Family and supporters have paid tribute to an 85-year-old Nepali man who died trying to regain his title as the oldest person to climb Mount Everest, as mountaineering experts campaigned for an upper age limit to attempt the daunting challenge.

Hillwalking, climbing and mountaineering have long been favourite pastimes in this country. Dan MacCarthy says Paddy O’Leary’s new history captures the intense rivalry of these sports’ participants