daughter Sophie
A dad has scaled Machu Picchu in memory of his daughter Sophie, who died of a brain tumour aged just eight.
Justin Kline and 19 other adventurers from the Wiltshire and Dorset areas travelled to Peru, where they set off on a five-day trek across the Machu Picchu and Abra Salkantay region.
In conquering the famous peak they raised £60,000 for local children’s hospice Julia’s House.
The team included members of families supported by the charity and Julia’s House director of care, Claire Hudson-cooper.
Of course, it wasn’t all plain sailing. All of the explorers suffered from some form of altitude sickness and midge bites that are still itching two weeks on. Yet, it was all worth it for the magnificent views from the historic Incan citadel.
Justin, a trustee and parent ambassador for the hospice, said: “It was physically and emotionally tough. I’m really proud and humbled to have been a part of such an amazing team - everyone supported each other in so many ways.
“It was a personal achievement to reach the Salkantay Pass at 4,600 metres, something I wasn’t sure I could do due to the altitude. Machu Picchu was simply breathtaking.
“I’m proud to have completed the trek in memory of my daughter Sophie, who was cared for by the nurses at Julia’s House.”
The journey there was organised in conjunction with The Different Travel Company. It involved two days of travelling and three flights in order to reach Cusco, once the capital of the Inca Empire, where the team spent their first couple of days acclimatising to the altitude.
Isobel Langrish, Julia’s House events assistant who headed up the team, said: “It didn’t take long for people to start feeling the effects of altitude sickness, which although expected, can be hard to cope with.
“But everyone did so well and, despite the challenges, we all carried on and started the five-day trek. For the first few nights, we camped under the stars in between our day treks which was wonderful and we made it to our highest point, 4,600m above sea level, which is the same height as the top of Mont Blanc. We were so thrilled at such an achievement.
“While everyone had prepared, I think we were all a bit shocked at how much the altitude affected our fitness,” said Isobel.
“We had to stop every 20 steps to catch our breath and because our appetite was suppressed it was hard to keep our energy levels up with food without feeling nauseous.
“Once we reached the highest point in the snowy mountains, we started the descent into the lower valley jungles, where we encountered midges - even two weeks later the bites are still itching.”
The team persevered to make it to Aguas Calientes at the bottom of the Inca site at Machu Picchu, where they were rewarded with the unique sight they had all come to see - the ruins of the citadel built by the Incas in around 1450.
“The whole place was just magical and it still doesn’t feel real that we’ve been there!” said Isobel.
“I think the whole group agreed that the trek was one of the hardest things that we have ever done but it was also one of the most rewarding experiences and the most beautiful place to visit.
“The views were incredible and we hardly saw anyone apart from Incas, mules and the occasional fellow trekker.
“It was a very special trip and I feel so proud of all the trekkers for having made it.”
Julia’s House hospice looks after the most seriously ill children across Wiltshire and Dorset.
The children who stay there need 24-hour care for their complex and often rare medical conditions. Their conditions are often incurable and many are not expected to live beyond early adulthood.
Without the support of fundraising events like the trek, it would be unable to continue.
The charity’s new overseas treks for 2023 will be revealed soon at www.juliashouse.org.