It was a pretty miserable afternoon, despite the promise of it clearing it wasnt great weather. I sat in the car park for an hour waiting for a change in the weather,before I finally decided to just bite the bullet and get on with the walk.
The first part of the walk wasnt too bad but it definitely got mistier as I climbed higher.
As I continued up the path, mist descending even further, I realised that I was the only one going in that direction and then I had one of those 'moments', not quite an epiphany, but a comparison moment. It just felt like my life! Not quite 'in the dark' all the time, but moving forward, on my own, not quite sure where I was going and cant quite see the way! (If you are groaning and yelling ...'Get over yourself Fi' just hang on).
If you know that path, you know that it gets steeper in bits, eases a bit, gets steeper again. I kept climbing and several people passed me, going in the other direction! Hmmm, I debated turning back, changing my plans, giving up. The mist got a little thicker but I wasnt totally engulfed so I decided to carry on. Then I could hear voices but couldnt figure out where they were coming from. I was laughing to myself because for a brief moment my brain said 'Ghosts?' but then I realised that it was a couple behind me on the path. Quicker walkers than me, they soon passed me, sharing a few words as they did. Okay, so not on my own, quite, and not the only one going in that direction.
I wasnt sure how far I had got, so I checked my watch. If my first walk was anything to go by, I was way less than half way up! Still, I wanted to prove to myself that I could do this on my own. So I kept going. About ten minutes later I heard more voices and three ladies caught up with me. 'How mad are we?' one commented. I laughed and said, 'I was just wondering how far up I had got?' 'Five minutes max to where the path spilts for Corn Du!' said one of the ladies! I have to admit that I doubted what she said BUT she was right! I made the split in the path in 1 hour and 15! Then, despite the wind and now the rain (not just that fine stuff in the mist but real stuff now!) I was by the marker on Pen y Fan in 15 minutes. The last bit, climbing up on to Pen y Fan, was a real test of my strength LOL and as I was doing that last bit a streak of yellow passed me by! I was delighted to have knocked 1 whole hour off the time! A whole hour!
As I got to the marker the streak of yellow was there, along with his walking buddy. 'A little fresh' I said. 'Just slightly' Said the buddy. Then they disappeared over the edge towards the monument. So then I took my picture and was trying to take a picture of myself with the marker behind me when the streak reappeared and offered to take the picture for me. By now it was pretty horrible up there so he also then offered to walk back down with me. I could see where to go but it was nice to have the company. I turned out that he was a Major (and real life Major!! thats a first) and tries to walk up to the top once a week with his friend. He was so, so interesting, telling me all about his life in the army, being in the Falklands, being promoted and how the two best decisions in his life were joining up and marrying his wife (of almost 36 years). We talked about lots of things and about being focused, determined and keeping on going! We talked about my operations and he said that he thought I had to be a focused person to be doing that walk on my own, on less than a nice day and not being phased! Before I knew it we were back at the car park .... in 45 minutes! I walked back down in 45 minutes!!!!
I had gone up and down in less time than it had taken for me to climb it the first time!
So to go back to the journey .... it is my journey, I am doing it on my own, but I do have people going in the same direction and people who will travel with me.
And yes ... I got over myself. And thank you 'Manny' for the chat and the company and the race down the path!!
I always knew it, but damn, mountains are good for the soul, whatever the weather!!!
Oh well done Fi. I am struggling to do more than 3 miles on the flat right now but I blame that on total lack of fitness and I've been coughing all winter. I sound like a broken-winded nag!
ReplyDeleteWalking up a mountain on your own in those conditions takes some doing - you should be really proud of yourself.
I remember that feeling oh so well hun. Its so nice to feel fitter and to be able to challenge myself :-) Im delighted to have done it again :-)
ReplyDelete