The dad of a daring nine-year-old mountaineer says he believes his son has become the youngest person in Britain to climb Tower Ridge on Ben Nevis.
It took schoolboy Marcus Tinley, who was scaling mountains when he was still in nappies, 12 and a half hours to take on the long and technical climb of Tower Ridge.
Tower Ridge is one of the longest ridges leading to the summit of Ben Nevis, near Fort William, Scottish Highlands and a challenge for even the most experienced of mountaineers.
But youngster Marcus tackled the 24km climb head-on, roping up with his dad, Simon, and a small team up the middle of the 1,550m ascent.
Marcus, from Bearsden, who by last year had scaled 17 Munros said: “I love nature and mountain climbing is fun, it challenges you and makes you fit.
“I got into because of my dad and I love climbing and spending time with him.
“It doesn’t ever scare me because I’m on the end of a rope which will save me if I fall.
“I’d love to climb Everest and Mont Blanc one day, and maybe K2 but that is more dangerous.”
Marcus is no stranger to mountain climbing having started with “The Dumpling” at Gartocharn, West Dunbartonshire at age just two.
He then moved onto climbing Dumgoyne, Conic and Ben Aan, and scaled his first Munro, Ben Lomond, when he was four years old.
If you would like to donate to Marcus’s just giving page for Variety, visit
justgiving.com/fundraising/marcus-tinley