Horsham family scale Lake District peak

Dan White led his sons Ezra, six, and Caleb, nine, up the 950m mountain, reaching the third highest point in England.

The family, from Horsham, ascended up Striding Edge - known as one of the most dangerous climbing routes in the country - and Dan said many walkers on the mountain expressed their admiration and surprise at Ezra’s achievement.

Dan said: “To climb one of the most demanding mountain routes in the UK across a knife-edge ridge into the swirling mist, the day after sumitting another big one, the Old Man of Coniston, and without complaining once, at just six years of age, is quite an achievement.

“He never wavered on the crest of Striding Edge, despite the deep plunges on either side of the foot or two of rock we were scrambling over.

“It looks like he’s inheriting my head for heights!”

The brave trio walked over Striding Edge in high winds, with Ezra on a safety rope attached to Dan, and Caleb walking without a rope.

As they crossed the knife-edge, Dan said, they dropped down to less exposed ground, enabling them to cross the remainder of the ridge slightly easier.

After reaching the peak, they descended down the equally tricky Swirral Edge.

In total, the journey took around six and a half hours without any long breaks.

Ezra, praised as a ‘trooper’ by his father, is now targeting the Welsh peak Tryfan.

Dan added: “The rest of the family are rightly proud of him. I can’t wait to get him up Tryfan, and then on into winter climbing beyond that.”