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Milford Track Day One Glade Wharf to Clinton Hut

The Milford Track is remote, so remote in fact that you have to get a boat to the start and from the finish of it. There are no roads on the track, everything has to be walked in or brought in by helicopter. This, in its very essence was the appeal of walking the Milford Track for me. A four day walk through pristine rain forest wilderness, following crystal clear rivers, surrounded by snow capped mountains rising straight up from steep sided valleys sounds just like heaven, and in a way it is.

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A Mell Fell Double

So today is the day. The day when I start my quest to complete all of the Wainwright’s in book order, starting of course with Book One, The Eastern Fells. I have spent the night at ‘The Quiet Site, a caravan/campervan site which happens to be at the foot of Little Mell Fell, perfect for my walk. It’s January and it’s cold but I am treated to a glorious sunrise, the clouds slowly turning golden in anticipation and then our very own star rising up over the Far Eastern Fells and marking the start of a new day.

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A walk up Yr Elen and Carnedd Dafydd

 It’s early but the summer sun has already lifted above the hills as I pull into a little lay by just outside Bethesda. All is quiet, only the birds singing their morning chorus and the occasional bleating of newly born lambs in the fields break the silence of the still morning air. As I sort my kit out, the lack of any breeze attracts a million bugs who decide I would make a nice breakfast so I am glad when I can lock the car and start moving. The day ahead looks promising, the sky is blue, no rain is forecast and the tops are clear and inviting.

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A walk along the Vall de Boquer

If you are a walker staying in the Pollenca area of Mallorca, the pretty walk along the valley de Boquer to the small bay at Cala Boquer can make for an attractive alternative to sitting on the beach or frequenting the gift shops. It is not too strenuous, would fill a morning or afternoon nicely and as well as providing some valuable holiday exercise it reveals a little glimpse of authentic Mallorcan landscape. If you are walking in the summer, remember to take plenty of sun protection, hat, fluid and food as there is no shade and no facilities throughout the walk.

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A walk up Foel Fras and Carnedd Gwenllian


It’s a clear fresh Autumn morning as I pull into the top car park at the end of the Aber falls road. There is only one other car parked up and it looks like it has been there all night. The Sun has only just risen over the horizon and it takes the early chill away as I pull on my boots and sort out my rucksack. The air is still and nothing is moving. All that can be heard is the sound of bleating sheep on the hillside.

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A walk up Puig de Maria

We’ve been visiting Mallorca for decades. In the early days it was Santa Ponca in the South West but over the last few years we have fallen in love with the peace, quiet and beauty that can be found in the North of the island, particularly the pretty town of Pollenca and surrounding area. Continue reading “A walk up Puig de Maria”

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Kilimanjaro Day Eight Millennium Huts to Mweka Gate – The End

Day 8 Millennium Huts (12,556ft) to Mweka Gate (5,358ft) – The end

Unsurprisingly I slept like a log, helped no doubt by the fact that I was absolutely shattered after summiting Kilimanjaro. We walked for thirteen hours yesterday, and we are now back in the land of trees and warmth and I was sleeping on soft flat dry soil as opposed to dusty gravel at a 45 degree angle and minus 5c. Having gone to bed at 6.30pm last night I was wide awake at 6am this morning for the final day of our magnificent Kilimanjaro adventure. Continue reading “Kilimanjaro Day Eight Millennium Huts to Mweka Gate – The End”

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Kilimanjaro Day Seven (Part 2) – Uhuru Peak, Summit of Mount Kilimanjaro to Millennium Huts

Day 7 (Part 2) Summit day – Uhuru Peak 19,341ft to Millennium Huts (12,556ft)

Why men climb mountains is a question that has been asked for as long as men and women have been climbing mountains. I guess the answer is as individual as the person who is asked. I’m sure Alex Honnold and Chris Bonington would give different, but not maybe too different answers. For me, walking satisfies a deep need. A need, not to achieve, or conquer but to find peace with myself. It gives me time to think and reflect, time to pray and settle my mind, time to consider and make decisions. Life and experience change us but the Mountains remain reassuringly the same. They provide a constancy in our lives and the mountains are always bigger than our own personal circumstances. So here I am on top of a Mount Kilimanjaro, filled with that immense sense of satisfaction that comes from doing something that is not easy, that takes something out of you but gives you so much more back in return.  

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Kilimanjaro Day Seven (Part 1), Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak, Summit of Mount Kilimanjaro

Day 7 (Part 1) Summit day – Barafu Huts Camp (15,295ft) to Uhuru Peak 19,341ft 

It’s two minutes past midnight and we are ‘pulling the trigger’ on our summit bid as Joshua put it in his briefing. Another phrase that struck me in his pre-summit briefing was “give me the next six hours of your life and I’ll get you to the Roof of Africa”. I’ve dreamed of climbing Kili for years, I’ve planned and prepared for this trip for nearly seven months, I’ve walked for six days to get to this point and now, all that remains is six hours, six hours to fulfil a dream.

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Kilimanjaro Day Six Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

Day 6 Karanga Valley Camp (13,235ft) to Barafu Huts Camp (15,295ft)

Unzipping the tent after the 6.30am wake up call reveals a cold, damp and misty Karanga camp. Despite the dark weather however, my spirits are high and I am starting to allow myself to believe that I am going to get this job done. My head is OK with no nausea, I seem to be acclimatising well and the last couple of days I have felt good. Today we will reach base camp and at midnight tonight we will ‘pull the trigger’ as Joshua likes to say on our summit bid. All I’ve got to do is keep well, keep hydrated and keep putting one foot in front of the other. ‘Pole Pole’ is the Swahili catchphrase on this mountain and ‘slowly slowly’ is certainly the way to do it. We will see.

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