A Fermanagh man who has conquered some of the highest peaks in the world including; Kilimanjaro in Africa, Lobuche in Nepal and Aconcagua in Argentina has spoken to The Impartial Reporter about his experiences fresh from his return from the Himalayas.

Shane Boyd (42) is from Enniskillen but is now based in Sydney, Australia. Shane takes a bit of home with him when he climbs these mountains, it is the Fermanagh flag he raises when he reaches the top. His own decorated with the names and heights of the mountains he has conquered.

Explaining his journey, Shane said: “I’ve been hiking and climbing about three years now. I started hiking first then seen Kilimanjaro so it kind of started from there.

“Hiking is cool but I’m more into the thrill of climbing. Climbing at altitude is like trying to breathe through a straw everything you do is hard work, even taking your phone out for a photo or tying your shoelace. People are just struggling around you, which leads to lots of helicopter rescues”

2022 has been a busy year for Shane and his climbing, he said: “This year already I climbed Cerro Bonete, Argentina (5,000m) and Aconcagua, Argentina in February which is the biggest mountain outside the Himalayas at 6,961m

“I’ve just done the three peaks climb in Nepal in the Himalayas; Lobuche (6,120 m) and Pokalde at (5,800m) and Island peak (6,160m).”

As part of Shane’s Himalayan challenge, he and a team also travelled to Everest base camp (5,364m)

Shane climbed Kilimanjaro back in 2020 and has since climbed mountains all over the world.

Speaking about the process of climbing these great heights. He said: “Climbing high altitude mountains is a long process. You have to start low and slowly work your way up, usually hiking up high and sleep lower.

"You’re drinking five or six litres of water a day and eating lots of carbs as the altitude burns the muscles and weight off you the higher you go.”

Shane explained that he has been learning from the experts: “I prepare with a proper training schedule and diet. I’ve a mountaineering coach called Joe Bonington, who is the son of famous mountaineer Chris Bonington and Ailie Peppe who helps with rope skills.”

The expedition Shane undertook was organised by the company, Climbing the Seven Summits.

He added: “When you do the mountains you learn from all the guides and Sherpas in Nepal, they teach you so much. The people in Nepal and the Sherpa guides are on a different planet when it comes to climbing and have just been unbelievably lovely and generous.”

Describing the feeling of conquering these giant heights, Shane said: “Exhausting and hard to breathe but exciting that you got there eventually.

"You’re hoping you’ve enough energy to get back down which is where all the accidents usually happen so you need to take that into account on the way up.

He continued: “But when (you’re on the top) looking around all the mountains it is unbelievable.”

He added: “Breathtaking really.”

Looking to the future, Shane said: “I’ve three of the seven summits [the highest mountains of each of the seven continents] done so I’ll try to knock off more of them but I’m thinking Ama Dablam next in the Himalayas and maybe something in New Zealand later in the year; so plenty of training on the way.”