⛰️ Saga seafarers conquer ‘mountain of death’ on adventure from seas to summits
Plus: Research finds young people in coastal towns more likely to have mental health conditions, and Folkestone Book Festival programme revealed
Climbing duo prepare for Himalayan adventure after taking up mountaineering just last year
Standing at the summit of Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Americas, Rebecca Heron and Kim Tanner gazed out across the valley and watched as an airliner streaked through the sky thousands of feet below them.
Attempts to scale the Argentinian ‘mountain of death’ have a roughly one in three chance of success, so reaching the summit at almost 7,000m represents a significant feat for any seasoned climber. What makes Rebecca and Kim’s achievement all the more remarkable is the fact they had taken up mountaineering less than a year before.
The pair are colleagues aboard Saga’s cruise ship Spirit of Adventure—Kim a captain and Rebecca a guest services director—and prior to 2024 they had given no thought to scaling some of the world’s highest peaks. But it was a chance conversation with some of their cruise passengers that sparked an incredible journey that will next year see the friends head to the Himalayas and attempt to conquer Cho Oyu, the sixth-highest mountain in the world.
“I went off on a walk in Stavanger, Norway, up Pulpit Rock,” Kim recalled. “I had just had a hip replacement about a year before, and my doctor had given me the all clear to give it a real test, so I half-ran up this rock.
“At the top of the rock some of the guests arrived an hour or so later and they said, ‘oh wow, have you ever thought about doing some proper mountain climbing? You seem pretty active’. But I hadn’t ever really thought about doing it.
“So I went on to Google and I searched ‘achievable high mountains’. Up came a mountain called Aconcagua, which is the highest mountain outside Asia. It’s not a technical mountain, so you don’t really need ropes and crampons and ice axes to achieve it. So I thought, great, I’ll give this a crack.”
He then attempted to enlist Rebecca, who lives in Selsted and is a former pupil at Folkestone School for Girls, but initially she was having none of it. “I said no,” she stated matter-of-factly when the Dispatch spoke with the pair by video call from Geneva this week. “If you Google it, it comes up as the ‘mountain of death’. Why would I want to do that?”
The tour company that the 43-year-old captain approached about the trip to Argentina had a similarly negative response. They said there was no chance they would accept a novice climber on an expedition like that without them first tackling a peak of around 6,000m.
Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania, was swiftly identified as the first serious climb to attempt. Kim suggested it to his climbing partner on May 29 last year, and a month later they had reached the summit. Despite being a self-confessed “pair of amateurs” they were now able to successfully apply to join an 18-day expedition to Aconcagua, which they conquered in January this year.
“Another thousand metres, you definitely feel it,” 45-year-old Rebecca said. “But it was amazing, because you’re in the Andes for two and a half weeks. We stood on the summit of Aconcagua and saw a commercial flight go underneath us.” Kim, who lives in Jersey, added: “There’s about a 30% success rate, so we were very fortunate to have made it up there.”
The climb in Argentina saw the pair raise almost £32,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support, a charity they decided to support through their mountaineering adventure because both have previously lost a parent to cancer. They now hope to raise a staggering £100,000 when they tackle Cho Oyu in Tibet in September 2026.
They will have many Saga cruise passengers willing them on. Since starting their climbing journey, the pair have been invited to give lectures on board Spirit of Adventure, telling their inspiring tales to the guests who similarly inspired them to get started in the first place. Their successful ascent of Aconcagua was announced on board, to cheers from the passengers.
The 45-day expedition to the Himalayas will provide them with their sternest test yet, both in terms of the skills and strength required, and the acclimatisation to altitude needed when attempting to summit a peak 8,188m above sea level. The pair have recently been in the Alps for a technical training course equipping them with the skills necessary to take on Cho Oyu, and they have also scaled some of Europe’s most formidable mountains unguided.
Kim said: “We’re putting those skills to the test now, we’re cracking on by ourselves. On Mont Blanc there were several places where if you fell, then that’s the end.”
Asked about how the pair’s adventures can inspire others, regardless of their time of life, he said: “It’s opened my eyes a bit to using your body as much as you can, while you can. And that’s what Saga encourages people to do too, stay active, you’re never too old.”
You can follow Rebecca and Kim’s progress via their Instagram account. You can donate to their fundraiser in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support here. They are also seeking any businesses interested in sponsoring them directly to help cover the expenses required for the Cho Oyu expedition.
News in brief
🩺 Young people living in the most deprived stretches of England’s coastline are three times more likely to be living with an undiagnosed mental health condition than their peers inland, according to new research reported by The Guardian. “We don’t yet know why these young people are being left out but one reason might be that they are not demanding the help in the way the older generation is, or if they are, they are not having their voices heard,” said Emily Murray, director of Essex University’s centre for coastal communities.
🚧 Network Rail is planning to remove a steel ‘tie rod’ system installed in the arches of the Foord Viaduct during the Second World War to prevent the structure’s collapse in the event of enemy action. The proposed works consist of the removal of the existing tie rods, horizontal steel bars and tension brackets, and pulleys sited within 19 of the Grade II-listed viaduct’s brick arches. In a design and access statement submitted to the district council, Network Rail says: “As the threat of the structure being hit by a bomb is no longer present, the tie rod system is no longer required, furthermore they are now corroded. The corroded nature of the rods presents a safety risk as a result of elements falling down onto the road and public areas below.”
📚 The line-up for this year’s Folkestone Book Festival has been revealed, with Joanne Harris, Irvine Welsh, Lisa Jewell, Rupert Everett, Amanda Knox and Jung Chang among the authors appearing in what organisers have described as the festival’s “most ambitious programme yet”. The 11-day celebration of big ideas and bold conversations is taking place in November.
Curator Sophie Haydock—whose second novel, Madame Matisse, was published by Penguin earlier this year—said: “There’s something magnetic about Folkestone that draws people in and sparks the most surprising conversations. The festival feels deeply rooted here, but the ideas it hosts ripple far beyond. It’s a place for stories that challenge us, inspire us, and bring us together.”
🚍 The ‘Reach The Beach’ summer bus service linking the harbour with Folkestone’s two railway stations is to return from July 19. Operated by Crosskeys, the buses will run from Folkestone West and Folkestone Central to F51, the Old High Street and the harbour arm seven days a week until August 31. It will cost passengers just £1 each way, with under-16s going free. Details of the timetable can be found here.
🖍️ Playbox Day Nursery has been found to be ‘good’ following an inspection by Ofsted in June. In a report published yesterday, July 8, the education watchdog described the Biggins Wood Road nursery as having “an interesting curriculum to excite children and ignite their curiosity”. The report goes on to say: “Staff are good at encouraging children to think for themselves and to build on their independence skills. Children enjoy helping to set up activities for their friends and learn important social skills, such as taking turns and sharing resources.” You can read the latest report in full here.
🎟️ Folkestone residents could be set to benefit from discounted tickets when the Leas Lift reopens, KentOnline has reported. Floortje Hoette, chief executive of the Folkestone Leas Lift Company, told KentOnline: “The plan is becoming clearer and clearer. We hope to achieve a discounted price for local residents.”
💰 A number of schools, community groups and organisations have been awarded funding for projects after taking part in the Rotary Club of Folkestone’s annual Dragon’s Den event. In all, 17 awards of funding of up to £500 were made after each applicant gave a five-minute presentation about their plans.
🚰 Folkestone & Hythe District Council was among more than 20 local authorities to meet with a government minister to discuss the performance of Southern Water and raise concerns about the company. Cllr Stephen Scoffham, cabinet member for climate, environment and biodiversity, said: “I really appreciated the chance to highlight to the minister our concerns about water quality and infrastructure in and beyond our district. It’s good to know that Emma Hardy MP is taking an active interest in the work that needs to be done. She committed to finding out more about Southern Water’s investment plans and to working with [us] with the aim of finding solutions.”
What’s on this week
🪇 Strange Cargo’s annual summer carnival, Charivari Day, takes place this Saturday, July 12, and this year it is celebrating the renovation of the Leas Lift with the theme Beside the Seaside. A procession of more than 800 people—including students from local schools, bands, dancers and giant carnival builds—will parade from the Stade to the bandstand on The Leas via the Old High Street and the town centre. The parade sets off at 2pm and there will be live music at the bandstand from 3.30pm.
🎹 Singer, songwriter and pianist Alex McNeice will be performing at The Music Workshop tomorrow, July 10. Alex will be playing classic tunes from your favourite musicals and films, mixed in with originals and requests, in a show he promises will have you singing along yourself. It all starts at 7.30pm and you can get your tickets here.
🎧 20th Century Speedway will be hosting a silent disco on Saturday, July 12, with tunes from the 70s and the 80s going head to head. The organisers say: “We’re picking up with an old friendly rivalry against ‘our Phil’ with his infamous Strictly 80s tunes, and this time we’ll be heading up against him with our Speedway selection from the glorious 70s.” Doors open at 7.30pm. Tickets are £5 and you can get yours here.
🎞️ Perfectly timed with the ongoing Women's Euro 2025, 2002 comedy Bend It Like Beckham will be showing at the Harbour Arm on Friday, July 11, as part of this year’s free summer cinema programme. The 7pm screening is completely free to attend, you don’t need a ticket, and spaces are available on a first come, first served basis. You can find out more about this and other upcoming events at the Harbour Arm here.
📖 The Folkestone Bookshop will be hosting its regular Storytime session tomorrow, July 10, at 11.30am. Bookseller Erin will be reading several stories perfect for little ones. The tales will be best suited for children up to five years old, but everyone is welcome. Refreshments will be available for both kids and adults and there is no need to book in advance, just turn up and enjoy the stories. Find out more about events at the bookshop here.
Do you have an event in Folkestone you would like to promote in a forthcoming edition of the Dispatch? Send details to us and we’ll help spread the word!
That’s all from me this week. Before you go, I am excited to let you know that I am planning to set up a base in the town centre at The Workshop co-working space in Tontine Street. This means that if you have a story you think I should be covering you can come and see me in person if you’d prefer to meet face-to-face rather than speak by phone or video call. My working hours are flexible, but if you would like to meet to discuss a story then please feel free to drop me an email and we can arrange a time.
Next week’s newsletter will be in your inboxes at the same time next Wednesday.
All the best, Rhys
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