OMG - what have I done?

My bum aches...

...and my back and my legs and thighs...and don't even get me started on my ankles.

I've been climbing mountains. Well one mountain actually, Scarfell Pike in the Lake District. I mean what silly bloody fool would do that?

Back in February, when the days were short and the weather poor I agreed to take part in the 3 peaks - simple. Just climb the three highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales and Bob's your Father's Brother. So July comes around and off we go to do some training.

All seems pretty simple, arrive in the Lake District for 12midday and we will take a gentle stroll up the Pike walking and talking as we go, so as to aquaint oursleves with the mountain. What we are not told is how steep, long and rough this particular mountain is. It takes us hours to ascend, all the time listening to the endless advice and comments from our mountain guide (or rather our mountain goat) who neither breaks into a sweat nor loses his breathe at all...ever! You try holding a conversation when you can't put one foot in front of the other, let alone espouse the wisdom of backpack size or the relative merits of waterproof trouser manufacturers.

Still we made it both up and down...but boy did we pay for it.

Now walking around is fine today..though bending is not. Luckily had no ocassion to visit anyone on the first floor of Charity Tart's building today - maybe the end of the week before I advance to that. All in all then it looks as though a little more training may be required!

Oh and BTW when we actually do climb Scarfell as part of the challenge it will be in the total darkness having already climbed one mountain and have another to go, all within 24 hours - utter and total madness...bonkers!