Ben walks backwards into record books with Mount Kilimanjaro climb

Ben Stewart, 32, known as Backwards Walking Ben, flew back to the UK late last week after his extraordinary challenge which took him to the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro and back.

He took on the challenge to raise money for the British Heart Foundation in memory of his grandfather Ian who died after having a heart attack.

Still processing his amazing feat, Ben said the eight-day backwards trek had been “a total success – the first time it’s ever been done...but also quite literally the hardest thing I have done in my life”.

In particular, he said, it had been very different from his other backwards treks which include scaling the three highest mountains in the UK. He said he hadn’t anticipated quite how tricky the terrain would be, including uneven ground, boulders, crevasses and dangerous gaps on the path.

This had sometimes slowed down progress even with his team helping him with ropes and other support.

But although the challenge was hard, Ben also said it had been an incredibly emotional experience, summed up by a video message he sent to his fiancée Leanne from the peak which he said was “just footage of me sobbing”.

His training for the trek had included using a special device to help strengthen his neck for long periods of needing to look over his shoulder, which he said had proved very successful.

“My neck was strong right up until the very last day – that 10 or 11 hour day walking on a flat surface, I just started to feel it then.

“But the neck training definitely came into its own and was really worth it”.

Now Ben is back in the UK, his next challenge is planning for his wedding in 2025 to Leanne.

The happy couple apparently have no plans to walk backwards up the aisle, but asked if he had any other backwards plans, Ben admitted he did have a few ideas.

“I’m done with mountains but I do want to do something more to inspire people,” he said. “Whatever I do next, I want to get lots of people to join me – whether they do it forwards while I do it backwards or whether we’re all doing it backwards I don’t know.

“But I just want to do something to encourage people to look after themselves, to be healthy, and to enjoy themselves at the same time.”

BHF Fundraising Manager for Northampton, Jon Frost, said: “First of all I want to congratulate Ben on such an incredible achievement – not just getting up and down the highest mountain in Africa, but doing it backwards!

“We think he is the first person to have ever done this, which is inspiring enough on its own. But additionally, Ben has been raising money for the British Heart Foundation in memory of his grandad, Ian, who died after having a heart attack.

“The money raised by Ben will help fund lifesaving research which will get us one step closer to breakthroughs that could help save and improve millions of lives. Thank you Ben from all of us at BHF, I hope you now get a well-deserved rest.”

You can support Ben on his Just Giving page here

To support the British Heart Foundation this Heart Month visit bhf.org.uk/heartmonth