The rain on the tent sounded like an army chucking thousands of buckets of water over it. It had sounded like that all night; a constant drumming as the torrential rain pelted the tree above us, which jettisoned the water directly onto our tent. To say it was wet was an understatement. We’d completed the … Continue reading Another epic weather fail
Walking and walks
When the weather scuppers your volcano-climbing plans
“Are there any questions? Does anyone have other plans for tomorrow?” the hut warden Sally asked the motley group of trampers as we huddled in the Mangatepopo hut on the skirts of the Tongariro National Park in the centre of New Zealand’s North Island. Outside the wind was buffeting against the hut’s wooden walls, whipping … Continue reading When the weather scuppers your volcano-climbing plans
Here’s the plan for the trip to New Zealand
So, the next lot of volcanoes in my #40by40 quest have now been lined up as I head off back home to New Zealand for a month in a little over two weeks’ time. Woohoo can’t wait! The original plan had been to fit in five volcanoes but trying to also fit in a friend’s … Continue reading Here’s the plan for the trip to New Zealand
That time the car got stuck in a paddock on Mt Snowdon
When you take a trip to the mountains, you might think you’re more likely to get stuck on a mountain (yip pretty much did that) rather than getting stuck in a muddy paddock. Well, I have the dubious honour of being able to say I essentially achieved both in my recent trip to Snowdonia in … Continue reading That time the car got stuck in a paddock on Mt Snowdon
When the sun sets and you can’t find the path home
“Seriously Del, we have to hurry up. The sun is setting and I have no idea where the start of the path down Devil’s Kitchen is.” I left him to bumble about with his gloves and ice axe while I tentatively began a hasty and very steep descent of Glyder Fawr, a 1001m high mountain … Continue reading When the sun sets and you can’t find the path home
Volcano number 6: The first high altitude volcano
From a distance, Mt Etna – Europe’s highest and most active volcano – seemed mysterious. She sat surprisingly quietly in the background as people wandered the streets of Sicily’s port city Catania, just the occasional wisps of steam floated above her. Up closer, her smoking was more pronounced and the landscape changed from lush greenery … Continue reading Volcano number 6: The first high altitude volcano
Volcano number 4 and 5: The opposite volcanoes
It was only about 11:30am and it was stinking hot. The yellow sun pierced through the clear blue sky and scorched both me and the earth as beads of sweat started to gather on my brow. For what looked like a relatively easy 390m high volcano to climb, Gran Cratere on the Aeolian Island Vulcano … Continue reading Volcano number 4 and 5: The opposite volcanoes
Volcano number 3: The erupting volcano
That moment I got up close and saw my first active erupting volcano will stick with me. I was in the Aeolian Islands, just north of Sicily, gorging myself on quite possibly the world’s best pizza, when suddenly everyone in the restaurant went wild, turning and pointing behind us. Paula, beside me, ferociously grabbed my … Continue reading Volcano number 3: The erupting volcano
Me, a compass and three burly blokes
So I can now officially read a compass and an Ordnance Survey map. (Yep, the certificate is even winging its way to me in the post as I write.) After my minor freak out on the rain-driven and cloud-covered slopes of Mt Snowdon last year, and my stupidly ambitious desire to climb 40 volcanoes … Continue reading Me, a compass and three burly blokes
Volcano number 2: The muddy volcano
The jungle on Nevis Peak “That was your warm up. Now you climb.” Those were the words of our buff 57-year-old guide as we stood in a scraggly jungle of moss-covered trees, vines and ferns, staring at a criss-cross ladder of tree roots that ascended heavenward. We’d been walking up hill for the past 20 … Continue reading Volcano number 2: The muddy volcano