On the 23rd January 2010 Laura completed her first mountain climb, the modest yet very popular Great Sugar Loaf in Co. Wicklow. At just over 500m it is an average size peak, I think it stands at the 494th highest mountain in Ireland, but to get to the top for her was a fantastic achievement. Only seven months prior to that it had also been my first mountain summit and I knew then I would be hooked forever. It had been a harder climb up than I had been expecting, I had been feeling cocky and thought I would fly up to the top. I even went out dressed in a pair of jeans such was my ignorance to the mountaineering lifestyle. I try to remind Laura that the first one is the hardest, that they do get easier...rightly too she did not believe me.
Some time had passed and I thought she no longer wanted to come hillwalking with me. We planned to go out a couple of times but with my training for Nepal I guess the opportunity passed us by. I think it is more a confidence issue than anything else, she lacks confidence in her own ability and tells herself that she cannot do it, but then on the 22nd May we summited her second Irish mountain. Prince William's Seat on the Wicklow / Dublin border. It stands at 555m (a fact I neglected to mention to Laura before we set off that morning).
The heat of the day did little to help our efforts, it was approximately 23 degrees and felt every bit of it, this heat always makes hillwalking more difficult. We took our time however, I knew she could make it and make it we did, a few "I hate you's" were thrown into the mix but we got there. As is often the case once you get to the top of the mountain and see the panorama of views surrounding you, forgetfulness takes over and the ordeal it took to get there in the first place is a distant memory.
The views in all directions around us were breathtaking, on one side you have the Wicklow mountains and on the other you are overlooking Dublin and the Irish sea. The picture below shows Laura at the Price William's Seat trig pillar at 555m, in the background over her left shoulder is the previously conquered Sugar Loaf at 501m. Pushing your limits is something that at the time can seem impossible but afterwards so gratifying. I know Laura will agree with me.
Onward and upwards to our next mountain top....
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