ALAN Hinkes is the first Briton to climb the world's highest mountains. All of the 14 8,000m peaks are in the so-called 'death zone', where human survival rate is measured in hours.

Alan, from Northallerton, North Yorkshire, is part of an exclusive club of only 12 people alive who have achieved this feat. He currently works as an outdoor equipment technical consultant and writes for magazines such as Trail and lectures on his exploits.

Awarded the OBE in the 2006 New Year's Honours, Alan is an Honorary Citizen of his home town, an Honorary Fellow of the University of Sunderland, Honorary Doctor of the University of York and an Honorary Doctor of Professional Studies, University of Teesside.

He is involved in charitable work for Water Aid, Diabetes UK, the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Mountain Rescue and works closely with the British Mountaineering Council.

He will also give the 2012 Wainwright Memorial Lecture at the Rheged Centre, near Penrith on November 9. You can follow him on Twitter @alanhinkes

WHAT was your first car?

IT was a Citroen Ami. I moved on to Citroen Dyane 602cc - happy days - I used to drive to the Alps and back in it - two to three of us and our kit. You could 'wind it up' to 70mph-plus on the German Autobahn. With the seats out - except driving seat - it was like a mini camper van for one.

How many times did you take to pass your test?

I PASSED my driving test first time. I was living in Hexham at time. Friends sat in with me in my own car and I drove as much as possible on climbing and caving trips. Essentially I bought a car and booked my test. I had to wait two to three months for a slot. I got plenty of mileage in. I remember being confident, but not complacent and concentrating on safety and procedure. Driving my car alone for the first time was a wonderful feeling - with a big grin on my face, I stretched and spread my left arm out as far as I could over the passenger seat and cranked up Led Zeppelin on the radio/cassette player!

WHO would be your ideal passenger and where would you like to go?

A CLIMBING mate who appreciates loud rock music on the sound system. Ideally, we would be driving the snowy and icy winter roads of Norway in a car fitted with steel studded winter tyres en route to climb a big, high frozen waterfall.

WHAT is your dream car?

A MARS Rover vehicle so I could get to Olympus Mons - the highest mountain on Mars and the highest in the Solar System. At 22,000m-plus, it’s nearly three times as high as Everest which stands 8,848m.

HOW would you describe your driving style?

ADVENTUROUS. Defensive. Relaxed. Purposeful

TELL me one driving anecdote from your past?

WE did a charity drive for Mountain Rescue in a Skoda Yeti around all 39 Historic Counties of England and climbed to the highest point of each one. You could even drive up a few! From motorways to dirt tracks and off-road all in the same vehicle.
I drive a lot of different vehicles - Pinzgauer six-wheel drive forward control is centainly a talking point when you park it in the High Street. I have also had a few exciting experiences in so-called Third World countries. Driving in Nepal is on the left as in the UK - but most vehicles drive alarmingly on 'either side' of the road.

WHAT is playing on your in-car iPod or CD player at the moment and why?

I MOSTLY use the radio and listen to BBC Radio 4 because it is informative and comfortingly familiar. Musically I like Led Zeppelin or Neil Young - I might be inculcating the kids into decent rock music.

WHAT do you drive now?

I AM renting at the moment. I have just put 10,000 miles on a VW Golf and it has been swapped for a 1.4 Corsa. It does what it says on the tin!