1998.... year of the mountain bug

The year is 1998, I’m 21 years of age.  I’d recently met my then boyfriend (Simon) who was mad about the mountains, most of his childhood spent in Snowdoniaand the Lake District.  Oh, and climbing in Chamonix with his best mate.  Me, I'm a newly qualified nurse, living the magic of a new relationship.  Incidentally, I am a ‘townie’, my biggest expeditions to date involving walking around the shopping precincts of Chester and Liverpool. As a consequence, I had developed a ‘contented’ figure, a result of eating out and shift work.  

Since meeting Simon, on my weekends off, we'd drive to Snowdonia, his aim, I think, was to broaden my horizons and engender me with his passion for the outdoors.  We would drive to various viewpoints where he would point and put a name to each mountain.  I acknowledged him politely (it was still early days!), trying to conceal the yawns. Did he want this relationship to last?

The day it all changed was when he suggested we have an early start, drive to Snowdonia and "go for a walk". Ok, great idea, it was a lovely August day and I'd just joined a well-known slimming group!  We arrived a couple of hours later, parking at the foot of a looming Tryfan.  I think you have grasped by now that I was not an outdoorsy person. Rather inappropriately, I wore a t-shirt, white jeans and trainers and carried my rucksack from my school days which contained essentials including a litre bottle of Tizer (yes, slightly impractical!) and various snacks (sun tan cream not included).  

And so it began, the scramble up the north ridge. I had never felt so exhilarated.  Several picnics (I was determined to drink the Tizer) and hours later, we reached Adam and Eve.  The sense of achievement and the exhilaration I felt will live with me forever. The evening was spent in the pub (the once wonderful Cobden’s) reliving the highlights, thoughts and feelings. The next day, even my involuntary muscles ached!

Twenty odd (really???) years later, here I am, fitter and more confident than ever. I climbed all 214 Wainwrights within a year and am now a Trainee Mountain Leader (Summer), some achievement for a townie! Whilst Simon and I parted long ago, I will be forever grateful to him for igniting my passion for the outdoors.  

Find me on Twitter at @happy_snapper1 and @214Club.