Still in Training (sort of)

THANKS TO THE LADS FROM KWIKFIT IN CHAPEL ALLERTON – Spontaneous donation to H4H 

After Adam and the family went home I did a couple of walks but the most testing was the Sierra Bernia again. I decided to do the Eastern summit this time as I’d read that it was doable solo. I walked round the base of the northern face up to a cave that goes straight through the mountain ridge. 

I went off track from here, not going through the cave, although I’ve been through it a few times before, but heading east across mostly scree and up mountain goat paths. I needed three attempts to climb up to the ridge and nearly cacked myself when I swung my leg over the top and saw a sheer drop on the other side. The ridge was only about six inches wide at that point. Traversing along back west towards the Eastern Summit was great, but it was well up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit and the rock was just radiating heat. I’d taken half a litre of water and I’d hydrated myself at a spring below the cave but the sweat was pouring out of me. I managed to get within twenty metres of the summit and couldn’t get further. I was up a sheer rock funnel which was only four metres high but on my own without a rope, and not having seen a soul all morning, I decided to save that last few metres for another year.

Coming back down I couldn’t make it down to the north side where my car was parked. The heat was too intense and the sun was directly overhead so there was no shade. I had to climb down the south side into a forest where at least there was shade. I was a bit dizzy with the heat and my water was running out quick – I’m an idiot for not taking more – so I thought I’d better drop down to Altea and get watered and fed ( I hadn’t had any breakfast either). Walking along a track under the trees I remembered there was a picnic place about three miles away, without having to climb up. I was gasping for water but needed to save what I’d got. I found some blackberries and although they were dry I got a bit of energy from them. I found an apple tree and chewed the juice out of the ripe ones.

Finally reaching the picnic area I ran to the taps in the covered section and turned them on – nothing. Bone dry. I went into the toilets and there was no water there either. I was about four miles from the car but I’d have to climb up round the western side of the Sierra, which wasn’t as high as the summit but it was getting hotter all the time. It was about noon by now and I’d set off at 7am. I decided to give it a go. There were a few old mountain farmhouses but they were deserted. I set off up the hill again and covered a mile up a zig zag route but I was in danger now of overheating and dehydrating. I turned a corner on the footpath and there was a door in the hillside with a bolt and a sign saying please close the door and that no dogs were allowed Inside. It was signed as a Font. I pulled open the door and in the darkness heard a drip. There was a light on my phone and I could make out an ancient trough with water dripping off the moss into it. I drank like a donkey. I poured it over my head but it was freezing and gave me a shock – straight from the bowels of the mountain. Sweetest tasting water I ever tasted. Yay!

I made it back to the car a couple of hours later, no sweat. Well actually, quite a lot of sweat but I had my bottle topped up and I’d drunk enough water to fill a bath. What a great trip, seven hours in real heat but lots of lessons learned.