Snowdon - steep, wet and very, very windy

Last weekend we spent the weekend in Snowdonia, North Wales.  The scenery was amazing but the weather was pretty grotty which meant we didn't get to see much.  We were really only there for one reason - to climb Mount Snowdon.

Snowdonia was formed approximately 450-400 million years ago (the Alps are 60 million years old in Comparison) as an oceanic plate, lapetus, slid under the continent of Laurentia.  At the time Wales would have been the site of huge amounts of volcanic activity.  As well as volcanic rock, you will also find lots of sedimentary rock in Snowdonia as the formation of the mountains was underwater.

It felt like we were underwater as the drive though the mountains to our hotel was through sideways rain and high winds.  We stayed in a lovely little hotel well hidden half way up a very, very steep hill.   I knew we were in proper Welsh Wales when we sat having a drink in to the hotel bar and a sheep casually wondered past the window as it was eating the grass.  It mowed the lawn of the hotel gardens and then wondered back up the hill.

A rare sight of some blue sky.

The weather didn't improve overnight so the likelihood of reaching the summit was looking slim.  This became even clearer when we arrived at the car park to a long speech by the car park attendant about the conditions on Snowdon and setting our expectation about how high we should go.  The advice was heard loud and clear - do not attempt to reach the summit today.

There are seven routes up to the summit of snowdon.  We opted to take the Llanberis Path.  The total walk was nine miles long, 3200 ft high and a six hour walk.  The Llanberis path is the gentlest and longest route up Snowdon.  The path is well defined and easy to follow with cafe midway.

The first 20 minutes or so of the climb was by far the worse.  Whilst the surface was the best (a nice cement road) it was by far the steepest part.  Every time you got to a bend and thought it was over, there was another section, and another, and another.  

Once we were off the road and on to rougher terrain I'd got a bit more in to the swing of things.  We had managed to lose the crowd that were following us up and had got into a rhythm - whilst still stopping for breath a lot!   As we got higher and higher the conditions got worse and worse.

I had every layer on I had with me, it was a great day for trying out my hiking gear.  But, it was truly awful.  I'm not going to lie, I hated every step.  The rain was getting heavier meaning the path was getting slippy.  And the wind....... it was blowing my clothes so much that I literally looked like I was wearing clingfilm!   I was not a happy girl!!

Strike a pose.

We finally made it to the halfway house.  A little cafe exactly half way up the route.....a VERY welcome break and mentally a massive boost.  We took full advantage of the facilities and stopped for a cuppa and a Welsh cake, and of course a toilet break before assessing the weather.

X marks the spot of the halfway house.

I wasn't the only one who wasn't exactly enjoying the day.  The lady sitting next to us in the cafe sent a text that simply said "words can not describe how awful this is".  It was such a shame as it was clearly the weather making conditions difficult for everyone.

The weather had taken a turn for the worse so rather than continue a little further up and risk getting caught, we decided to head back down so we had the rest of the day to explore a bit of the area in the dry car with heated seats.  Any views we had on the way up had disappeared and been replaced with thick cloud, with nothing to see it was really was "head down and get off this mountain as quick as we can".

Although I didn't make it to the top, fitness wise I could tell that I had it on me.  Had mother nature (and mountain rescue!) been on our side we would have made it to the top, I'm sure.  So the weekend wasn't a complete waste - I got an idea of what lies ahead of me, I got try out my walking poles and I got to eat Welsh cake!!

Here's hoping the tropics of Africa are kinder to us.

#goingbeyond

It wouldn't be right not to post today.  Four months today we start the climb.

We will have completed more training than I ever thought I would do in my lifetime.  We will have raised as many pennies as we can for worthy causes.  We will have collected donations of books, clothes and stationery for a school in need and shipped to Tanzania with laptops donated from work.  We will have packed and unpacked our bags a million times.  We will have waved goodbye to our families and friends and arrived in Tanzania.  And we will have probably laughed and cried about what is lying ahead of us.

Four months is nothing.  Its no time at all - and it shows, we have both switched in to panic mode and have suddenly become very, VERY focused on the task at hand.

The last four months of training is booked in the diary.  I'm not sure I'm going to have a social life now until its all over but I know my body will be in as good a shape as it can be.

There is still a lot to do.  Insurance, visa's, injections, school donations - the list that seems to get longer no matter how much I tick off each week.

At work we have a #goingbeyond hashtag, so that's what we're doing - in 3 months, 30 days, 8 hours and 24 minutes (its less than four months already!!)

Odzala-Kokoua National Park - Congo

Odzala-Kokoua totals 13,500 KM2 and has been an African Parks project since 2010.  It is situated in the heart of the second largest tropical rainforest in the world (after the Amazon), and harbours some of the rarest and most enigmatic species on the planet.  The park is home to the Critically Endangered western lowland gorilla, forest elephant, at lest 444 bird species, and an almost unparalleled floral diversity.

The stats....

• 22,000 gorillas confirmed in 2015 census;
• Over 106 eco-guards employed;
• Established in 1935, Odzala is one of Africa's oldest national parks.

The Highlights

• The "poacher to protector" programme, which permits poachers to become rangers in exchange for their firearm and full disclosure, has led to 56 confiscated firearms and improved park intelligence;
• A gorilla habituation programme is being implemented to improve tourism for local communities;
• Over 100 jobs have been created within park management;
• Since 2012, 5% of commercial revenue has gone into a Community Fund channeling US$82,000 in support of local projects;
• A mobile health clinic established serving 400 people in 39 villages around the park.

What next for Odzala-Kokoua?

• Provide new income streams for local communities, including planting 40,000 cocoa saplings outside of the park in rehabilitated cocoa fields;
• Following formal training from agricultural experts, communities are planting trees that are expected to start bearing fruit in two to three years;
• Continue with gorilla habituation at multiple sites within the park to aid tourism to deliver needed local benefits;
• Survey transects to evaluate wildlife population trends in order to better protect them;
• Implement a tourism development plan to increase tourism numbers and revenue.

All of this information has been taken from the African Parks website.  If you want to find out even more about Odzala-Kokoua National Park then why not grab a cuppa and click on the link below - happy browsing!

Odzala-Kokoua National Park 

PS - here is a link to my just giving page - click here to sponsor me 😘

The Thames Path Challenge

Yesterday I stepped up the training with a light 25k stroll along the Thames.  It was an organised walk by Action Challenge that took us along the Thames from Bishops Park to Southwark Park.  The 'Thames Bridges Trek' followed the Thames Path crossing 16 bridges and taking us right through the heart of London.

This was the longest I had walked in one sitting and I knew it would be a challenge but the scenery as well as the camaraderie with the other hundreds of people completing the walk made the time pass a lot quicker than I thought.

For those data geeks among you, here are the highlights:

• 25 kilometers walked
• 16 bridges crossed
• 43,254 steps stepped
• 1,043 calories burned
• 2 sore feet
• and the worlds largest blister

We started the walk at Bishops Park where we registered, warmed up and made the most of the free tea and toilets.  Then we were on our way - heading east.

Bridge One - Putney Bridge
Originally known as Fulham Bridge it was the second bridge to cross the Thames and was first built in 1729 out of wood.  It originally has 26 arches as opposed to the current five.  The replacement bridge was built in 1886.

Bridge Two - Fulham Railway Bridge
This bridge was opened in 1889 and is 418 meters long.  It was designed by Brunel's former assistant William Jacob.

Bridge Three - Wandsworth Bridge and the 4k mark
Opened in 1940 and is 200m long.  The steel panels on the side of the bridge were painted different shades of blue in an attempt to camouflage the bridge from air raids.

Bridge Four - Battersea Bridge
Build in 1890 it is the narrowest surviving road bridge over the Thames in London, it is one of London's least busy bridges.  The location on a bend in the river makes the bridge a hazard to shipping, and it has been closed many times due to collisions.

Bridge Five - Albert Bridge, reaching 7k along the way
Opened in 1873 it was known as the 'Trembling Lady' because it shook when being used by soldiers from the Chelsea barracks.  It is one of two road bridges over the Thames that have never been replaced.

Bridge Six - Chelsea Bridge, marking the 10k point

The bridge is self-anchored so there is no 'abutment' support at either end of the bridge.  The original bridge was built in 1858 with the replacement bridge being put in place in 1937.

Bridge Seven - Vauxhall bridge, the last bridge before the halfway rest point, at 13k

Opened in 1906, Vauxhall bridge is unique - attached to the bridge's piers are eight colossal (they're twice life size) statues of allegorical figures, the 2nd of which is is a figure of St Paul's Cathedral.

The halfway point at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens was a very welcome sight.  We got 'scanned' in before being presented with a vast array of treats.  Crisps, chocolate bars, fruit, sweets - and the largest pastries I have ever seen!  We sat down for our only break of the day and enjoyed a quick toilet break and a refuelling before setting off again.

Bridge Eight - Lambeth Bridge

It was opened in 1932 and is 237 long.  Supposedly the red colour of the bridge represents the colour of the seats of the House of Lords.  Members of the house of parliament would walk along this bridge while those of the house of commons would use the Westminster Bridge.

Bridge Nine - Westminster Bridge, 15k

Opened in 1862 it is the oldest road bridge across the Thames in central London.  The detailing of the bridge was done by Charles Barry the architect of the Palace of Westminster.

Bridge Ten - Golden Jubilee Bridges

The first bridge was opened in 1845 as a suspension footbridge.  The two 4 meter wide foot bridges were completed in 2002 and were named the Golden Jubilee Bridges in honour of the fiftieth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession.

Bridge Eleven - Waterloo Bridge
Designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott who also designed the red telephone box who was not an engineer making the plans very difficult to build, however once it was opened it became London's first concrete bridge across the river Thames.  Opened in 1945 it is also know as the Ladies bridge - as whilst designed by a man, it was largely built by a female workforce during the war, after over 500 men were called to fight.

Bridge Twelve - Blackfriars Bridge
The original bridge was opened in 1769 with the replacement being opened in 1869 and is 281m long.  The piers of the bridge are decorated with stone carvings of birds, with the carvings of freshwater lords reflecting the role of Blackfriars as the tidal turning point of the Thames.  On the north side of the bridge is a statue of Queen Elizabeth, to whom the bridge is dedicated.

Bridge Thirteen - Millennium Bridge, 19k point half way across the bridge
The first bridge built and opened in over 100 years, in 2000 and named 'the wobbly bridge' after it wobbled alarmingly on the opening.  It was then repaired and opened again in 2002 - said to cost £18.2m.  Today there are over 400 different pieces of art on the bridge - which is the work of street artist Ben Wilson who paints scenes, shapes and figures on the trodden, dropped chewing gum of passersby.

Bridge Fourteen - Southwark Bridge
Over 13,000 litres of paint were used on the restoration in 2010.  It was originally built in 1921 - today Southwark bridge has its own website.  Check it out here.

Bridge Fifteen - London Bridge
This was the first bridge in central London crossing the Thames.  The first stone version was built in 1176.  there used to be buildings and shops on the bridge, but in 1758 all of them were removed.  The London Bridge that we refer to now was opened in 1973.

Bridge Sixteen - Tower Bridge, 22k, the last bridge!
The bridge was opened in 1894 and was considered the most sophisticated of its type in the world.  In 1952 while the bridge was opening the number 78 double decker bus was still on it so had to accelerate and it managed to jump the gap.

Once we had crossed the final bridge we passed through some beautiful streets - where apparently Pink Panther lives!  We also came across some quite dramatic weather but somehow managed to stay dry all day.

If I thought the half way point was a welcome sight, that was nothing compared to the end, where toilets, food, chairs and FREE PROSECCO was waiting.  Once we had rested up we needed to get home but my feet were having none of it.  Thankfully I had packed a change of shoes, they bought some relief for me feet but I was still struggling to walk by this point - but I did it!!

I need to get my feet back to walking fit soon as in a couple of weeks I'm at it again, but this time uphill on rough terrain.  Words can not describe how big the blister is on my little toe!

So, if you fancy a challenge, why not give its go yourself.  The route is below, green pin to red pin - I dare you.

Its starting to get real now!

The flights are booked, the balance is paid and the details are finalised.  It's starting to feel very real now.

Since my last post I've had a birthday.  This years generous gifts were money, money and money.  Those who know me well will know that I have spent it all already! Waterproof jacket, waterproof trousers, lightweight fleece, 2x buffs, first aid kit, water purifiers, mozzie spray, whistle, t-shirts....I even got a bumbag!!!  Goodness only knows how I'm going to fit it all in my bag - I haven't even got half of what I need yet....the Christmas gift list is already sorted. 😉

I also got an apple watch (other watch brands are available) and have become slightly obsessed with tracking my steps, calories burned and heart rate.  I went for a 10k walk yesterday, the training never ends but its nice to have some variety and do something outdoors while the weather is kind to us.  This gave me a great opportunity to track my walk, it is quite weird as I know how slowly we walk up the mountain so I need to keep reminding myself its not about how quick I do things.  The walk was actually a nice stroll along the Thames so I wasn't on a mission to get back home as soon as I could.  Its about stamina not speed.  I've added some photos below.

I thought I'd used my water bladder system, to get used to using it as well as carrying the weight of the water on my back whilst walking.  This didn't quite go to plan - I got as far as 5 houses down the road before I felt a cold sensation on my hips.  The valve wasn't in far enough and the whole lot was pouring down my legs.  Anyone watching must have thought I'd wet myself!!

The false start didn't put me off though.  Back home for a quick change, a dry bag and a new water bottle and we were on our way.  (Needless to say "getting the valve in properly" has been well practiced since!!).

As you can see below I didn't race it at all - 10k is actually more than I walk any day on the climb, and I'll be walking much slower.... just up a very steep hill.

In a couple of weeks time we are doing the Thames Bridge Challenge.  A 25k walk along the Thames, crossing 16 bridges.  I'm hoping the scenery, crowds and atmosphere will distract me from the task in hand, 25k sounds like such a long walk.  I'm just going to have to break it down into chunks, 5k at a time to get through.  Two weeks after that its Snowdon, the more regular exercises are starting to take a back seat now as I start the final countdown.

Clear, still waters.

Dragon spotting

Now that the booking is all confirmed I have the full details of my trip.  A seven day climb, a days safari and a day volunteering at the Ikirwa School.  The school was founded by one of the Safari coordinators working for the trekking company we are going with - Team Kilimanjaro.

I love their strapline - something I believe in, the law of attraction.  What you imagine you become.  I often visualise myself standing at the summit of Kilimanjaro.  That's the goal so that's what I imagine. Positive thinking and a positive attitude, no matter how scared I can get at times.

We will be sending over a donation of stationery, clothes, toys etc from our Company as well as donations from anyone that wants to give - I'm sure we'll get to sit in on a few lessons to, to share some words of wisdom, I'm so hoping I get the Music class rather than the Maths class!!!

I'm starting to learn a bit of Swahili so I can communicate a bit with the children.  I also figured that I'm relying on a small group of locals to get me up the mountain safely so the least I can do is learn the basics.  "Hello", "Thank you", "Goodnight" and "what the hell am I doing!?*!" should cover it.

Pit stop at the Sonning Tea Rooms, on the Thames.

As you know, preparing for this isn't all about exercise.  What you eat is important to.  I didn't start off great and learned the hard way that you don't lose weight by simply eating less.  All this training has meant that I've had to fuel my body so actually I've had to eat more - just more of the good stuff.

My personal trainer has been a great help in getting my mindset about food right.  I need to eat a lot more than salad and herbal tea if Im going to give my muscles what they need to get stronger.  I've now got to a place where I know what I need, I understand good carbs and good fats and thanks to a few handy apps am tracking my calories in and calories out daily.

As someone with a sweet tooth, it can be a struggle sometimes to resist the occasion treat so I'm taking the time to make some treats that tick the 'sweet' box but a the same time aren't full of the bad stuff.  Today I made a polenta cake, something that is severely tasty, lasts a while and is very easy to make.  I also tried my hand at some sweet potato brownies - again these are wheat free and only have natural sugars in them - and now I know sweet potatoes are a "good carb" I can eat as many as I can, as they are one of my favourite vegetables!

When I started this blog post I wasn't quite sure what I was going to write about.  To be honest its a little slow at the moment with training, training and more training so I'm sorry its slightly dull and rather random.....

As we get nearer the climb things will pick up and I'm sure I'll be updating you daily.

I thought I'd close with something else rather random,  I've had this song going round and round my head for over a week now - Its only right that I share it, as at the moment I just can't get enough of Rag'n'Bone Man.....click the link below and enjoy.

Rag'n'Bone Man - As You Are

Finally - It goes without saying that you can still sponsor me!  Just click the button below!!

Liuwa Plain National Park - Zambia

An African Parks project since 2003, at 3,660 KM2, Luiwa Plain's expansive vistas are home to the second largest wildebeest migration in Africa and the legendary lioness Lady Luiwa.  With over 15,000 wildebeest, a plethora of water birds, and apex predators including hyenas, cheetahs, and Luiwa's famous lions, Liuwa offers an unparalleled sense of space and wilderness, and epitomises wild Africa.

However, Luiwa's wildlife also share this landscape with over 10,000 community members who live inside the park.  In the late 19th century the then King of Barotseland, Lubosi Lewanika, appointed his people as the custodians of the reserve and its wildlife.  Since then, animals and people have lived side by side within the park.

The stats....

• 334 bird species occur in the park;
• Liuwa is home to the famous lioness Lady Liuwa;
• Wilderbeast population has grown from 15,000 in 2004 to between 30,000 to 40,000 individuals in 2016.

The Highlights

• Three lions were introduced to accompany the famous and sole surviving lioness Lady Liuwa;
• Since 2003, poaching has been curtailed and wildebeest and zebra populations are on the rise.  Antelope that were locally extinct have been reintroduced, and the cheetah population is recovering its the addition of none cubs;
• Luiwa hosts the second largest wildebeest migration in Africa;
• A community development fund providing monthly payments has been used for projects selected by the community, including health clinics and building materials for school buildings.

What next for Liuwa Plain?

• Develop the parks tourism infrastructure to increase benefits for local communities;
• Construct the new luxury camp with Norman Carr Safaris;
• Provide community training on land usage to improve their agricultural yields;
• Investigate ways of reducing dependancy on naturally occurring fish stocks that are variable with climate change;
• Conduct a park-wide aerial survey to verify wildebeest and zebra numbers to inform the protection strategy.

All of this information has been taken from the African Parks website.  If you want to find out even more about Liuwa Plain National Park then why not grab a cuppa and click on the link below - happy browsing!

Liuwa Plain National Park 

PS - here is a link to my just giving page - click here to sponsor me 😘

They made it!

I am pleased to report that African Parks successfully completed the largest elephant translocation in history on Wednesday, 2nd August 2017.  In total, 520 elephants were successfully moved from Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve in Malawi, and were released in Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve.

Wooohooo!

The translocation had two objectives: to restock Nkhotakota and to relieve pressure from the elephant surplus in Liwonde and Majete. Given Malawi is a densely-populated, agro-based country, ecological corridors no longer exist to allow for natural movement for wildlife, therefore this ‘human-assisted migration’ was needed to provide the best chance of a long-term and sustainable future for these elephants.

Already there has been a reduction in human-wildlife conflict, with not one human or elephant fatality in Liwonde since July 2016, and tourism is already on the rise in Nkhotakota where new elephant calves were documented earlier this year - offspring from the 261 elephants translocated in 2016.

African Parks have released a short video documenting this massive move - Watch it here.

Let's hear it for the Lions!

Today is international Lion day.  In 1970 it was estimated the lion population was around 200,000+ but in 2016 it was estimated there are only 25,000 left in the wild.

Lets celebrate these beautiful creatures by showing Lions some love today (I'm a Leo by the way 😉)

It's not all animals - Humanitarian crisis in CAR

As you know, African Parks do much more than move elephants - and actually much more than just protect wildlife.  They have recently launched a request for donations to support a humanitarian crisis unfolding in the communities surrounding Chinko, a park under their management, in the Central African Republic.

Violence has displaced thousands of people around Chinko, many have sadly already lost their homes and loved ones.

African Parks are calling for donations that they will immediately put towards providing food, housing and safety for those trying to  find safe harbour within the park as well as the extended families of African Park employees in the neighboring communities.  Lets not forget that these employees are the ones risking their lives daily as rangers to protect the precious wildlife from poachers.

African Parks are aiming to raise $518,000 for these humanitarian efforts - any additional funds will be applied to overall operations in Chinko.

You know what to do....

My Kilimanjaro climb is less than six months away now, my little legs have a lot of work to do but it will be worth it if I can help with the campaigns above and more.  Please dig deep and sponsor me below.

My flights are all booked so there is no going back now!!