Last weekend, I faced my fears and took on my sixth challenge; the Stroke Association‘s High Voltage Abseil event, and marked the half way point of my year of ultimate challenges! So far I have cycled hundreds of kilometres through the mean streets of London under moonlight, ran a hilly half marathon around San Francisco, stand up paddle boarded, jumped, abseiled, boat hopped, climbed and orienteered my way around London, fought off gladiators, jumped through fire, crawled through mud and ice around the hills of Surrey, and after the weekend, abseiled 100ft down iconic industrial landmark that is Battersea power station.
We were blessed with fantastic weather, clear and sunny, which made the views from the top that little bit more special. After I arrived, I was greeted by lots of other nervous participants and smiling event staff reassuring us we would enjoy it once we got going. We were kitted up with our special abseiling boots, harness, helmets and gloves and grouped together to make our way up to the top of the building.
The climb up through the building was eventful enough, and actually the more dangerous part of the day. It certainly justified wearing the helmet and protective gear as we had to wind our way up through the derelict (and in some parts crumbling) building. It was a unique chance to see the interior of a building that is part and parcel of London’s central sky line along the river.
Preparing myself at the top!
Once at the top we had the chance to absorb the stunning views along the river, taking in the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, the Gherkin, Oxo Towerand much more. Initially, the view provided a great distraction, but then I came to my senses and started to put into perspective how high up we were.
At the top we were strapped into the safety ropes and given a brief albeit clear and informative instruction on how to make our way safely down. That first initial step that took me off the ledge onto the brick wall was incredibly nerve wracking, however once I started to get my rhythm I was off bouncing down the side, picking up pace and even turning my head to make the most of the views around me.
The abseil took around two minutes for me to make my way down at a fairly steady pace, a lot quicker than I had anticipated. Once at the bottom I was reunited with my friends and feeling very high after the adrenaline rush on the way down, and proud that I had managed to make it down without a fuss. We were then awarded with a certificate and free t-shirt for completing the abseil.
Abseiling down the side of Battersea power station
As this is the half way point and six months into my year of ultimate challenges, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that has been involved and supported me through running, biking, climbing, stand up paddle boarding next to me, and those that have supported from the side lines too! I am doing this in memory of my father and to raise money for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, so if you can I would appreciate any donation, large or small to support them. You can sponsor me on my JustGiving page. Thank you.
