Darren, Author at Mountains In Mind

About Darren

Posts by Darren :

Five climatic zones – facts about Kilimanjaro flora

Darren BLOG, Kilimanjaro Tips adventure, africa, flora, hiking, kilimanjaro, trekking

As you climb up Mount Kilimanjaro you will pass through five distinct and different climatic and vegetation zones, which provide a diverse array of wild flowers, shrubs and trees. On the ascent, you will notice the flora changing. This is not only influenced by the altitude but also the geographical location of Kilimanjaro within close proximity to the equator and the maritime influence from the Indian Ocean.

Cultivation Zone

Coffee production is Tanzanian’s largest export crop and has a significant impact on the country’s economy. The vegetation of the lowlands around Mount Kilimanjaro are dominated by coffee plantations or banana crops. The Kilimanjaro area is one of the largest coffee producing areas within Tanzania and the town of Moshi in Kilimanjaro is the main hub for the coffee trade.

The Rainforest Zone

The zone is situated between 1800m and 2800m in altitude. It provides the widest variety of flowering plants in this zone. Be sure to look out for the mountain gladiolus, violets, begonias and especially the Kilimanjaro Impatiens, a delightful orchid-like flower in a pink-ish red colour with flecks of yellow and an unusual yellow tail (below). This is said to be the semi-official emblem of Kilimanjaro.

Heathland Zone

This zone has heathers and short grasses growing in this area and is reminiscent of being back home.

A British garden favourite, the Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia thomsonii), is a native plant from the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro and swathes of the plant can be seen in the heathland zone between 2800m and 4000m.

Alpine Desert

The southern and western slopes of Kilimanjaro have more rainfall than the northern and eastern sides. The only route to the summit on the northern slopes is the Rongai route. This has a more sparce, desert-like landscape and lower growing species due to less rainfall.

Kilimanjaro is renowned for rare and unusual species often found almost nowhere else. One of the most unusual and striking of plants that you will spot when ascending Kilimanjaro is the Giant Groundsel. This species Dendrosenecio kilimanjari is only found on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro at around 4000 metres and is quiet a common feature around the Barranco Camp.

Arctic Zone

The arctic zone is from 5000m upwards to the summit. There is no vegetation and the path is made up of scree. The is a large glacier near to the summit. The ground is mostly frozen and can sometimes be covered in snow and ice.

What training do I need to climb Kilimanjaro?

Darren Kilimanjaro Tips adventure, africa, bucket list, kilimanjaro, mount kilimanjaro, Mountains in mind, trek kilimanjaro, trekking

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is classified as strenuous trek so you will need a good base level of fitness if you want to be successful in gaining the summit.

Terrain

The terrain on the ascent of Kilimanjaro is varied. On the lower slopes it’s easier trail, good underfoot and reasonably wide paths. It’s all too easy to set off too fast as you have the momentum and are raring to go. However, it’s crucial in order to acclimatise that you don’t over do it and take it very slowly. The guides have a number of tactics to inadvertently make you slow down! A favourite phrase you’ll hear alot is Pole Pole, which means slowly in Swahili.

It’s important that if you’re not familiar with walking on steep, rocky ground that you take a few walks in the UK mountains to familiarise yourself and to feel more confident. The higher you get, the paths become more rugged and technical. Mountains in Mind offers a Kilimanjaro training weekend where you can experience the delight of walking in the mountains and experience the kind of terrain that you can expect on an ascent of Kilimanjaro.

Back-to-back days

The ascent of Kilimanjaro is strenuous, there’s no getting away from that! Our standard trek takes 6 days to reach the summit and a further day for your descent. It is important that you are fit enough to be able walk over consecutive days for up to 5 or 6 hours each day. Although, you will be going slow on the climb, you will need to have built up your stamina to be able to keep going. The summit push day is particularly strenuous and combined with the altitude, lack of sleep and cold weather, you will need to dig deep with sheer grit and determination to get to the summit. You will be rewarded with magnificent views and the exertion will all be worth the effort when the endorphins kick in. You’ve earned bragging rights too!!

Weekends or even better, the longer bank holidays, you should aim to walk for two or three consecutive days on the trot. This will build up your strength and endurance. Your calf muscles will probably be screaming at you on the ascents if you’re unfamiliar with walking up hill. Conversely, on the descents your quads may quiver and your knees may ache. The more training you do, the more conditioned you’ll become and therefore you are increasing your chance of success. Although, you may wake up with stiff legs after undertaking a big walk, getting up and walking for a second day will often help to ease the stiffness and build up your stamina.

Ascent

We’ve mentioned training in the hills above. It is important that you can walk up hill relatively easily without becoming too breathless. As mentioned, you will be going very slowly and there will be plenty of opportunity to stop, take in the views and chatting to your fellow trekkers but as you climb higher it will become increasingly difficult with the lack of oxygen. You will need a certain level of fitness gained from walking up hills that will make it easier for you on the trek. You will also be carrying a day pack on your ascent, with your requirements for the day, such as, extra layers of clothing, food and drink so it’s important that you also familiarise yourself with carrying a small rucksack so that it feels comfortable.

Descent

Once you’ve reached the summit you’ll be so invigorated and elated that you’ll probably forget about the descent. Although, you’ll probably not be out of breath as much as on the ascent, it’s more heavier on your legs. There is also more of a tendency to slip on descents. Therefore, as well as training for your ascent it also important that you train and familiarise yourself with walking downhill so that you feel confident when descending. After all, what goes up…must come down!

Camping

The route that we take to the summit of Kilimanjaro does not have huts so you can expect to camp. If you have not slept under canvas before, please contact us and we can discuss the sleeping arrangements with you. It is important that you have a warm sleeping bag as it can be very cold at night and combined with the altitude this can leave you not able to sleep well. Being able to get a good nights rest is an important part of the recovery process to enable you to keep going the following day.

Eating

That’s right, you need to train to eat so you can familiarise yourself with what your body likes or dislikes whilst on the go! If you live in the UK you won’t have much opportunity to practice eating at altitude when your appetite becomes suppressed, however, on your day walks it’s worthwhile getting to know what you find digestible when moving as you’ll need to eat little and often on the climb. What one person finds good to eat is different for somebody else. I personally like to eat dried fruit, nuts and a little chocolate but nothing overly sweet.

6 reasons for not reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro

Darren Kilimanjaro Tips #Kilimanjaro #Adventure #Hiking #Trekking, africa

Climbing Kilimanjaro is on many people’s bucket list but do you know what it entails before you commit yourself? There are many reasons why people fail and we have provided the six main reasons below:

Not having the correct equipment.

At Mountains in Mind we’ll provide advice and guidance on what gear you will need for the ascent. You’ll be provided with a kit list and we have produced You Tube videos so that you can see for yourself what is required. As you’ll be climbing through 5 climatic zones you will require a range of clothing from shorts and t-shirts on the lower slopes to duvet jackets and thermal underwear for the summit. You’ll also need comfortable boots that you have worn-in prior to the ascent and a descent sleeping bag. The effects of altitude can affect your sleep so the last thing you need is being cold and kept awake as your sleeping bag isn’t warm enough!

Not eating and drinking enough on the trek.

As you increase the altitude on the trek, you may not feel like eating or drinking much. It’s important to sustain your energy levels and that you eat little and often. Altitude sickness is also made worse through dehydration so you need to ensure you take regular sips of your drink to stay effectively hydrated. A camelbak or bladder are recommended for ease. There is plenty to eat and the variety of food is surprisingly good on the trek. You will be provided with high carbohydrate meals on the climb which are normally rice or potato based. Taking some of your own favourite high calorie snacks and haribos are also recommended.

Not having trained properly or having enough fitness.

The underfoot terrain can be technical in places so it is advised that you familiarise yourself with mountainous terrain in the UK beforehand. As the trek to the summit is over 6 days with a further day for descending back to the gate, you’ll need to have a certain level of fitness and endurance to be able to sustain the trek and reach the summit. Multiple day hikes of 6-7 hours on mountainous terrain are advised as good preparation for your ascent. The summit push is particularly strenuous and you are likely to take 14 hours to get to the summit and return to camp. We are happy to provide further guidance on how to prepare and provide you with a training plan.

Going too quick.

You’ll get to hear pole pole alot from your guides, which means slowly slowly in Tanzanian. You may feel good and that the pace is too slow on the lower slopes but there is a genuine reason for going very slow at the beginning so that you acclimatise effectively. The lowest success rate is for males in the 20 to 30 age bracket, who have more of a tendency to go off too fast!

Suffering with altitude.

At Mountains in Mind we have a 100% summit success record. The quicker you take it with a shorter ascent, the less likely you are to reach the summit. On our trips we take 6 days or longer to reach the summit rather than 5 days. This increases the success rate and improves your experience. The adage of climb high, sleep low is certainly true and will help with acclimatisation. We will ensure you are supported on your ascent by a fantastic team of Tanzanian guides and porters who will help and monitor your progress.

Finally, determination.

You’ve got to want to make it to the summit! There will be some low points on the climb where you may be feeling the effects of the altitude but there will also be many highs. The pleasure and excitement, not to mention the kudos, of reaching the summit and the endorphins that you will feel afterwards will be amazing! It’s not the altitude, it’s your attitude!

Mountains in Mind offers support in the lead up to your trek through webinars, blogs, social media and we are happy to respond to any questions you may have. We also offer a Kilimanjaro training weekend in the UK. The aim of the weekend is to discuss your training, familiarise yourself with mountainous terrain (if it’s a new experience), identify kit requirements and to answer any questions you may have about the trek.

8 amazing records set on Kilimanjaro

Darren BLOG, Kilimanjaro Tips

The oldest woman

Anne Lorimer from Pheonix in the USA recently became the oldest person to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro in July 2019 at 89 years of age. See link: https://abc7chicago.com/mount-kilimanjaro-records-world-record-oldest-person-to-climb/5424361/

She took the record from Angela Vorobeva from Russia reached the summit on the 29th October 2015 at the age of 86.

The oldest man

Fred Distelhorst from the USA is the oldest male to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro. He got into the Guinness Record book on the 20th July 2017 who was 88 years old. https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/oldest-man-to-climb-mt-kilimanjaro

The Fastest Unsupported Ascent

Simon Mtuy from Tanzania made the fastest unsupported ascent of Kilimanjaro on the 22nd February 2006 in record time of 9 hours and 21 minutes. He ran up the Umbwe route and descended back down the Mweka route.

The Fastest Supported Ascent

This record is held by Swiss-Ecuadorian, Karl Egloff, who reached the summit and back in a time of 6 hours and 56 minutes in August 2014.

The Youngest British person

Nine year old, Zain Akrim, was the youngest Brit to reach the summit on the 15th August 2015. Keats Boyd from the USA is the youngest child and was 7 on the 21st January 2008, when he reached the summit.

The Fastest Ascent on Crutches

This record was set in October 2009 by John Sandford Hart from the UK, who took four days to reach the summit.

Other interesting records

Other records in the Guinness Book of World Records include the highest cricket match and the highest rugby league game, as well as the highest female football match. The games were all played in the dormant crater of the volcano at 8752m on Kilimanjaro

And Finally…

Probably the craziest of all the records is the highest delivery by Pizza Hut! The incredible attempt was to mark the launch of Pizza Hut in Tanzania. A special pizza box backpack was made for the delivery, which took 4 days from the restaurant to reach the summit in May 2016. Hope they weren’t expecting warm pizza!

What to eat when your appetite is low on Kilimanjaro?

Darren Kilimanjaro Tips africa, kilimanjaro, mount kilimanjaro, Mountains in mind

One of the symptoms of being at a higher altitude is the loss of appetite and sometimes accompanying nausea.

When climbing Kilimanjaro it’s important to ensure that you are hydrated and keep eating at regular intervals even when you don’t feel like it to maintain your energy levels. Dehydration can make altitude sickness worse and can also reduce your appetite further so it’s essential that you keep your fluid intake high and keep taking regular sips of your drink when trekking.

Much research has been undertaken on weight loss from being at altitude and it has been identified that with the increase in altitude and the decrease in oxygen, the appetite is surpressed as the ‘satiety hormone’ leptin rises so this is why you feel less hungry. The research also indicates that your metabolic rate also increases so you burn more calories when at altitude than at sea level.

The best things to eat at altitude are high energy comfort foods. The variety of food is surprisingly varied on the Kilimanjaro trek but it is reliant on the porters carrying the supplies along the trail. You’ll be provided with meals that are of high carbohydrate content such as rice dishes or potatoes. There is always soup available, which is easy to digest. Mashed potatoes and vegetables are a particular favourite higher up. Meat can be limited. Porridge and omelette are usually provided for breakfast. Fruit is also available. It may be useful to supplement your diet with a multivitamin.

It is recommended that you limit your intake of coffee as this can add to dehydration. Tea, coffee and milo (a malty hot chocolate drink) are available but if you usually prefer fruit or herb teas, you are advised to take some of your own with you. Alcohol is not available on the mountain and should be saved for your celebratory drinks when you have summited and are back in the hotel. The Kilimanjaro beer is a favourite!

As you get closer to the summit of Kilimanjaro, the temperature will become increasingly lower. On our last trip, we had particularly cold temperatures where it was identified that on the summit the temperature was -31 degrees with the windchill! Your body requires calories to keep itself warm so it’s essential that you eat little and often. It’s worth taking some of your favourite calorie dense snacks as a real treat for the summit push. You may not fancy them but you never know! Haribos also provide a quick sugar boost.

Ginger will also help if you feel nauseous and we have found ginger biscuits, chocolate coated crystallised ginger or drinking ginger tea to help reduce symptoms.

Spine Race 2017

Darren BLOG, Spine Race, What do we get up to! heavy rain, muddy, peak district, Spine Race, trail running, ultramarathon, ultrarunning, Winter, Yorkshire Dales

It was a crazy race! Brutal is an understatement! I hated it at times and only realised what an adventure it had been afterwards! And then it was fab! How perceptions change! There were dark moments, lots! I questioned my sanity, frequently! …And why I was there, when my love is for mountains not wading through godforesaken bog! I could sympathise with Wainwright and appreciated why he’d ‘had enough of it’ with the Pennine Way giving some of its worst!

It was slow, right from the start. The temperature was mild (for the Spine!) but the underfoot conditions went from horrid to treacherous throughout. Day one, where I’d normally run across Kinder proved difficult with the melting snow, ice, and water covered paving stones.

The first surprise was crossing the Downfall. Normally a hop, skip and a jump will get you across but the rivers were in spate from the melt from the snow and the rain. The river was deep and I watched others tentatively cross it. I saw another female runner in front get a dunking, right up to her chest as she lost her footing on the crossing. This made me nervous so I linked arms with two other runners for security to wade across as poles were of no support with the velocity of the water.

On Mill Hill, I stepped on what I thought was a slab…which had subsequently been consumed by bog! I went up to my thighs in the soggy peat mess and bent one of my poles in the process. Damn!

The river crossing on Bleaklow was scary. Being in a race more of a risk was taken and I watched as two other guys crossed the ferocious water. I used my poles for aid but my legs were quivering with the strength of the flow pushing against them. Luckily, the two guys in front saw me struggling and probably could see the fear in my face. Their instinct kicked in and they grabbed my arm & rucksack and heaved me out of the water onto the bank, I was slightly shaken to say the least but very grateful.

At the road crossing at Torside, my friend, Laura, met me with her son, Callum. It was lovely to see them. I had tea, a cheese sandwich and Callum gave me a chocolatey biscuit he had made, yum!

On the climb up to Black Hill, there were numerous other river crossings to navigate. It was going dark as I headed towards Wessenden but the road was easy to spot as the Mountain Rescue had the blue light flashing on their vehicle, which was mesmerising as I got closer. The fantastic support provided by the local mountain rescue teams at the road crossings was really appreciated with their friendly faces and much welcome refreshments.

As the race progressed it felt so slow, no matter how hard I tried. The mud was slippery and it was energy zapping. I was glad of my poles as these kept me upright on numerous occasions, even though one had a nice bend in it now!

It took me a lot longer to arrive at Hebden Bridge than I anticipated and my original plan to have a short stay went to pot. I rested for a couple of hours before leaving the Checkpoint with Sharon.

After continuing throughout the day, I was running with Gerard as it went dark. Just outside Thornton-in-Craven, Gerard’s wife and daughter turned up to surprise him with pizza. How lovely, they allowed me to gatecrash and I was invited to sit in their car and enjoy a delicious slice of pizza and a welcome cup of tea. Gerard and I arrived at Malham village after the pub had closed, rather disappointingly. We had a 10 minute power nap sat outside on the bench before getting cold. We then continued on our way up and over Malham Cove towards the CP at Malham Tarn.

I left the CP after changing my socks, eating one of my camping meals and drinking several more cups of tea. As I reached the top of Fountains Fell, it dawned a new day and I felt refreshed as I trotted down the other side and headed over Pen-y-ghent

I had soup and chips in the Pen-y-ghent cafe with more tea consumed before heading back out. The journey to Hawes seemed a slog over the Cam High Road. On my own, I slumped into a negative mindset. By the time I reached Hawes, I wasn’t bothered about my time as I was going to call it a day anyway! I wasn’t enjoying it so why would I want to continue?!

The checkpoint team were fab. They made me a lovely meal, told me to get some rest as I would feel better after some sleep. They completely turned around my mindset. Before long, I was heading back out.

On the flanks of Great Shunner Fell, I joined up with Phil for what seemed a never ending trek to the summit in the dark and foggy conditions. We were both dropping off to sleep as we walked so we talked to try to stay awake. I’d heard there was a barn when we reached the track on the other side so we decided to bivi for an hour. It was 2am and we both set our alarms for 3am. I slept well, too well! Neither of us heard our alarms and Phil startled me by shouting ‘Oi! Oi! It’s 4.30! I scrabbled around to try and find my head torch, jumped up out of my toasty bivi and quickly re-packed my rucksack. We realised at that point we didn’t know each other’s names after he called me Oi!

After a brief stop in the porch of the Tan Hill Inn and a quick chat with Mike on the Safety Team, it was off over Sleightholme Moor. The weather was pleasant as I headed across the moors towards the A66. Several miles further on, I descended towards the car park at Blackton Reservoir and it was nice to be greeted by Karl. I was provided with a kitkat and coke (which made a refreshing change from tea!) and I was soon on my way again towards the CP at Middleton.

It was just going dark as I descended towards Middleton. My little toes were starting to feel a bit tender so at the CP, the medics taped them up whilst I ate. After another short sleep of less than an hour, I was soon on my way again heading along the River Tees for what seemed like miles!

It was at this point I was joined by Rob. We carefully clambered over the greasy rocks on the bank side path of the river using our hands where necessary. This isn’t easy in daylight and was even more treacherous in the dark. The stars were out and as I looked upwards I was mesmerised by what I thought were little brightly coloured fairies dancing up and down in the night sky. Oh dear, hallucinations from sleep-deprivation, not good!

The scramble up the side of Cauldron Snout was interesting in the dark and I’m glad nobody could see me as it wasn’t very stylish using knees and belly flopping in places! At the top, we were greeted by Ben and Sean, who checked on our well being. We headed on our way along the track and feeling sleepy, knew another barn was situated alongside the track in about a mile. The barn had two rooms; the first had a dead sheep in it, yuk! ….and the second a dead rabbit! Choices, choices… we opted for the side with the dead rabbit! The floor was springy from years of dried mud and sheep muck it seemed! Comfortable though for my bivi! I didn’t hear my alarm again but it was a good job Rob had heard his. He shouted to me that we’d had an hours sleep and it was time to get up and move on.

It was dawning as we headed towards the impressive High Cup Nick. The mud seemed even more slippy than usual at this point or maybe I was stumbling a little with tiredness. On several occasions, I overstretched my right thigh slipping and sliding and it was extremely painful. It worried me for a while but on arrival at Dufton I took a few ibuprofen and this relieved the pain. We were greeted by Tom outside the cafe and headed straight in. The cafe had thankfully stayed open all night and it was a delight to be able to get a hot breakfast, orange juice, tea and a take-away sandwich for the journey.

Onwards and upwards over Knock Fell, Great Dun Fell and up onto Cross Fell. The weather was wet and claggy so it was a little difficult navigationally. Standing by the Trig Point at the summit shelter of Cross Fell was Joe. We walked and chatted with us for a short time whilst we descended to the track where he departed in the opposite direction.

We arrived at the infamous Greg’s Hut and were greeted by John, Paul and his gorgeous collie dog, Mist. Known to Spiners as the highest noodle bar in the UK! It was stiflingly hot from the fire as we walked into the main room but what a great place. I announced that I’d been waiting three years for these noodles, ever since I’d first read about the bothy in the Spine Race. The noodles didn’t disappoint and were simply delicious!

At Alston, the checkpoint was busy but it was lovely to see so many familiar and friendly faces. The dining area was full of racers eating and medics mending feet. By now I had a blister on my heal, which needed draining. The medics informed me they’d ran out of needles so asked if it be ok to pierce my blister with a safety pin? It needed doing so I wasn’t going to argue! It seemed a routine now to eat whilst having my feet patched up. Another hours sleep was grabbed and I woke up in a complete daze. It took me a while to come round. I couldn’t think straight about what I needed to do before I left. It was at this point that Brian, Rob and myself agreed we would leave the CP together for our onward journey.

I’d heard the next section towards Slaggyford could be tricky navigationally and it certainly proved it to us in the dark. The paths were non-existent at times so it was even slower going in the slippy, sticky mud. In the early hours, we were all falling asleep so agreed that an hours bivi was needed and found a suitable barn. A re-occurring theme!

As daylight broke, the terrain towards Greenhead was boggy, heavy going and uninteresting. We were joined by Gerard again and the strain of the week was beginning to show as all four of sat in the middle of a bog for a 5 minute power nap. We were concerned as we were told we needed to be at Greenhead for the recommended time of 12.36pm and knew it was going to be tight.

The safety team met us at the road crossing and we were provided with tea. I had a minor tantrum as cold water was poured into my ration pack, which delayed our stay longer than we anticipated whilst it was sorted out and I was able to get some calories consumed. In the meantime, I changed my socks.

On our way again, we were met briefly on the other side of Greenhead by Stuart. My laces on my boots had come loose despite wearing gaitors so Stuart gave me a lesson in how to tie a surgeon’s knot before we moved on!

We got to Hadrian’s Wall by late afternoon. I’d never seen the wall before so was in awe of the amazing structure and how well it had been preserved over all this time. Hurriedly, going up and over each outcrop like a roller coaster ride, I could feel my thigh twinging in the slippery mud.

We arrived at the next roadside safety point at Steel Rigg just as it had gone dark. We were greeted by the safety team all in good spirits. The three of us sat in the back of Karl’s camper and I spotted a pot of rice pudding and cheekily asked if I could eat it whilst drinking coke (not tea!). Karl gave us a pep talk about making it to Bellingham and was positive we could make it in the time we had got. The three of us were realistic, we knew that we were chasing the cut-offs but if all went to plan, it was easily achievable. Sugar fuelled, I was fired up and ready to go!

And that’s where it all went wrong….

After entering the forest, when not on the forestry tracks, it was frustratingly soggy, ankle deep, squelchy bog. Gerard joined us again after he’d taken a wrong turn. My phone started ringing and with it being a cheapo phone that I carried on events, I thought it must be the safety team perhaps telling us to hurry up! It was my friend, Kirsty, so it was good to hear a familiar voice. Darren had given her my number and it was even better that she had phoned to motivate and to give me a boost!

A little further on, I said to the guys, I needed to go to the loo and would catch them back up shortly. After about 10 minutes, when I caught them up, I can only say it was surreal. Brian had decided to retire as his feet were in a bad way, Rob was disorientated through lack of sleep and food and Gerard had gone on ahead. Brian decided to take refuge in his bothy shelter to keep warm and take stock of his options whilst Rob and I continued. Straight away unknowingly, we messed up on the nav and went round in a big loop ending back where we started with Brian! We did see some wild boar though, which was fascinating, although I had to check with Rob that I wasn’t hallucinating!

It started to get icy and I began to feel the cold as the pace had slowed down dramatically so we sheltered in Brian’s bothy whilst we worked out what we’d done wrong and I called Darren for support. What a mess! I had to make the decision to leave them as I knew my race was already in jeopardy to make it to Bellingham on time. Rob agreed he would continue as he felt better whilst Brian was going to phone the safety team. It was at this point, we saw a headtorch and it was Peter who had caught us up. We continued together but lost Peter after a brief distance. Rob and I both had a quick can of coke at Horneystead Farm but by this time the clag had descended and it was a real pea-souper. What was slow became slower as we could see no more than our hand in front of our face in the swirling fog. At one point, we saw Peter’s headtorch heading back towards us as he himself went round in a small loop!

I was weary and wobbly! The sugar had worn off from the coke. We couldn’t see the path in front of us as we headed up past Shitlington Crags so Rob took a compass bearing from our grid reference on the GPS. As we ascended up the hill, we could hear Peter’s voice calling out to us through the dense fog. We became concerned in case something had happened and shouted back but it was very disorienting as we couldn’t pinpoint where it was coming from. As we hit the track and approached the gate, we saw some lights behind us. At first we couldn’t make out whether they were headtorches but as they got closer it was car. It was the safety team. Peter was in the back of the car. They gave us the alternative of making our own way to Bellingham on foot or asked us if we wanted a lift…without hesitation, we both said yes….and that was that!!

We were timed out anyway…so there seemed no logic in prolonging the agony of completing the final few kilometres to the next CP on foot. Funnily, I didn’t feel disappointed. Of course, I wish I’d finished but what an adventure I’d had.

The checkpoint team at Bellingham (as with all the checkpoints) were amazing. They helped us with our bags, brought us bowls of water for our feet, made us drinks, cooked us a meal and generally made us feel very welcome and like heroes, even though we hadn’t even finished. Initially, I hated the idea of returning to the Pennine Way. There was no way I wanted to do it again but….I can’t leave unfinished business….so whilst being non-committal….watch this space!

Nepal – Immunisations

Darren Everest Base Camp, Nepal

Hi Team,

It’s advised that you start immunisations for your trip 3-4 months before departure.

Book an appointment with your GP or physician and they’ll be able to provide an up to date list of vaccinations required.

Some GPs will be able to give you all the vaccinations needed, some won’t and you’ll be advised to contact your closest travel clinic for the injections.

Full and up to date details of the required vaccinations can also be found on the NHS website –

http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations/asia-(east)/nepal.aspx
PLEASE NOTE!

Although we try to keep up with the latest vaccinations and advise accordingly, it’s your responsibility to check with your GP or travel clinic and obtain the necessary immunisations.

Without certain vaccinations border control will not let you into the country. The Nepalese government has been known to change the criteria at the last minute.

Hepatitis A;
Tetanus;
Typhoid;
Cholera;
Diphtheria;
Hepatitis B;
Meningococcal Meningitis;
Rabies;
Yellow Fever;
Malaria.

Have fun with the needles!
Please contact me if you require any further details.

Have fun.
Darren.

Darren@mountainsinmind.com
Or via Facebook
Facebook.com/mountainsinmind

Kilimanjaro Immunisations

Darren Kilimanjaro Tips

Hi Team,

It’s advised that you start immunisations for your trip 3-4 months before departure.

Book an appointment with your GP or physician and they’ll be able to provide an up to date lust of vaccinations.

Some GP’s will be able to provide all the vaccinations, some won’t and you’ll be advised on the location of the closest travel clinic.

Full and up to date details of the required vaccinations can be found on the NHS website –

www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations/africa/united-republic-of-tanzania.aspx

Personally I would suggest going for the following, but take advice from the doctor.

PLEASE NOTE!

Although we try to keep up with the latest vaccinations and advise accordingly, It’s the responsibility of the traveller to check with your GP or travel clinic. Without certain vaccinations border control will not let you into the country. The Tanzanian government have been known to change the criteria at the last minute.

Hepatitis A;
Tetanus;
Typhoid;
Cholera;
Diphtheria;
Hepatitis B;
Meningococcal Meningitis;
Rabies;
Yellow Fever;
Malaria.

Have fun with the needles

Please contact me if you require any further details.

Have fun.

Darren.

Darren@mountainsinmind.com

Or via Facebook

Facebook.com/mountainsinmind

King Offa’s Dyke Race

Darren BLOG, Running, What do we get up to! Beyond Marathon, Brecon Beacons, Chepstow, England, King Offa's Dyke, Long distance path, Prestatyn, trail running, Ultra marathon, ultra running, wales

185 miles is a long way!

It was unexplored territory. I didn’t know whether my body could cope with the miles or the sleep deprivation.

It did!

After the briefing, we were each given a coin, that we would need to keep and exchange at the finish for our prize. Where could I keep it safe? I settled on in with my first aid. Before the start of the race, we headed up to the official starting point of the Offa’s Dyke path as it was too narrow for the race to start there. A large rock marked the spot and everybody was waiting in turn to have their photograph taken. Crikey, I looked tired already, surely not. I’d had a lie-in and then snoozed in the car on the journey down. I’m hoping it was just poor lighting!

Darkness had descended by the time we set off at 8pm. Running up the roads and winding our way out of Chepstow, the leaders missed the left hand turn until someone spotted the mistake and we were all shouted back! Not a good start! Heading through woods, everyone was still tightly packed. The banter was flowing. I didn’t say much just wanting to relax, concentrate and save energy for the adventure ahead.

I arrived at Checkpoint 1 in good spirits. A short break here and a chance to have a quick bite to eat before venturing back out onto the streets of Monmouth. It had just struck midnight so there were still plenty of revellers out and about as I made my way through town.

The route went through numerous fields and in the early hours I began to feel a little chilled. I was in a small group at this point when we made a minor navigational error and couldn’t find a stile across a pitch black field in the dark. Nothing major but it didn’t help that there was no moon out.

We went past a place on the map called White Castle. I shone my headtorch around and surprisingly in the dark I was able to pick out the impressive ramparts of the castle in the head torch beam. We continued across more fields until it started to become light and from a distance we looked down on the lights of Pandy from above.

It was only a small deviation from the path to get to the village hall, where the checkpoint was located. Upon arrival I saw Darren who was sat at a computer. I felt a little tired so Al provided me with a cup of tea and I lay down on the floor with my legs raised for a brief spell. After a quick chat to Clive, I was soon on my way out again.

The trail now started to get interesting as it climbed steeply out of the valley up a road at first and then out onto the open fell. I was now in the Black Mountains and new I would be quite high up for the next eight miles as the path headed across the ridge. The sun was shining but it was extremely blustery. I was on my own for most of this section. Soon the trig point on the summit of Pen y Beacon was in site but the path oddly cut off right descending in the direction of Hay on Wye.

My legs were starting to ache which didn’t bode well as I’d only done 50 miles at this point. Some slippy paths ensued where I was glad of my poles for the extra grip and thankfully I was wearing my old faithful mudclaws so felt confident in my step. I crossed a style and into a country lane and who should be walking up the lane but Darren. Perfect timing, he’d seen me on the tracker and stopped to offer support as he headed from Pandy up to the next CP he was managing at Landegla. I told him I was tired and my legs were aching as I bent over onto my poles to rest for a minute. A quick kiss, we bade farewell and off I went again.

It was around noon when I arrived at the checkpoint in Hay. The team were great, very attentive finding me a chair to sit on, getting me a drink and providing wonderful fried egg butties (the best!). The first drop bags were here so I changed my top and got my sleeping bag out and found a nice quiet spot in the storeroom for an hours nap on the floor along with four others. That did the trick, I woke up refreshed and my legs no longer ached. I swopped my sleeping bag into my rucksack and left my liner in the drop bag, changed from mudclaws into roclites before heading back out.

This section from Hay was familiar as I’d led the recce for Richard in July. The route headed along the River Wye through fields and woodlands until we started the ascent of Hergest Ridge, the namesake of Mike Oldfield’s 1974 album. The sky was moody. I loved the run down from here on the recce and it didn’t disappoint despite being chased by the menacingly dark clouds as twilight beckoned.

A short stop at Kington, where I had some delicious soup with bread and a nice cup of tea before leaving. I left on my own but before long as I ascended out of the valley, I joined up with three other guys. It had now started to rain. The route finding was more challenging in the rain and as the swirling mist descended, it slowed progress down slightly. Upon the hill outside Knighton, we hand railed the fence because visibility had become extremely poor. The rain had been constant for a few hours now but all of a sudden it became torrential!

Two of the guys I was with became cold. I was concerned as one of them was shivering but had no extra layers to put on. We agreed that we needed to speed up slightly to generate more heat. When we hit the main road, the sign indicated three miles to Knighton. The two guys who were cold decided to follow the road for ease whilst myself and the third guy agreed to stick to the Offas Dyke path, which was actually more direct. This worked out well as the path was good underfoot and we were able to make a good running pace on the descent into Knighton.

I arrived at the checkpoint dripping wet. There were no drop bags here but I had a spare base layer and my primaloft smock which was dry to put on. I hung my jacket up to dry as best as I could and unfolded my thoroughly drenched map. The hot curried soup and bread together with a cup of tea worked wonders. Now it was time for sleep. There was bodies curled up on all the seats in the main room. It was a little noisy and the lights were bright but it was preferable to sleeping on the wooden floor in the back room, which was dark but someone was snoring incredibly loudly! I found a spot on a carpeted platform so climbed out of my wet gear, curled up inside my cosy sleeping bag, which I was now grateful that I’d carried and managed to get a restless hour’s sleep.

I woke up to the noise of others sorting out their gear. It was horrid putting my wet tights back on but they soon warmed up. I had more soup and more tea and made myself some cheese butties to take with me. I felt I needed something a little more substantial than the snacks I’d been eating.

It was still dark as I headed out on my own. I knew the first section well as it climbed steeply out of Knighton to a bench looking down on the valley below. It was unfamiliar territory there on after as the path traversed around the hill side looking down on the twinkling lights of the villages below. It was about an hour after I’d left Knighton, that I started to feel my eyes closing and I was literally dropping-off on my feet. I stumbled a few times. At the Trig Point, I almost made a navigational error with tiredness and nearly headed in the wrong direction but thankfully I corrected myself quickly. As the day started to break, the path descended steeply down a narrow muddy path and then I lost it completely! I found myself in a world of steep bracken but continued to descend and happily rejoined the path shortly after.

The next stretch of the trail was like a roller coaster of a journey not emotionally but physically and was one of my favourites sections of the route. We ascended out of one valley only to drop steeply back into another before climbing back out again. The day was now bright but extremely blustery. Before long the path crossed the exposed Kerry Ridgeway. At least the wind had dried my wet tights and rucksack out from the previous night’s soaking. It was at this point, I saw a bison sat in a field and wondered why it was there in Wales! Hallucinating, it was a big rock that had fooled my tired mind!

The deviation from the Offa’s Dyke path to reach the checkpoint at Montgomery seemed a long way. It was the middle of the afternoon and the checkpoint was bustling with runners and their supporters. The offer of a jacket potato was gratefully received and I’m sure I could have ate double! It was also a drop bag point so I took the opportunity to use the toilet facilities to change my clothes and to freshen up before departing again.

I left the checkpoint with Steve and we were kindly accompanied back to the Offa’s Dyke path by the one of the volunteers and Steve’s wife. Just after we got back on to the path there was a squally shower but it soon picked up again. We climbed up through the woodland to reach the summit of Beacon Ring then descended back down to the valley where upon we ran along the River Severn for a stretch. It was at this point after I had left the river and started to cross the flat fields walking on top of the Dyke itself I began to feel tired and dropped behind. I really struggled on this flat section. Give me hills any day! As the light started to fade, I felt low and started to feel the cold. I knew it was just a bad patch that I was going through but jaw crackingly wide yawns and an overwhelming sense of wanting to sleep, didn’t help.

I joined up with Jonathan just before the village of Four Crosses and we headed along the seemingly never ending stint on the canal towards Llanymynech together. On arrival at the checkpoint at the village hall, Tom cheerily greeted us. I had a cup of tea and half a pot noodle before digging my sleeping bag out of my rucksack and heading towards the quiet room for a sleep.

Upon waking, Tom made me some porridge and I had a cup of tea before heading out with a group of others in the dark. I don’t really remember much about this section but we were in good spirits and chatting away as the route wound it’s undulating way through fields and woodlands towards Chirk.

Arriving at Chirk, I was hungry. I’d polished the last half of my sandwich off that I’d made the previous day at Knighton just beforehand and was now ready again for something to eat. The pot noodle tasted good. My feet didn’t have any blisters but had started to swell slightly and I had a few hotspots so decided to get them taped up by the medics to prevent any further damage.

Soon on my way again, I was with Alison, Steve and Jon who I was with on this section of the recce a few months earlier, deja-vu! This is again another interesting section of the route as it crosses the mesmerising and infamous Pontcysyllte Aquaduct before traversing under the limestone crags of Craig Arthur and up through the vale delightfully named World’s End. It started to rain as we hit the road section and the temperature dropped so I briefly stopped to pull on my waterproof overtrousers. The weather was miserable as we crossed the duckboards heading towards the plantation. Alison and I were still together at this point as we descended down the slippery paths towards the next checkpoint at Llandegla. The rain had now stopped but we both felt cold and bedraggled as we approached the campsite. Darren came out to greet us in the field and told us there was warming vegetable stew and hot showers available.

The stew and hot shower did the trick and it was nice to get changed into clean clothes with this being the third drop bag point. It was dusk as I headed to the tent to get 3 hours sleep. Darren was under strict instructions to wake me at 10.30pm. I slept really well. I got my feet re-taped by the medics. No blisters, the tape seemed to be working really well.

Five of us all set off together at around 11.30pm. I knew this was a challenging but enjoyable section over the Clywdian Hills taking in the second highest point on the trail of Moel Famau. Shame it was dark but it seemed to make the long climb up to the summit go really quickly. Again it was extremely blustery and you could feel the wind chill. I was wearing surgical gloves I’d blagged from the medics as I’d forgot to put a spare pair of gloves in my drop bag, doh! and my others were soaking wet from the rain! They did the trick though and kept the wind off my hands effectively.

It started to get light as we descended to Bodfari and as we left the trail to get to the next Checkpoint we were greeted by Jon who kindly met us, to show us the way to the centre. The checkpoint was warm and friendly and they even had a menu! Beans on toast followed scrummy home made cake were the order of the day to set me up nicely for the final 12 miles. Although there mixed opinions on the actual distance ranging from 12 to 16 miles and anything inbetween!

The final section had no major climbs and the coast line soon came into view. The temperature had picked up and the wind had dropped so I removed my jacket. Near Dyserth, Paul, a friend who lived close to the path came out to greet me with his beautiful border collie, Mist. What a lovely surprise!

I spotted a familiar figure heading towards me and it was Darren who had run out to meet me. I was with Steven at this point, the sun was now shining but the path remained slippery underfoot from the previous day’s rain adding to the challenge on tired legs as we descended the narrow paths with our final destination, the Nova Leisure Centre, clearly visible from the cliff tops above Prestatyn.

As we hit the tarmaced road, I knew it was slightly down hill from here. From my recce, I was determined that I would run all the way to the end, if my legs would carry me! As we headed towards the town centre, I said to Steven, “oh look, they’ve got the bunting out for us!”. Up and over the railway line and down the straight road directly to the end. I could see the banners and the finish sign from quite far back so I stepped up the pace a little. I was on a roll now!

The crowds were clapping and cheering as I reached the end. As I stepped up onto the platform to the finishing stone, Richard said “kiss the rock” who was I to argue! That rock must have had more hugs and kisses than ever before! That was it, 185 miles…DONE!

Energy from those around you! Kilimanjaro Training Weekend

Darren Kilimanjaro Tips

Our recent and newly launched ‘Kilimanjaro training weekend’ went great.

My apprehension and sleepless nights were soon forgotten when we were sharing laughs whilst drinking tea at the Moel Siabod Cafe at the end of a fantastic weekend.

Two days and nights had passed since five of the Kilimanjaro adventurers; Sarka, Jane, Stuart, Andrew, John and my forever suffering and supportive partner Clare met for the first time.

I arrived at our base camp, the Snowdon Ranger YHA at around 4:30pm on Friday after a quick excursion to Betws y coed to check out the gear shops.

The hostel was locked and not open till 5!! I had a little panic as I had to leave to collect Clare from Bangor station at 5:40pm. Still after checking in, ordering the packed lunches and breakfasts, moving rooms as there was no heating in the original, I shot to Bangor to pick up Clare.

The guys arrived throughout the evening and had travelled from various parts of the U.K. including Yorkshire, South Wales, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

After breakfast on Saturday, we discussed various options around kit choice for Kilimanjaro and demonstrated ideas around gear management whilst on the mountain. We then filled out water bottles, packed our sandwiches and headed to the summit of Snowdon via the quieter Ranger Path. Other than a drone filming a school training expedition, it was peaceful (ok hands up we used a drone to film the summit of Tryfan in May!! I apologise for this, but the footage was excellent).

After watching a team of sheepdogs do their thing and looking in horror at the lines of people heading up the Llanberis path, we summited Snowdon. Scrambling to the summit cairn on a busy Saturday was something else!

After celebrations and many photos we dropped out of the mist for a short lunch stop, before heading back to the Snowdon Ranger YHA for hot drinks and cakes, a la ski chalet style.

Showered and rested we drove the short distance into Beddgelert for a lovely meal at the Saracens’s Head Hotel.

Sunday.

Rested and with a few aching muscles we headed to the Moel Siabod cafe for a quick coffee before the 2.5 hour walk to the summit of Moel Siabod.

The views of the Glyders, Carneddeu and Snowdon were awesome.

A lunch stop in the summit shelter and many photos later we headed back down for hot drinks at the Moel Siabod cafe.

The weekend was full of laughs and great bonds were built before we head out to Tanzania in January 2017. Lots of knowledge shared within the group and support for each other.

Conclusion: Success

And Sarka didn’t realise she’d carried a rock in her rucksack from the summit either!! (Who put that there?!)