The trainee copywriter who went up a mountain...

Have you ever climbed a mountain?

The Langdale Pikes, The English Lake District

I mean truly climbed a mountain, one stumbling step after another, leaden legs refusing to speed up when the rain is closing in and the summit is not yet in sight.

You start out from a still valley, with only the sound of a trickling stream, and the distant bleats of lambs who’ve wandered too far from their mummies. The early morning sun warms your face as you place one foot on the back sill of the car and pull your bootlaces tight. The scent of heather and wild flowers floats on the warm air. You close your eyes, take a deep breath and hoist your backpack onto your shoulders – sandwiches and waterproof at the ready.

And release.

This is the smell of freedom, the thrill of the unknown, the promise of the adventure that is to come.

The challenge

I’m not talking about K2, or Everest, I’m talking Great Gable, Haystacks, or Crinkle Crags. ‘Hills’ which true mountaineers might sneer at, but that to us city-dwelling office workers, present plenty enough challenge and excitement.

This country is full of them, just waiting to be explored.

Mountains with rocky outcrops to scramble up, steep climbs to break a sweat and leave those thighs trembling for mercy, and summits to look back on fondly.  Mountains with winding paths through Christmas tree-scented alpines, and secret waterfalls to happen upon when you least expect. The healing power of pure water, straight from the rock, to freshen your face, and bathe your tired toes. Magic.

There is nothing to compare to the exhilaration of cresting a peak to find a panorama of wonder just on the other side, or to the despair of finding there was, in fact, a higher peak hiding just behind.

You’ll just have to climb that too…It’s too late to go back!

The reward

For Hubbie it’s the challenge, conquering the rock…For me it’s the view, it’s finding that PPP (Perfect Picnic Place) with a view as far as the eye can see. That scene of green fields, lush woods, nestling villages and glistening lakes meeting the vast sky at the horizon. The surreal hush that falls as you gaze down on a world where everything continues as you left it, as you began your climb, but  from which in that moment, you could not be further away.

A PPP (Perfect Picnic Place) - The Langdale Valley from Harrison Stickle

The inspiration

To justify the effort, the reward has to be something that you feel is worth it.

Like many things in life it’s not supposed to be easy, there are obstacles that will get in your way, rocks that will trip you up or set you on a different course. There are moments of despair to make you want to give in, and moments of realisation that you have the strength and resilience to get you through. There are moments when you turn to each other for support, and those where you wonder why you ever thought this was a good idea.

Always keep the end goal, the summit, in sight and no matter how long it takes the effort will be worth it. You will conquer that rock, discover that PPP, and more than that you will find inspiration to draw on for years to come.

And I promise you, as you look out from the ‘top of the world’, already planning your next mountain, those squished and battered sandwiches will be the best you have ever tasted.

This blog post was inspired by a recent trip to the Lake District, in response to www.thestickyfingersblog.com #TheGallery  week 192 theme: The Great Outdoors 

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Wondering how it all started? Read my first post: CA – Copywriters Anonymous

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