Mission accomplished - 3 out of 3!

While the rest of the UK was suffering a heat-wave, the west coast of Scotland was thankfully only just very hot!

The selection of the day on which to attempt our ascent of Ben Nevis - the third of the highest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales - was a military operation,  not so much as to avoid the rain and cloud but to find a day which might not be too hot!  Everything was arranged, even down to the early morning start o that as much of the climb could be made before the full heat of the day set in.  

The trouble with such a peak is that the whole world seems to want to climb it and folk of, so it seemed,  every nation under the sun where out to conquer it to day.  Even as we headed upwards there were those who were clearly doing the 'all three peaks in 24 hours challenge' were heading down, though with the cloud cap they cannot have got any views.

Just after 2 pm all three of us were at the top of this monster of a hill, very hot and tired.  Unusually for such a major peak this was the first time for us all, Arthur having only got about half-way up when he was a kid, perhaps only 6 years old.  The views were tremendous despite the heat and worth all the effort expended.

The decent was equally hot especially as we descended into the valley where the heat rose and there was no real shade, but what was most alarming was the number of people who were clearly setting off and climbing in the full heat of the day and many with very little equipment - is it any wonder that there are accidents and injuries on the mountains?

Helena and Tess were chilling at the car on our return with much apprecaited sustenance.