The approach: Mam Tor in the distance

“These mountains you are carrying, you were only supposed to climb.”

While the weight of these words (pun intended) doesn’t elude me, the thought of even climbing said proverbial mountain seems quite an uphill battle (Oops, did it again; but it seemed like we were on a *roll* there!). If, like me, you’re a city girl through and through, the idea of plunging deep into the heart of la nature may seem unthinkable. And then having to rise to the challenge of actually doing something while out there? Preposterous.

And yet, over the last weekend, I found myself doing exactly that. At the quiet, hurried insistence of a friend, I decided to pop out to the Peak District, well, “just to see what it would be like.” Since this past year has been about saying ‘yes’ to new experiences and challenges and exploring unfamiliar territory (of which, we shall speak another time), I responded — you guessed it–– yes!

It was probably the best decision I made all week.

What is it about these damn mountains? Is it the cold, crisp air that dizzyingly transforms everything and makes things 10x clearer in your head? Could it be the physical exertion fostered by the steep ascent — each new step causing your muscles to scream in agony–– that conversely stimulates newfound energy? I guess we’ll never know…

Being as I am far from Hercules (or his female counterpart), with each step forward, my body was ready to throw in the towel and call it a day, but my mind, no sir, it was goading me to put first one foot, then another, in front of each other and carry on. And I’m bloody glad I did.

We made it!

Sky and earth and water: Walking along the peak

I came away with more than the dull, happy ache in my muscles. That Sunday, I returned with a fair few pearls of wisdom. About life, the self, and everything in between:

• Things can be pretty shit while you’re in the doing of them, but amazing once you finish and look back on what you’ve accomplished
• I was blown away by the strength of the human body & its resilience (even a body as ill-inclined to physical toil as mine!)
• Nothing in life worth having comes without a bit of a struggle — in fact, it’s in the struggle that lies the truest joy
• It’s nice when you have someone walking beside you. Would I have made it as far as I did without my friend and roommate? Possibly not.
• We are capable of more than we give ourselves credit for

I realise these aren’t necessarily earth-shattering revelations for most people. But that cold and windy Sunday, atop the Mam Tor peak, it felt like the wisdom handed down to me from the heavens.

The ‘hiker’: one of my best friends, Juan Diego Villegas

The road less traveled: back to civilisation. After a descent that consisted of predominantly slippery slopes and wet mud, it felt good to finally hit concrete!

We ended the hike on a high––quite literally! That night, we walked to the local village pub and feasted on a well-earned Sunday roast (my first!). The food was devastatingly good by itself, but was made all the more scrumptious by the fact that we’d actually achieved something.

You’ve reached the end of my ramble. If you like what you read, please show your appreciation for this budding writer by clicking the ‘clap’ button. It’ll mean the world to me.