Woman reaches Paradiso

A Briton has become the first woman to climb and fly off the top of the 4,000m Gran Paradiso in the Aosta Valley in the northwest Italian alps. Adventurer and explorer Squash Falconer summited the peak amid jaw-droppingly beautiful scenery on Thursday September 6.

It was initially thought that she was the first British woman to claim this incredible accolade, but it is now believed that she is in fact the first female ever to do so.

Having summited two 8,000m peaks in the space of three years (Everest and Cho Oyu), Squash also became the first Bristish woman to paraglide from the summit of Mont Blanc, and is no stranger to adventurous and exciting challenges.

Squash said of her success “I have completely fallen for the Aosta Valley, each time I visit I find more amazing things to do there. To become the first woman to climb Gran Paradiso and paraglide off the top is a great honour.”