Who We Are

In 1968 my father David Bathgate was on an expedition to climb the southwest face of Huandoy, a mountain in the Cordillera Blanca region of the Peruvian Andes. On completion, instead of going by air, he chose to travel back to the east coast of South America by a completely natural highway, the Amazon River. It was upon this meandering adventure that, as a climber, he thought he'd like to follow the entirety of this breath-taking journey from its highest source; Volcán Chimborazo.

My father didn't get round to planning this expedition due to many other exciting commitments, notably an attempt to be the first to climb the Southwest face of Everest in 1972.  But in his 80th year, coinciding with my last year as a Royal Marine Commando, he passed the idea to me. He has planted a seed and  cultivated it in the form of old maps, dusty books, scribbled expedition diaries telling mysterious stories. This seed has matured into a giant Dinizea excelsa, casting shade over all other thoughts  in my head. There is so much to discover on this journey, I'm compelled to finish what my father started.

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J. Bathgate

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