Last month, at the end of the summer holidays, Issie and I packed our bags and set off up the M1 for the Lake District.

Our ambition was to start our challenge by making it up a few small peaks first and then to attempt the highest mountain in England, Scafell Pike.

With the sun shining as we packed the car, but with the weather forecast threatening a week of rain (it was August, what did we expect?) we stuffed in some waterproofs and woolly hats just in case!

Breaking the journey up north, Issie and I stopped off in Yorkshire to see Charlie’s parents at their beautiful home in the dales.   It was a whistlestop visit, but we were very well fed by Granny Jane, well watered by Grandpa Brian and given a huge amount of encouragement.

Before we set off the next morning, Issie and I took the short drive down to visit the church at Arncliffe where half of Charlie’s ashes are scattered.  It is quite the most beautiful spot in the world and as the sun came out we sat and thought about what Charlie would make of our challenge.  I think he’d be pretty proud of his little girl and her Yorkshire spirit.

We also had time to visit Sarah and her family who live next to the church and who keep angora rabbits for their wool – 80 of the most beautiful long haired angora rabbits you’ve ever seen!  You can buy her beautiful wool here: bigwigs angora.

From there it was just an hour and a half up to Lake Windermere and the Linthwaite Hotel, our home for a week. We couldn’t resist the offer of wild swimming in the hotel’s tarn – all good training for those mountains apparently!

We had a wonderful few days travelling around the Lakes, visiting Beatrix Potter’s house, kayaking on Lake Windermere, doing some short walks and getting in some high aerial rope practice!

Then it was time to tackle our first mountain – Harrison Stickle, via Stickle Tarn.  More of that in our next post….