A Douglas man has raised £2,300 for Arthritis Care Ellan Vannin after climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in September.

Neil Morgan, 29, spent six days following the Machame Trail to the summit of the dormant volcano in Tanzania with the aim of raising funds for a charity that supported his late Nanna.

His efforts scaling Africa’s tallest mountain have raised enough money to cover nearly a year’s worth of the charity’s Mindfulness courses, which have had a positive impact on many sufferers around the island.

’It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done and I can’t believe it’s all behind me after almost 12 months of build-up, training and stress,’ he explained.

’The trek is something I’d wanted to do for a while, as I’ve previously enjoyed climbing much smaller mountains in the UK with my Dad.

’I’d been inspired after hearing about climbing Kilimanjaro by one of my friends who’d done it a few years previously and I also wanted to do something to remember my much-missed Nanna, Edna Dickinson.’

The seven-day journey began on September 21, where Neil walked through rainforests, moorlands and an alpine desert before reaching the 19,341ft arctic ice cap summit.

Due to the severe heights, Neil and his team were instructed to walk slowly by guides to minimise the risk of altitude sickness.

He said: ’Altitude sickness is something I was particularly nervous about as it’s hard to predict whether you’ll suffer from and it and that might mean not making it to the summit.

’I saw several people suffer from the effects of the altitude, ranging from projectile vomiting to mild headaches and I felt the effects on the third day as we set off from Shira Camp to Lava Tower, where we climbed from 9,400ft to 12,500ft.’

However, Neil was back on his feet once his headache and dizziness had cleared thanks to a short rest, some painkillers and a Bounty bar.

Neil was particularly challenged by the structure of the trek, as the hikers would gain height during the day and later descend to the next camp to help adjust to the altitude.

On the fifth day, the team of 26 left their camp at midnight to set off for the long-awaited summit.

’It was an emotional moment making it up to the top and seeing the icecap as the sun rose on the horizon,’ he said.

The final climb lasted seven hours, where the group had to ’trudge’ in single file to the Uhuru Peak.

A bar of Kendal mint cake boosted him up the last stretch where temperatures dropped below -15C. A day later and he was of f the Mount.

Neil was very appreciative of the team he shared his journey with, as they helped one another through the highs and lows felt over the week.

’The banter amongst the group definitely helped keep my spirits up,’ Neil said.

’We all had days where we struggled from the altitude, tiredness, missing friends and family, amongst other things.

’Our excellent guide, Ken Storer, really set us up for success,’ he said.

’Overall, the experience was amazing and I’m glad I’ve been able to raise much needed funds for a worthwhile charity.

’If it wasn’t for the support from everyone at home, my fellow trekkers and the amazing porters, I would not have made it to the top.’