Everest Base Camp & Gokyo Lakes
A Midlife Journey to the World’s Greatest Trek
One ordinary bloke. One extraordinary adventure. One journey that changed everything.
I signed up for Everest Base Camp during what can only be described as a mild midlife wobble.
What started as a midlife wobble somehow turned into helicopters, high mountain passes, questionable teahouses, altitude-fuelled chaos, and one of the greatest adventures of my life.
Everest Base Camp & Gokyo Lakes: A Midlife Journey to the World's Greatest Trek is my honest, humorous account of taking on one of the world's most iconic treks — with very little idea of what I'd actually signed up for.
If you've ever wondered whether you're capable of more than you think, this book is for you.
Available in paperback and Kindle.
What Readers Are Saying
★★★★★ 4.9 out of 5
Based on 20 Amazon ratings
Amazon #2 Bestseller
★★★★★
Highly recommended reading!
“Such a beautifully written book with humour and intelligence and emotion. It captured the journey spiritually and physically… Great book and captured the journey exquisitely.”
Sara Benn
Verified Amazon Purchase
★★★★★
Excellent Book
“Absolutely Brilliant Book to read. I am going to Base camp Everest on 1 November 26. The Book is absolutely perfect with the information he gives. Brilliant book to read, I could not put it down until I got to the End.”
Chris
Verified Amazon Purchase
★★★★★
A beautiful, emotional trip down memory lane
“As the guy featured in these pages as ‘Mr. Hugs,’ I can safely say this perfectly captures what it felt like. It was so much more than just a journey to a rock with ‘5364’ written on it—it was a true experience of life discovery.”
Michael H.
Amazon Review
About the Book
What starts as an ambitious idea in the pub quickly becomes one of the greatest challenges of my life.
Join me as I leave the comfort of everyday life behind and head for Nepal, where helicopter chaos, high altitude, freezing nights, unforgettable friendships, and one very intimidating mountain await.
This is the true story of trekking to Everest Base Camp and beyond, crossing the infamous Cho La Pass to the breathtaking Gokyo Lakes.
It's honest, humorous, and proof that extraordinary adventures aren't reserved for elite athletes—they're possible for ordinary people willing to take the first step.
You don't need to be a mountaineer or an elite athlete to have an extraordinary adventure. Sometimes you just need to say yes, take the first step, and see where it leads.
Why I Wrote This Book
When I came home from Nepal, I knew something had changed.
I'd kept a diary and returned with thousands of photographs, and I wanted somewhere to tell the story. That became Walking in Circles — initially just a hiking blog, a place to write about Everest and whatever adventure came next.
But the idea of a book came later.
One day, sitting at home and looking back through my Everest photo album, something clicked. The photographs brought it all flooding back — the highs, the doubts, the friendships, the mistakes, and the moments that had changed me.
I realised I didn't just want to write about Everest. I wanted to tell the whole story.
And that's where this book began.
About Marc Jerrard
Marc Jerrard is the creator of Walking in Circles UK, an award-winning hiking blog born from his adventures in the Himalayas.
Since that first journey to Everest, he's returned to Nepal to trek the Annapurna Circuit, taken on hiking challenges across the UK and beyond, and somehow turned a love of walking into something much bigger than he ever intended.
He believes adventure isn't about being the fittest or bravest person in the room. It's about being willing to take that first step.
Everest Base Camp & Gokyo Lakes: A Midlife Journey to the World's Greatest Trek is his first book.
And the Himalayan adventure isn't over. In 2028, he's heading back to Nepal to tackle the Everest Three Passes Trek — with another story potentially waiting to be told.
As Featured In
From the Himalayas to the hills of Britain, my adventures and writing have been shared through outdoor publications, trekking organisations and challenge events.
Explore some of the stories, articles and adventures behind Walking in Circles UK.
Go Beyond the Book
The adventure doesn't end on the final page.
Explore the photographs, videos and practical guides behind the story, or head into the Nepal Hub for everything I've written about trekking in the Himalayas.