Dyslexic Teen Conquers Himalayan Challenge After Nepal Trek

Beau and his brother Alfie successfully completed the gruelling adventure in Nepal

A determined 15-year-old pupil from Maple Hayes Dyslexia School has successfully completed a gruelling trek through the Nepalese mountains, proving once again that dyslexia is no barrier to extraordinary achievement.

Beau Smith, who we reported on in April as he prepared for the adventure of a lifetime, has returned from Nepal after trekking to Poon Hill at 3,210 metres with his Explorer Scout group during the October half term.

The young adventurer from Ashby de la Zouch, who joined Maple Hayes in Year 5, completed the challenging expedition alongside his 16-year-old brother Alfie and Explorer Scouts from across the country.

The journey began with flights from Heathrow to Turkey, then on to Kathmandu, where the group visited a monkey temple before flying to the mountain town of Pokhara. But it was the first day's trek that proved the toughest test.

"That first day was really hard," Beau said. "We did a four or five-hour trek straight uphill in scorching sun. The steps weren't uniform – some were tiny, some were huge. Everyone was thinking 'I don't know if I can make it to the end.' But after that first day, it got better."

The expedition took the group through dense jungle – where they had to watch out for spiders and leeches dropping from trees – before ascending to tea houses (small village hostels) each night. The teens rose at 3am for the final push to Poon Hill, trekking in darkness with only their head torches to guide them.

"You could only see the steps in front of you," Beau said. "But when we got to the top and the sun came up, lighting the tips of the mountains – you couldn't stop looking. It was pretty amazing. We took nearly 5,000 photos on the camera and another 2,000 on phones."

The descent brought its own adventures, including a refreshing – if freezing – dip in crystal-clear glacial river water after days of trekking in the heat.

Headteacher David Lowe said: "We are immensely proud of Beau's achievement. Completing such a physically and mentally demanding expedition demonstrates the resilience and determination we nurture at Maple Hayes. He's shown that with the right support and self-belief, dyslexic pupils can tackle any challenge."

The experience has left Beau hungry for more adventure. He and Alfie are already planning their return to tackle one of the bigger peaks. "I'm definitely going back," Beau said. "We both want to do one of the bigger mountains."

For now, though, the young explorer is back at school, with his career ambitions evolving towards hands-on outdoor work – and serving as an inspiration to his peers that determination and hard work can help you reach any summit.

Maple Hayes Hall School, established in 1982 by Dr Neville Brown and his wife Brenda, uses a distinctive morphological approach to teaching English that has helped dyslexic pupils achieve remarkable academic success for over four decades.