We made it to the foot of Ben Nevis just before 3 o'clock in the morning - thanks to our two awsome drivers - while we all tried to get some sleep.

The sky was looking like we were in for a good sunrise on our way up the mountain.

Our tired legs started well, but soon slowed to a trudge, the gradient was incessant. We all stayed much more together as a group this time, all walking at a steady pace, knowing that we had 6 hours to do a climb that ought to take us 5 1/2 hours. The terrain wasn't vey kind: large rocks embedded in the dirt track; varying sizes of gravel; more rocks; and then snow for the last half a mile.

The euphoria we felt at the top, while we toasted ourselves with some more champagne, was slightly tainted by the knowledge that we would have to lug our tired bodies back down that long, steep, rocky path.

Walking on snow was quite tiring, so much so that we were glad to get back on the gravel! Whilst we had managed to stay together on the way up, we stung out a bit more during the descent as we all fought varing stages of tiredness.

Getting back to the car park was a good feeling, realising that we didn't need to walk any further. Our aches and pains temporarily forgotten, we posed for our final team photograph.

Our mood was further improved by a "full Scottish breakfast", served up by Miriam. She was not only good enough to put up our drivers for (what was left of) the night, but also said that she would cook breakfast for all of us, in her pyjamas, once we had finished. What a star!

Only 8 hours driving ahead of us now. What a fab day!