Monday 15 June 2009

Training for Kilimanjaro

Louise wants to climb Kili - at just under 6000m it is the tallest peak in Africa and a major trekking challenge. So to see if she's got what it takes she books me for a day of mountain walking in Snowdonia. After a quick rendezvous at Pete's Eats we head out with a plan of Moel Elio and beyond. Louise sets of at high speed, she has also told me that she is a personal trainer. I worry whether I will be able to keep up with her! I suggest a slightly slower more sustainable pace and thankfully when we hit the first steep slopes she slows down!

Towards the top of Moel Elio we enter the clouds and Louise is glad she is with someone who knows where he's going! Visibility will remain at less than 20m for the next few hours. We're going well so we decide to carry on along the ridge to Moel Cynghorion and then after a little persuasion and encouragement on to the Snowdon Ranger path.

Louise is flagging slightly now but her good level of fitness and more importantly her stubborn attitude to succeed keeps her going. As predicted the cloud starts to break as we approach Snowdon summit - in fact we break through to see an amazing inversion. We look down in awe on a sea of cloud - only the summit of Snowdon is sticking out the top!





Good effort Louise - all the best for Kili!