Wheelchair adventurer completes Yr Wyddfa climb
Nick Wilson completed the climb in a specially engineered mobility chair
- Published
A wheelchair adventurer has been successful in his second attempt to climb Yr Wyddfa, also known as Snowdon, unaided.
Nick Wilson, from Towcester, Northamptonshire, spent 14 years in the Army before he suffered a spinal injury.
During his first attempt the steering on his specially engineered mobility chair snapped, but he completed a second attempt earlier this month.
He said the feat "demonstrated how inclusive design and having the right equipment can help to make the world more accessible".
The chair was designed by Rock Engineering specifically for the climb
Mr Wilson served in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan before he was forced to retire due to prolapsed discs in his spine.
His climb of the 3,560ft (1,085m) mountain - Wales' highest - was in what he said was a "first-of-its-kind" engineered mobility chair, called RockClimber.
It featured a series of enhancements after the first failed attempt, which allow Mr Wilson to reach the highest point accessible on Yr Wyddfa.
Mr Wilson said: "While many people in the disability community won't want or feel the need to go up a mountain, they can feel like they're trying to do just that on a daily basis, with so many accessibility obstacles."
The project was also supported by the Institution of Engineering and Technology
The adventurer dedicated the climb to his father, who died suddenly during his first attempt in June.
Mr Wilson was not told about his father's death until after that climb last month.
He said: "His legacy and memory, couldn't be one connected to a failed attempt, therefore our success is dedicated to him."
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