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Trail Run | Hathersage 10 Mile Loop

After months of shopping for the right pair of Trail Running Shoes I finally got a bargain in a pair of Merrell All Out Crush. These, along with the new Vango Swift 10L Hydration Pack meant it was time to get out especially as we have plans to run up to the Mer de Glace while we are in Chamonix, as well as the Yorkshire Three Peaks later in the year.

Besides this, I had an urge for some sort of physically draining day out and have done since the New Year, and BG was yet to try out the route/navigation setting on his Suunto Ambit3 Peak I got him for Christmas. We found this route on Suunto's Movescount website which was rich in trail running routes all over the Peak District.

Planning the Tour du Mont Blanc

The Tour du Mont Blanc Route

For those of you that have seen the endless posts on Instagram or read about last year's trip to the Alps on here you'll know how much Chamonix and the Mont Blanc Massif stole my heart. Shortly after we got home the UTMB started popping up in my Instagram feeds on accounts I had recently started following. As the pictures came in thick and fast of stunning scenes, vast Alpine valleys and enormous mountains I decided I wanted in on the action.

REVIEW | Exped Synmat UL 7 M

Last year before the first wild camping trip and I had a trolley full of outdoor gear a top-notch sleeping mat unfortunately wasn't at the top of the list. Other things like base layers, mountaineering boots and a decent sleeping bag were.

Then last week the time came to replace my 'virtually-just-a-yoga-mat' sleeping mat and get something better. BG had bragged about his Therm-a-Rest since the first camp we went on together and to be honest that's what I had planned on getting but then an impulse quick look in the nearest Blacks led me to something better; the Exped Synmat UL 7 M.

Birthday Wild Camping

Sunrise over Coniston Water 

2016 is drawing to a close and unlike last year I am really enjoying December and the build up to Christmas and, part of the build up includes a birthday for me. Birthday parties have never really interested me, mainly due to the fact that when I was a child everything was booked up months in advance due to Christmas parties, and as this year has just been full of epic, happy outdoor adventures what better than to revisit the Lake District where 2016 began.

Most Wanted Outdoor | December

While me and a friend were Christmas shopping recently I found myself mesmorised by the selection of hats in a well known UK outdoor shop. When I got home I found myself browsing the web for Barts Hats. I was completely sucked in by the chunky knits in all the textures and colours and the thought of my head being super warm while experiencing a super cold day/night on the hills and up the mountains.

Most Wanted Dancewear | December

December's most wanted is pointe shoes.

Not a new pair of pointes, or a specific brand, make, or model but the chance to actually dance in them. You see, I am currently experiencing 'ballet-pangs' and cravings for class.

The Imitation Game

It's been almost two years since the world crumbled from beneath my feet and I landed in a new and and oh-my-god-so-much-better one. Apart from the obvious time-healing, the mini battles of not letting what he, and she, thought was perfectly reasonable to do to another person affect my future, and the anger that still ebbs and flows, it's the human nature of intrigue that is responsible for experiencing what it's like to be imitated.

Vienna and Christmas

The Christmas Tree at the Rathaus

At the very end of last year when we were planning where to go in 2016 we decided a cultural, relaxing city break would be in order towards the end of the year after all the adventures and mountains. We looked at Salzburg and decided on Vienna at the end of November. And it just happened to be the start of Christmas.

I've never been on a trip that I hadn't had time to get excited about. I have been so immersed in wading through my workload that it wasn't until we were on the runway at Gatwick did I start to realise I could finally start to relax.

Mont Blanc du Tacul

Mont Blanc du Tacul (4248m) from Aguille du Midi

When we were planning what to do in the Alps and BG said 'let's get you your first 4000m peak' we planned it to be the Weissmies in Switzerland. It would be a week into the trip by the time we planned to do the Weissmies which meant I would have had a week to acclimatise and get my head around it. And technically it should be an easy first 4000er.

The week of leaving for the Alps BG was reading through guide books and said something along the lines of 'how do you fancy Mont Blanc du Tacul?' Innocent, naive and with a craving for adventure I said 'yeah'.

Around ten days later I found myself putting crampons on in the ice tunnel at Aguille du Midi about to rope up and head down the Aguille du Midi ridge and on to the Col before attempting 4248m of mountain.

This is what happened.