Ben Lomond

Update 2:

We've done it - Ben Lomond, that is.

Son Christopher, Freya and I drove the 2 and a half hours to the car park, arriving around 10am for the trek to the 940mtr high summit in the scudding, wind blown clouds. We were back at the car by around a respectable 3pm.

The walked distance was about 12kms, so it probably represented as close to what I'll experience each day on Kilimanjaro as I can reasonably expect. Except that the reality will be: that distance or so, UP every day for 6 days, back to back, stacked on top of the previous day's altitude; with the excruciating DOWNhill part compressed into 2 days. Gulp.

It was great! 
A really useful trial, trying out the various bits equipment I've bought and learning some key lessons. Such as not to leave my rain jacket on the back of a chair in the caravan awning 🥴 and, it's blooming cold on the hands in 30+mph wind and rain when the temperature is about 3C - let alone -20C!
That was last Saturday. Today is Wednesday, and I'm back to my legs feeling okay 🤗