Scaling Mont Blanc wearing a bonnet, vintage pantaloons and a feather boa!

THERE'S a saying that you don't know someone unless you have "walked a mile in their their shoes".

- By Simon de Bruxelles

Modern-day adventurer Elise Wortley is following in the footsteps of her brave female predecessors, quite literally... dressed in vintage clothing and using the same antique kit

This means that when she followed in the snowy footprints of pioneering mountaineer Dorothy Pilley, who scaled Corsica's tallest peak in 1922, she was wading through waist deep snow in woollen knickerbockers, a silk blouse and leather boots with hobnails.

For safety's sake, her feet were strapped into a pair of metal crampons for much of the arduous climb to the 8,878ft-high summit of Monte Cinto.

The mountain sits on the GR20, a hiking trail across the French island which is recognised as one of the toughest treks in Europe.

Most people who make the journey do it during the climbing season which lasts from May to October. Elise and her companions did so last week in the depths of winter when snow and ice made the route not just demanding but at times reduced visibility to virtually zero.

They climbed the equivalent of 360 flights of stairs before starting their descent back down to sea level in Bastia. The terrain on the trek went from rugged to ridiculous.

They had to walk in single file taking it one step at a time, the leader stomping down the snow so it was firm enough for those following. Near the summit the white snow merged invisibly into the white cloud making it easy to lose your bearings.

The purpose of the trek was to recognise the achievement of Pilley on the 90th anniversary of the publication of her groundbreaking memoir Climbing Days.

The book recounted her adventures climbing in Europe and North America at a time when female climbers were often regarded by their male counterparts as little more than irritating excess baggage. This book helped change that and for a while made Pilley a famous name in the world of outdoor activities.