Paul Edwards – 640 Miles Scotland to Wales

Standing on the platform at Chester train station, thinking of the journey ahead. Unusually, for a challenge of this size I am calm. The self-doubt, the nerves, and the worry that I had anticipated, it did not manifest, at all. Confident, I knew that no matter what battle lay ahead of me, I was going to make it. I visualised the end goal and I knew that no matter what, I would finish this thing, come hell or highwater, I would finish this for Hope Hospice.

This is it! Thousands of training miles, hundreds and hundreds of hours buried in research, this is where that pays off. This is that point where all the preparations come together to see me to the finish line in 22 days’ time.

Alone in the dark heading up to the highest mountain in the British Isles my long-awaited journey began.

I hiked over cow hill and on to Glen Nevis then onwards up to ‘The Ben’. As I climbed, daylight took over from darkness and the views became clear, it was only then that I got to appreciate the true size of the mountain. Moving upwards and into the clouds there was a noticeable drop in temperature and as I approached the summit the ice became hazardous, navigating the boulders and sharp rocks at the top of the frozen peak was terrifying. An awesome experience!

Four hours into day one and I had walked from Fort William to the summit of Ben Nevis! And with the first peak completed I felt so accomplished, but I wasn’t daft enough to relax. This was but a fraction of the big picture. I tamed my hubris and calmed my mind. There was an enormous journey still ahead of me.

Right on cue, my GPS watch strap broke, my fitness tracker gave up on me and I snapped my trekking pole clean in two as I pleaded with the rocks to let me have it back; I lost that tussle. As I sighed, accepting my defeat the sun came up and it took my breath away. The scenery was sunning and the remarkable views more than made up for the minor kit failings; as long as I can move, I can finish and so on I went into day two.