To Bog and Beyond!

Sunday saw the last "practice" climb for the Nepal team, lead by the intrepid Dave's C and B over at Kinder Scout in the Peak District.

With a 6 - 6.30 am departure for most of us, we were up and out before the Sun, which finally emerged over the horizon behind a haze of mist for a truly stunning sunrise, and lots of excited photographing from those of us who rarely see the sun rise.  For some crazy reason, Jan again took me, Sheleen and Julie despite knowing that he'd have to have a car of girl princess singing as his reward - our intrepid car crew were on their way!

As we drove up into the Peak District, it seemed we sailed besides the oceans of past millennia as the land pulled the shrouds of mist densely and protectively against her - all very mystical and beautiful until we hit a descent and ended up driving through the "sea" - cue songs from The Little Mermaid (in our car at least - poor Jan!) and lots of perplexed peering with the SatNav advising of turnings no one could see!

Within a few hours we had arrived and with a few last minute toilet trips, the team were assembled we began our climb - gentle and rolling unlike the initial steep ascent of Snowdon (my only other climb).  At least this one was going to be fairly hassle free...

Lesson there in speaking too soon!

Whilst Jacobs ladder made me think rude and unspeakable things about Jacob, the views were stunning, with the mist fighting the sun to claim the valley floor, creating an otherworldly dreamscape.  Finally, the sun won out, the mist dissipated and we were left with a beautiful and clear day (cue lots of layer stripping from the team!)

The climb was fairly straightforward, a good climb with friends, views across England's green and pleasant lands and lots of jelly babies and jelly tots and when the going did get tough, I reminded myself of the pain of bootcamp and just what my body could do.  We finally arrived at the top at 11.30, having climbed so high we'd reached the moon, we had time for a quick photo shoot before making our way to the waterfall for lunch, although I'm still not sure if this was because of how beautiful the view is there, or because Julie wouldn't let us have lunch before 12 pm!  Alas, the waterfall was not in full flow, and looked more like the rocks had sprung a slow leak - something Rob H (our work plumber) seemed unwilling to go and rectify!

Assured by Dave C that it was now "all down hill from here", that really should be the end of the adventure - we climbed down, had a cup of tea, and went home!  However, our off road adventure was far from over...

Next important lesson - just because it's flat doesn't mean it's your friend.  Less like a comforting aunty and more like an obsessive ex who wants to hold you captive and never let you go, dragging you down into the deep, dark depths.  OK, so I may be slightly traumatised...  You see, far from being the easy bit, there was danger in where to tread!  Whether walking besides the river or across the boggy flatland's, if there was a sink hole to be found, it seemed poor April would find it.  Not that the lads weren't very good at rescuing her, but they did have to wait for Julie to take a photo and I think she was starting to feel a little picked on by the bog goblins.  Whilst Gemma seemed to float over the bog, April, stepping in her stead was repeatedly sunk beyond ankles into wet, peaty bog.  So far so funny (sorry April) :)

The first time I went down to my ankle, there was at least solid rock underneath.  The next time there was nothing beneath and that feeling of not being put your foot on something solid, not even really having anything solid to push against with your other foot is disconcerting to say the least.  Let's just say Mark F had more than his fair share of having to pull me out of things and up things.  It was about to get boggier.  When we crossed the flats (all quite pretty) my left leg sank to the ankle and my right leg sunk to the thigh.  Bog goblins had captured me.  I wasn't actually sure I was ever getting out of there, or that rescue was coming.  When you're thigh deep and have to yell "Seriously, I can't get out!!!!" at your team, hope fades and the goblins giggle.  With much hilarity and photo's from my team, Mark and Jan finally came back for me - pulled me up a few inches and then I stuck again.  The fact that the land is so soft means no one really has anything solid to pull against, and if you get too close to the really bad bit, you're going to end up with three people in the rescue plane, not one.  Not sure I actually would have been willing to share at that point, other than with my bog buddy April.  Fortunately, with their strength and my barely concealed panic, we got me (and a large amount of bog in my boot) out.  April and I now had matching muddy legs!

The journey across the top was a mixture of the sublime and the ridiculous - the views and the sinking's.  It's the kind of thing that could ruin a day's walk but thanks to the camaraderie (mainly expressed through laughter and ill-timed photo's) and team spirit, it weirdly seemed to make the day.  If we can get April and I across the Bog of Eternal Stench then Nepal should hold far less fear for us together.  We might have been dirty, but we were all in high spirits when we finally reached that very epitome of happiness and security - solid rock!

Apparently you can tell when the walk got easier based on whether the girls chat was about "oohhh it's hard", "aagghhh", "how much farther" or "ohh what are you packing", "are you taking straighteners", "how much luggage can we take?"

Important lesson 2 - "all down hill from here" is code for only at least two more climbs!  However, having escaped the bogs, the last climb only received a modicum of whining and moaning from me, mainly about my sore knee's - and not so very reassuring reassurances that they'd hurt even more by the time we'd done the final descent!!  Turns out to be very true.  I actually missed the bogs as we came down what I at least consider to be sheer rock.

It was a rather grumpy Charlotte that made that final descent (in no small measure due to Rob's walking poles), but the swap from soggy socks and boggy boots to clean trainers was enough to bring a smile to any face (and the promise of the pub...)

We had a really good day, hard work at times, hysterical (not always the laughter kind) most of the time and definitely bonding with all the bog rescues.

The journey home (bless poor Jan) with me, Sheleen and Julie was a medley of Disney Princess songs (to say Jan was singing along would be mean, but not entirely untrue) and enjoying the views that we missed thanks to the swathes of mist in the morning!  

Home at last, a good scrub in the shower, iced peas on my knees and lots of photo uploading later, I was ready for an early night.

Thank you to all the team who were on the climb, and I can't wait for the next one (in Nepal!!!).  Dave C and B, we'll miss you lots!

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