Kilimanjaro 2010
Jon & Clare's Charity Climb
Wales Autumn Training
Sep 3rd
In September we headed over to North Wales to climb the last of the UK’s 3 peaks, Mount Snowdon at 3,560 feet. Yes there is a train to the top but that is for the lazy people, we walked right from the bottom to the top and back! And yes we camped for a long weekend in the pouring down rain and freezing cold. Great preparation for over a week up Kilimanjaro. I have to say I didn’t find the area a nice place, but that was probably just the weather! Perhaps time for another trip in a year or 2!
The Blueprint 2010 Kilimanjaro Climb
Jul 6th
In December 2010 Jon & Clare Chapman, Directors at Blueprint Printing Limited in Cranleigh, are climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and aim to raise £20,000 for Leukaemia Research. Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and the largest free standing mountain in the world. Standing at 19,340 feet (5,895 metres), Kilimanjaro is going to be a challenge to say the least!
Leukaemia Research is the only national charity dedicated exclusively to funding research throughout the UK into the causes, treatments and cures of all blood cancers, including lymphomas, myeloma, myelodysplasia and aplastic anaemia.
We have chosen to support Leukaemia Research as it has affected those close to us; Clare’s father is currently undergoing treatment for acute myeloid leukaemia at the Royal Marsden in Sutton and in 2003 Clare lost her Uncle John to leukaemia.
We are aiming to summit Kilimanjaro on New Year’s Day 2011 and have already begun training for the event. Watch this space for more information which will be updated regularly.
Scotland Summer Training
Jun 16th
June saw us head even further north up to Scotland, with a non-stop drive to Fort William! We wanted to get Ben Nevis (the UK’s highest mountain) under our belts before a trip right up to into the highlands. We camped for 9 nights, battled the Scottish midges and survived to tell the tale. There were many highlights to this training trip including Clare falling down Ben Nevis, Jon falling down Ben Nevis, hiking 5 miles to the remote peninsula of Scoraig, getting lost on An Teallach in a huge storm and having the entire remote camp site to ourselves! A trip I’d love to repeat again and again
Lake District Winter Training
Feb 28th
In February 2010 we began our Kilimanjaro training with a week long trip to The Lake District in Cumbria. We stayed in White Crags, a rather nice old slate mansion just outside Ambleside, the perfect base for our hill training!
On day 1 we climbed The Old Man of Coniston which at 2633 feet high, gave us the first chance to use our new crampons to get some grip in the fresh deep snow.
Then on day 2 we hiked up to the top of Loughrigg Fell which is the 210th highest mountain in the Lakes.
On day 3 we opted for a lower level hike round Grasmere and Rydal Mount to give ourselves a bit of a rest.
Day 4 and we headed straight for Scafell Pike, England’s highest mountain at 3210 feet tall. It was a long day taking around 9 hours to complete. The snow was knee deep in places which gave Clare some problems with her little legs! This gave us 
ample opportunities to practice safe self arrests with our new ice axes whilst sliding down the side of the mountain, skills which came in rather helpful when we found ourself in the middle of an avalanche whilst traversing across crossing Piers Gill with a 300 foot sheer drop below us, the best fun I’ve had in ages!!
After a day’s rest we summited Castle Cragg, at 985 feet tall it was just a gentle stroll and only took a couple of hours!