My kids (Big A (15) and Little A (12)) and I will be attempting the Cuillin Ridge Traverse on the Isle of Skye in Scotland in late May 2025.

The Cuillin Ridge Traverse is described as the UK’s most challenging mountaineering feat, with a length of about 12km, an elevation gain of 4,000m, and a walk-in and walk-out of around 7km each way. Most people tackle the ridge over two days, whereas some superhumans manage it in one.

We’re raising money for the Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team, who recovered the body of our long-time climbing guide, Bob Thomas, after a tragic accident last summer.

We’d be immensely grateful for any contribution, big or small.

Thanks so much for your support,


Nuran, Big A & Little A

Our (longer) story:

We first met Bob when Little A chose rock climbing as the activity he wanted to do for his 6th birthday; from then on, we spent a weekend climbing with Bob every year.

Almost two years ago, during one of those annual weekends in North Wales, Bob planted the seed in my mind that I, too, could one day tackle the Cuillin Ridge Traverse — something I never imagined I’d be fit enough to do. Of course, it would require appropriate preparation and relentless training.

Then, eighteen months ago, we pencilled in the dates, taking into account the kids’ academic commitments over the next few years, and concluded that May 2025 would be the only feasible window for us within the next five years (and before I turned 50!).

I began training in June 2024, shortly after returning from what would turn out to be our final climbing weekend with Bob.

Then in July, I signed up for an online training programme for trekkers and mountaineers, which was due to start in mid-November.

The kids trained too — really hard, in fact — carrying dumbbells in their rucksacks around Box Hill on countless weekends, among other training sessions spread over many months. They were every bit as committed to the challenge as I was.

Then in early August, we received the devastating news that Bob had passed away during a trail-running challenge in the Lake District.

I always referred to Bob as “our amazing guide” in my blog posts, but the truth is, no words can truly describe how special he was. For he was a legend.

For us, it was never just about “going climbing”; it was always about “going climbing with Bob”.

He was an inspiration, a role model, a mentor, and a friend.

Bob didn’t just teach us about climbing (and teach me about navigation), but also introduced us to Welsh flora (bilberries), fauna (Welsh black cattle and red kites), geology (various types of glacial and volcanic rock), and geography (who knew Holyhead was an island off Anglesey — even though I’d been there with Bob the year before and ended up at the wrong meeting point the following year).

He also had the most brilliant sense of humour.

And goodness, was he wonderful with my kids — even though he always insisted he “didn’t work with animals or kids”. My children were incredibly lucky and privileged to have climbed with Bob.

We miss him dearly and will forever cherish the incredible memories we made together. Those were our most memorable and epic adventures, and for that, I will be eternally grateful.

In the months following the tragic accident, we questioned whether we should still go ahead with the Cuillin Ridge Traverse — after all, what was the point without Bob?

But then we realised that if we couldn’t do it with Bob, we wanted to do it for him.

So the kids and I decided to take on the challenge in his memory while raising funds for the Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team.

We’ll now be attempting the traverse with another guide who was mentored by Bob — and who once guided us alongside him.

Bob believed in us — well, in me, really, as there was never any doubt the kids would be fit enough for the Cuillins — long before we believed in ourselves.

Our wish is to complete the project that we started with Bob almost two years ago, by visiting one of the places he loved most, and supporting the Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team with the contributions we manage to raise.

This journey will be not only a huge physical and mental challenge, but an emotional one, too — and we're prepared to give it our all.

Thank you for reading this far. We’d be beyond grateful for any contribution you’re able to make.

Hugs,

Nuran, Big A, and Little A