Monday 1^st June; London.

I am back; somewhat dejected that the weather turned us back after 7 hours climbing and less than 250m of the summit.  It was cold and clear when we left the refuge in torch light at 2 in the morning and started climbing.  By 9 o’clock the sun had come up with some spectacular views and we were within an hour of the top and just onto the base of the summit ridge. We had completed  the hardest part of the climb clearing two of the three Mont Blanc peaks. A storm came up within minutes and we were in hail and snow, high winds and no visibility (so much for Meteo France; sunshine and no wind!) and the guide rightly had to call it off.

Then the adventure really started as we had to find our way down the glacier in a white out and a longer way home. The charming thing about skiing on glaciers in the summer is the number of crevasses, ice walls and seracs and the fact that they are constantly changing! We eventually found a path down without skiing over or into anything and a couple of rappels down unskiable places (dangling on a rope to the un-initiated!) then a long traverse, some climbing and some skiing, around the side of the mountain across various other glaciers until we eventually reached the middle station lift after another 6 hours and nearly being crushed by falling rocks. The normal time to come down is about half that!

It was a disappointment as we didn’t achieve our goal and I am not sure that I have the stamina to try again. We did come back in one piece however and did do much more than we had originally planned so I do feel a little vindicated. I can say to all my supporters and those who have given so much for the RNLI that I worked my socks off doing something that was possibly the hardest physical thing I have ever done. It was not only plain tiring, it hurt, the altitude saps your strength and gives you blinding headaches and you start out with only a few hours sleep in a sweaty refuge with 20 other people in just one bunk! (not as much fun as it sounds) I still have the aches and pains - very sore knees and a few bruises but even without the elation of getting right to the top it was a great experience and very fulfilling – if a little bit daft for a 60^th birthday treat – but then that is how it all started!

Thanks again everyone for your support and generosity, we have nearly raised £5,000 for the RNLI.