Well I made it to the top…yay!

We decided to go along the main path to the top via the Narnain Boulders, which takes you to the centre of the summit of the mountain. I was prepared for a scramble...but no one told me about the flipping waist high rocks and the running water coming down them.  The great vast emptiness I knew about, but the reality was terrifying. I felt nauseous, was shaking and at one point was just about in tears. At that moment I was thinking about the money I had raised offset against the cost to the NHS of me "losing it" or "dying" on the side of the mountain. Such a drama queen, ha! Anyhoo, I was encouraged by my colleagues’ determination and the helping hands from Christine and Jamie.

Visibility was poor during the last quarter of the climb, just as well! Someone said it was about 5 to 10 feet at times, so we didn’t get the stunning views of all the other Munros and of Loch Long, which I’m sure would have made up for the flippin’ trauma. I tell you it was like a Hobbit audition for the Mount Doom climb!

Sitting on the North face with the rest of my colleagues I realised I wasn’t the only one who had been "bricking it" Craig was freaking out about the descent and produced a pack of 6 Budweisers to help with his nerves. Christine produced a hip flask of Glayva, Steve had a flask of 12 Year Old single Malt Whisky and Steven had a flask of Jack Daniels…his best friend apparently. I was bordering on deliriously insane, I think the wee nips of whiskies helped calm me enough to face going back down!!!

The thought of the descent was much, much worse than the actual task itself, even although I slipped and hurt the bottom of my back and shoulder. I announced that I’d much rather go through childbirth than go back up the bloody Cobbler again. Christine chimed in with a "well you would, you had a caesarean section" Yeah, you need a smart arse around when you’re facing your fears.

We romped up the Cobbler in two hours, not bad for inexperienced climbers and got back down in half the time if not less.

We then tootled off to the pub that had a fantastic view of The Cobbler, to await the arrival of the rest of the team. They were aaages…we eventually saw them zig zagging their way back down the initial hill, when they turned up they explained their lateness was because they had come the long way down which was THE EASY ROUTE! What?

Have you ever seen the advert with the angry man where he smashes up his sitting room over something trivial…that’s what I felt like? However Scotland were humping The Faroe Islands 5-0, which was being watched on T.V at the time and I didn’t want to ruin the very ambient atmosphere.

For all my moaning and grumbling it was a fantastic day, I have a real sense of achievement and am proud that I made it up and down unscathed. Not only that, but we think as a group that we may have raised in excess of £3000.   

Many, many thanks to all those online and off-line who have contributed and for those who haven’t…it’s still not to late.

Gillian x