Father and son hiking Mont Blanc for Welwyn school

Oliver Samuel and his eight-year-old son Jasper are taking on the Tour de Mont Blanc, a two-week hike that will take them through three different countries and the stunning landscapes of the Alps.

"The route basically goes around the outskirts of Mont Blanc," Oliver explained.

"The route starts in France, then passes through Italy and Switzerland, before ending up back where you started."

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The duo's journey takes in the stunning landscapes of the Alps. (Image: Oliver Samuel)

The duo started their epic journey on Monday (July 24), and spoke to the Welwyn Hatfield Times as they walked through France on day two.

They will be sleeping a tent throughout, and night one proved a challenge with some testing weather conditions, but Oliver admitted the stunning views make things easier on difficult days.

"We’re sleeping in a tent, and on the first night it was heavy rain and five hours of thunderstorms, which really wasn’t nice," he said.

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"It’ll take us 14 days to complete with a couple of rest days in between, and it’s challenging, but it’s a beautiful hike.

"Some of the views and things you see along the way are otherworldly. When you see a postcard of a mountain range, it’s just like that.

"You also meet plenty of people along the way, and they’ve come from all over the world to walk on route."

Oliver is an experienced hiker, having trekked through mountain ranges across the globe, including the Himalayas, but this is Jasper's first expedition.

The Mont Blanc hike is Jasper's first trek. (Image: Oliver Samuel)

"He is doing really well, because it’s very unusual for a child just eight years old to do this route," said his father. 

"We’ve found that the secret weapon is sweets, so he’s been having lots of them to keep his energy up. I’m carrying most of the weight obviously, but he’s got a little backpack on to help out.

"I was going to go on my own, because I usually do one hike a year on my own, but as he’s gotten older I feel guilty not taking him. I decided to take him this year and he’s doing well so far."

Their efforts are for Jasper's school, Welwyn St Mary's Primary School, which is in desperate need of funding to continue teaching children music.

"As with many schools across the country, funding for music education at St Mary's is being reduced next year," said Oliver. 

"This means that the music education that past children have enjoyed is at risk of not continuing. We have already raised more than £600 for the school and want to keep that number going up."

To donate, visit www.gofundme.com/f/trek4tunes-music-equipment-for-welwyn-st-marys.