A TEAM from Tavistock will this week set out on an intrepid challenge which could see the creation of a new world record. The group of nine girl guides, accompanied by five adults, will this Saturday leave for Kathmandu in Nepal, from where they intend to trek to Everest Base Camp. During the expedition, which will celebrate the centenary of the girl guiding movement, the team hopes to carry out the highest ever display tether of a hot air balloon, using a unique balloon manufactured specifically for the record attempt. Mark Warne, of Tavistock, said: ?We will literally have to carry the balloon with us. It?s been made of a specially light material by a manufacturer in Spain. ?It?s been doing some trials in the Italian Alps ? a load of theory and physics has gone into this because no-one?s tried it before, but as long as the weather is okay and it?s safe, we?ll try and do it.? Mark said the weather would be the deciding factor ? just as it was in the UK for ascents from normal altitudes. ?It?s got to be basically as calm as it needs to be back here ? it?s just we?ll be doing it from the top of the world!? said Mark. The team will face a trek through tiny settlements and mountain passes, encountering high-slung rope bridges through glacial valleys against a backdrop of the world?s highest peaks of Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse and Ama Dablam. Mark said their first attempt at a balloon ascent would be at an altitude of about 14,000 to 15,000 ft. ?If that goes well, we will take it to Everest base camp, which will be the first time anything like this has been done ? but it?s a case of fingers crossed, because it?s totally weather-dependent,? he said. ?I?ve been up there a few times before so I know the area fairly well ? I think it?s madness trying to do this ? but then, someone has to try it and why shouldn?t it be a bunch of people from Tavistock who try it first?? The team has been preparing for the arduous expedition for the last eight months, using Dartmoor as their training ground. One of the girl guides, Bethan Shillabeer, 18, said: ?I?m really looking forward to it now. It?s been planned for so long and now it?s only days away, it?s really exciting.? Bethan said the group had been doing plenty of individual as well as group preparation for the trek ? but the altitude was the one thing they couldn?t totally prepare for. ?We?ve got altitude sickness tablets, but Dartmoor isn?t really the same thing!? said Bethan, who was also looking forward to experiencing different cultures and food during the trip.
