I've just finished reading Joe Simpson's excellent book "The Beckoning Silence" about the North Face of the Eiger and all the tragic failed attempts to climb it, including the classic 1930's pioneers and the ones who died the day Joe made his attempt.

I've always loved being near mountains and admit to being moved to tears by the magnificent view from a minor alpine peak I walked up in the early 1980's, even though I'm no mountaineer, but Simpson's writing evokes all the dreams, hopes and fears of true mountain men, so you can begin to understand what drives them on at the risk of everything.

Today I had a much less epic adventure of my own. We were hashing near Keston and had been going for over an hour when we realised the hare was again turning away from the start point. Mary, Sue and I decided we'd turn the other way and make our way back in a "short cut."

Well, we got lost. We had a lovely walk along footpaths and country lanes all around the area in balmy sunshine, but after a further hour, we were still not back and not quite sure where we were...

Which was when we had our Joe Simpson moment, because as in his recount of his day on the North Face, the mobile phone went!!! It was Peter, asking where we were. We admitted to not really knowing, but noticed a sign a little further along at a junction of two lanes and told him. "Oh, you're about a mile away still! I know exactly where you are though - I'll come and pick you up."

Which was pretty much what happened to Joe too, so we all live to tell the tale!

Only 3 weeks till the lead up to the wedding begins...