Nepal trek for Eleanor (From Thisisdorset)

Nepal trek for Eleanor

11:24am Saturday 27th September 2008 in News By Joanna Davis

ADVENTUROUS student Eleanor Chichester is setting out on one of the most gruelling treks in the world - all in the name of science.

The Bangor University student, from Winterborne Kingston, is heading off to the Hidden Valley in Nepal later this month to carry out scientific experiments.

She will join a 46-man team to climb to over 6,000 metres and traverse the deepest gorge in the world.

Eleanor, who went to the Blandford School and is in her final year of studying sports science, hopes to find out what factors affect human performance when there is insufficient oxygen to breathe.

She has been carrying out baseline testing at university before setting out on the expedition.

The results, such as lung capacity measurements, will be compared with tests that will be carried out during the trip.

Eleanor said: "The trip attracted me because it was a great chance to go abroad to do my dissertation research and look into a new area of research of optimism, anxiety and acute mountain sickness."

The expedition is being run by Powys-based charity Medical Expeditions.