Something's definitely 'lit a fire under me'

As you know (especially if you follow me on Twitter) I have been on a bit of a mission lately. Everything that has happened in my life the past few months has definitely gave me the kick up the arse I needed to get my head straight... finally. Between the inspiration from the Richard Parks' 737 Challenge and the intense need to actually live my dreams and do something to help others, I actually was able to see clearly into myself enough to remember what it is I love and want most in my life and since then, there's no stopping my dreams from popping up to say hello.

Ben Nevis was a real pleasure to complete because I knew the reason I was doing it was for something more important than my own need to do it. Don't get me wrong, it was a challenge because I made myself do it before preparing physically properly for it so that I would work harder for the donations and so I did. Now the ankle, as some of you know, suffered a little when a rock overturned when I stepped on it but it is getting there at last. I feel a little twinge every now and then if I descend step stairs but I am resting it when I can and also doing gentle exercises to help make it stronger.
Now I have a few things in the pipeline which I am excited about, not just the Winter Mountaineering Course but also a trek of the Haute route from chamonix - Zermatt  and The Beacons Way both of which I am currently in the process of investigating.

So I am finally able to be thankful for my OCD side as I have needed to write everything down and kind of make lists and plans to try and bring some order to everything I want to do. Now this would normally be quite an easy task but when everything is rushing out of your brain at 100 miles an hour, it's difficult to capture it all. So far, I have a part training plan down incorporating the bootcamp, walking, trekking and hill walking/climbing on a regular basis but I have remembered to make time for my free / fun time like Canyoning, which I have booked again for 13th August and also for my climbing course on the 7th August. Not forgetting my concert time like 30 Seconds to Mars in Belfast and Panic! at the Disco in Edinburgh both in August too. With all of that, August is set to be a pretty hectic month. Every other bit of spare time will be spent planning and getting out and about and that part, I love the most.

Overall, life has become a mish mash of ideas and hopes and dreams and everything has become exciting again. It's an amazing feeling to chase your dreams, everyone should do it. You never know what you can achieve until you try

S xx

T to the I to the N.T.O

So I figured that everyone has to start somewhere and without using steep Glasgow streets as my starting point, I decided to go with a real hill. Not a Munro but everyone has to start somewhere right. So Tinto was that place:

(Picture by Siobhann McClory)

Bearing in mind, I haven't been hill walking for many a year so I didn't want to have a long drive before starting out on the days adventure. Tinto reaches a height of 2320ft (707m) and as a smallish hill close to home (approx 5 miles from Lanark, i.e 24 miles from home), it's quite impressive indeed. It has a very beautiful setting even on a less than perfect day and it benefits from the usual unpredictable Scottish weather for an all round experience of a hill walking day out.

Starting out kind of late was nice because it meant the hill was a little quieter and I was able to just take my time and enjoy the view:

(Picture by Siobhann McClory)

I reach the 2 false summits and see ice in front of me and think; awesome, I'm almost there so I'll have a water break and get going on the last 100 or so metres to the top before taking in the view and starting back down. in typical Scottish weather pattern fashion, I turn around and enjoy a beautiful view and when I put my water away, turn to face the direction of the summit and all of a sudden I can't see... the fog decends so quickly:

(Picture by Siobhann McClory)

There's more of a hurry to reach the summit now before it is too late. So walking on ice and rocks and taking slightly less time than I would have liked, I make my way to the final goal. Frozen and windy, the summit is a bitter place in January but I made it:

(Picture by Siobhann McClory)

As you can see, the rocks directly in front of me are the only things that can be seen (except the other camera of course) Damn that fog, I was looking forward to avoiding getting my picture taken with the view in the background. Tinto - Done! That makes Stage one complete... what next? I guess you'll have to wait and see.

Until next time x

Beginnings

I thought I would start with a little introduction: Hello, I'm Siobhann and I have a dream... too cliché? Seriously then:

Ever since I was young(er) I have always had an idea in my head of certain things that I want to achieve in my life. Just like everyone, there were some fairly regular things on that list: Learn to drive, have my own house, travel and many others that change and grow as you move through various stages of your life and many of which I am proud to say, I have achieved. However, there has always been one, a dream you may call it and that was to climb mountains. Not just any ones, but MOUNTAINS made of dreams. I'll give you some idea of the ones I am referring to: Ben Nevis, Mont Blanc, Everest, Annapurna, Kilimanjaro and my ultimate dream... K2. Sadly, I have always managed to avoid doing these for one reason or another but the feeling and the desire has never really gone away, no matter how much I tried to replace it with something new.

What began this transformation was back in January 2010 when I decided and promised myself that I would do what I wanted and go where I wanted and celebrate my life and my 30th birthday for a whole 12 months. What a promise that was and how much fun it was actually fulfilling that promise to myself and in doing all of the travelling and having adventures I realised something magnificent... I can accomplish anything. So at the end of December 2010, I decided that I am going to live my dreams and I am going to set out to climb the mountains of my life. Voila! My little seed of an idea had been firmly planted and watered for the first time and now there is no stopping it.

So here we are. The newest chapter in my life and the starting point of something, which I just know, is going to be wonderful.