Breakfast: Boiled eggs
Lunch: Peppered mackerel salad
Evening Meal: Thai chicken curry with noodles

This morning we marched in the opposite direction to our usual route and after a few miles ended up at the big hill we walked up on our first evening at boot camp many, many days ago. We were then split into our usual teams of yellow and green (my group) together and red and blue (the faster and fitter group) together. We then had to go up and down the hill several times- first speed walking three times, then going up backwards walking three times, then side steps three times and so on until the instructors thought we had done enough, it was backbreaking stuff and extremely tough on the old legs.
Back at the house we had an outdoor abdominal workout and arms session, then after breakfast we all took part in a timed proper military Speed Agility Quality (SAQ) course devised and lovingly laid out by Staff Nesbit. There were nine different stations on the SAQ course either based round a huge log, sets of cones, a rope ladder or several smaller logs. After a quick run through by Nesbit to show us how we should travel through each station (e.g. jumping, sprinting, knee lifts, sidesteps etc) we separated into nine smaller groups of three and began our three minutes of pain tackling whichever SAQ station we were on. We had to go round all nine stations twice and were all absolutely exhausted by the end of it, but when Nesbit told us we had got a quicker time second time round the course it raised a few satisfied smiles throughout the group.
After lunch we prepared for our last field trip of gorge walking and abseiling. It was already a very cold and wet day so we packed a change of warm clothes and donned our swim suites and walking boots and set off to meet our guides for the afternoon from Life Changing Activities (.com).
Once at the site, within the Brecon Beacons, we got into the wet-proof gear they had provided for us, helmets and harnesses, we did look silly but we all looked the same so it was quite funny. We then split into our two teams and we set off up this gushing ice-cold river. Everyone was helping each other with outreached hands and words of encouragement as we took our first tentative steps into the torrential downpour of icy river. There were some nervous tears and a lot of sharp intakes of breath as we all stepped in but before we knew it we were negotiating the slimy stones and rocks hesitantly making our way up the river. Despite the cold and wet I was quite enjoying the gorge walk as I couldn't believe I was actually walking up a mountain river in October, its madness. That was until I slipped and plunged in the water, twice, but both times I landed on my bum so it didn't hurt as there is still plenty of padding in that area, mores the pity. Michelle, who I was partnered with (and always am because we make each other laugh even when we're crying), did really well as she's not a swimmer and some of the sections of river were at bust height. The tour guides who had organised our afternoon of water torture were really encouraging throughout the walk and full of local knowledge to help take our minds of the thought of drowning. We then negotiated two smaller waterfalls using climbing ropes and a lot of muscle from aqua man Nesbit before we reached our final destination- the 17 foot waterfall. We were then given the option of either abseiling down it or go back to the warm coach and get changed- well all week I've opted for the easy option so I went for it and put myself forward being the stupid, stupid girl that I am.
I absolutely hated every moment of my abseil as I basically fell down the waterfall bumping off every part of the rock face as it was so slimy and the water so fierce that for a virgin abseiler like myself it was near impossible to get a foot hold, it was a horrendous experience and I felt like I was drowning for most of it especially when I was upside down under the flowing water at one point. My only saving grace came when I hit the bottom, I could hear Staff Nesbit shouting my name so I focused on that and crawled on my knees towards him, by this point I was in shock with my left hand bruised and bleeding and finding it hard to catch my breath. I practically ran back down the hill towards the coach to keep warm and to get as far away as possible from the waterfall. At the coach I got changed into my warm clothes mooning the sheep and not caring who saw my bruised bum as I changed and once onboard I was given half an apple as a snack. Half!?
I think I'll stick to admiring waterfalls from afar in future rather than trying to climb up, down or in them- never ever again.

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