On 5 June 2005 a good friend of mine died on Everest. 

Rob Milne was on his way to achieving his ambition of climbing the highest peak in every continent, and had climbed them all except Everest. He had been on Everest for some weeks, waiting for a break in the weather, and on 5 June his party finally made a summit bid. He was some 400m from the summit, just below the Balcony, when he sat down for a rest, then stood up, stumbled and fell. Doctors in his party confirmed that he'd had a heart attack. His body is still on the mountain.

Rob was a great man, who died tragically young. He touched the lives of everyone he met with his enthusiasm, his humour and his passion.

Even today, four years on, I can't think of Everest without thinking of Rob. If I look at a picture of Everest, my eye is drawn not to the peak, but to the right, below the South Summit, where Rob still lies.

With the news that my friend Alice was walking to Everest Base Camp in April 2009, the idea formed of placing our own small memorial to Rob. With the help of friends, that idea has become a reality. 

We felt that a piece of Scottish rock placed in the Himalayas would be a perfect memorial to Rob, who had lived in Scotland for many years. My friend Patrick kindly brought some suitable rocks back from the shore of Loch Linnhe at Onich.

We selected a smallish rock (Alice had to carry it on her trek) and had it engraved with Rob's name.

I passed the engraved rock on to Alice, who packed it carefully with the rest of the kit for her trek to Everest base camp. A few weeks later, she placed it, with a quiet ceremony, amongst the other memorials to climbers and sherpas, just below Lobuche. 

Like many others, I still miss Rob. Everest will always bring Rob to mind, along with the sadness of the loss, but also happy memories. And at least now, I can think of the small memorial to him, close to where he rests, in the majestic mountains of the high Himalayas.

My thanks to Patrick, and especially to Alice, for joining me and helping me in placing this small tribute.