Standing on top of Mount Pen Y Fan, felt like seeing Wales for the first time. At last, I was able to get the perspective I needed to completely appreciate the beauty of the countryside.
Until that moment, I had only really seen Wales from the back seat of the family car. A blur of green foliage, glimpses of large open fields through gaps in the dense roadside hedges and the tops of mountains peering out from behind the houses.
The walk to the top was hard work, but the view from the top was truly amazing. The fields below looked like tiny pieces of a patchwork quilt. All tessellating and ranging in shades of yellow through to the darkest green. Completely exhausted and mentally preparing myself to apperate (guess who is reading Harry Potter...) back to the bottom of the mountain, we enjoyed our lunch and casually observed a higher peak in the distance.
Until that moment, I had only really seen Wales from the back seat of the family car. A blur of green foliage, glimpses of large open fields through gaps in the dense roadside hedges and the tops of mountains peering out from behind the houses.
The walk to the top was hard work, but the view from the top was truly amazing. The fields below looked like tiny pieces of a patchwork quilt. All tessellating and ranging in shades of yellow through to the darkest green. Completely exhausted and mentally preparing myself to apperate (guess who is reading Harry Potter...) back to the bottom of the mountain, we enjoyed our lunch and casually observed a higher peak in the distance.
I scoffed, bewildered, at the people who packed up their lunch and set off to conquer the bigger mountain. What crazy crackers... Why go one higher when the view from where we were was perfectly acceptable? We climbed Mount Pen Y Fan for goodness sake! Why go any further? And just as I was about to express this point of view (ba dum chh) to my fellow mountaineers, I turned to find them missing, a foreign family standing where they were a moment ago... As expected, I spotted them standing at the edge of the cliff, measuring up the next peak... Men!
Although my legs were aching and my butt was firmly attached to the ground, my desire to climb to the next peak was strong and I found myself shrugging and saying "we've come this far"... Ten minutes later I found myself deeply regretting such a flippant phrase. The sun was beating on my back and sweat was dripping down my temples. My legs felt as though they were filled with lead and each step was heavier than the last. The only way I made it easier was by holding my knees pushing down with my hands, I looked like a struggling puppet, but the tactic seemed to make things a little easier.
Although my legs were aching and my butt was firmly attached to the ground, my desire to climb to the next peak was strong and I found myself shrugging and saying "we've come this far"... Ten minutes later I found myself deeply regretting such a flippant phrase. The sun was beating on my back and sweat was dripping down my temples. My legs felt as though they were filled with lead and each step was heavier than the last. The only way I made it easier was by holding my knees pushing down with my hands, I looked like a struggling puppet, but the tactic seemed to make things a little easier.
We finally reached the top and the view (thank goodness), was definitely worth it. We were up in the clouds, literally. There were murmurs of disappointment from others, due to the cloud cover obstructing the view of surrounding valleys. I thought they were all silly, because having a cloud float around you is pretty incredible. How many times do you get to stand in a cloud? It was absolutely magical.
I won't lie, I was very relieved to have enjoyed my time up there so thoroughly. It made the heavy legs worth it. What also made the view worth it, was the fact that the first peak we climbed (the one I almost turned around and walked back down once I got to the top), the one we assumed was Pen Y Fan, was not... Pen Y Fan was actually the second peak, I know this because there was a sign (didn't even notice that one was missing from the first peak), so now I can say I climbed Pen Y Fan! Not just the mountain beside it.
Climbing a mountain is physically demanding, but also requires a lot of mental strength. Looking up is probably the biggest mistake you can make, because you realise how steep the climb is and how far you still have to go; whilst looking back down the mountain just makes you queasy and afraid your legs will give way and you'll tumble right the way to the bottom.
Seeing as I have conquered my first mountain, I'm practically a wilderness expert, and can therefore share my wisdom with you and shed some light on the eight emotional stages of climbing a mountain...
The Eight Emotional Stages Of Climbing A Mountain
Stage One: Determination... Let's do this!
Seeing as I have conquered my first mountain, I'm practically a wilderness expert, and can therefore share my wisdom with you and shed some light on the eight emotional stages of climbing a mountain...
The Eight Emotional Stages Of Climbing A Mountain
Stage One: Determination... Let's do this!
Stage Two: Invincibility... Nothing can stop me.
Stage Three: Despair... I can't go on.
Stage Four: Extreme Tiredness... Maybe if I just have a little power nap?
Stage Five: Pain... Everything refuses to move.
Stage Six: Sweet, sweet relief... It's over.
Stage Seven: Stupidity... Realising you still have to get down.
Stage Eight: Post Climb Superiority... Professional Wilderness Explorer.
Xxo