Will4Adventure

Emma met me at the last year's show. Despite having a fear of heights, and being uncertain that she would be physically fit enough she decided to accept my challenge and join us for a weekend of scrambling in the mountains of the Lake District a few months later.   

It wasn't long before Emma decided to join us for another weekend in the Lake District - this time to tackle the infamous Striding Edge. Despite being buffeted by the high winds, Emma kept her nerve and added another iconic route to her repertoire.

With two Lake District classics under her belt, the bug had bitten. Emma's confidence and resolve had strengthened no end. When she first met me she'd never dreamt that she'd be bagging one of England's highest summits - let alone attaining it via an by airy exposed ridge. With these achievements in the bag, she booked a place on our Morocco expedition - which will see her summit Jebel Toubkal, North Africa's highest mountain on New Year's Eve 2007.

With this as her aim, she has embarked upon a strict regime of regularly exercising and has booked further weekends with Will4Adventure walking and scrambling in the UK's hills and mountains. Further - after a lifetime of smoking - she has finally given up cigarettes - a day her mother had long ago given up believing she'd ever see. Plus, she has joined a gym and walks every weekend in a bid to get fit for the NYE trip to Morocco.

The trip to Morocco

The summit day was the fourth of a five day trek and commenced at 0445 getting up in sub zero temperatures having spent the night at a climbers' refuge located at the mountain's base camp. Setting off up the mountain at 0600 the pace was slow and the task daunting. Emma wouldn't have been the only one doubting her abilities in this oxygen poor and bitterly cold environment. Even the sun rise illuminating the High Atlas and the Sahara beyond its borders did little to lift her spirits. Indeed with just 200m she was ready to give it all up.

Somehow though - she was able to dig deep and draw from all the preparation she'd put into completing this task - and summited North Africa's highest mountain at 1100 on New Year's Eve 2007.

Plans for next year - to take up rock climbing! What a star!

www.will4adventure.com