Its been way too long!

It has been far too long since we last updated this blog. We are getting ever closer to starting our three peak challenge and the word challenge becomes more apt by the day. We are hoping to complete Ronas Hill in the next couple of weeks and that will be one under our belt. We have been walking with the backpack and we are getting used to it, but the problem is that Esme is growing by the day and becoming heavier! She generally falls asleep in the backpack which is great except she becomes a dead weight and it isn't easy to carry her for very long! Oh well, I suppose we should have thought about that before we began this!

We have already reached our target for the fundraising without adding in the sponsorship money so we are doing really well. It takes some of the pressure off in fundraising before we leave and allows us to concentrate on preparing ourselves for the walks.

The flights are booked but as usual we have tried to pack far too much into the time that we have south, arranging to meet up with family and friends and oh....walking up two mountains!!! What were we thinking???? Of course, really people want to see Esme, so maybe people won't mind if we go off and walk up the mountains whilst Esme entertains them. I'm not sure they would even miss us!

The last two weeks before the walks are going to be the most important, we can't do too much but we don't want to be underprepared. Our walking boots are walked in and I suppose we are ready to go! Wish us luck!

We are on a roll!!

Since the last post on here we have been very busy fundraising and training and it feels like we are really getting somewhere! Esme has hosted her very own sunday teas in the Symbister Hall and it was a complete success! Thanks to the never ending generosity of the people of Whalsay we managed to raise £1378 in a couple of hours! We couldn't believe how many people turned up to support us and just how generous they were - the people of Whalsay truly are in a league of their own!

We have been walking a lot and swimming for our training and I think that finally my fitness levels are beginning to improve - it took a while but things are definitely getting easier and  the jeans are a little less tight than they were. It is certainly helping to get the baby weight off me!

We had a brilliant day today has been for the fundraising! The fantastic charity shop for which Whalsay is famous in these parts, Shoard, has kindly donated us a FABULOUS £1500! This means that before we have done our 3 peaks challenge we have reached our target of £2200 which is brilliant. It means that the maternity unit will be able to choose something else to buy with the money we have raised. It is such a brilliant feeling to know that everything we raise from now on is a bonus and we can afford the mattress that the maternity team have requested. We couldn't have done it without Whalsay and its brilliant community.

A slowing of pace but the flights are booked!

Well, it has been a while since our last post and I have to admit we've slowed down our training somewhat. We have been doing walks but they have been shorter and not to such heights, mainly on Whalsay. We are hoping that as the weather gets better we will be able to travel further afield and try some of the lovely walks that Shetland has to offer. We have been getting lots of support in the form of sponsorship, the ferry crews on the Hendra have raised a fantastic amount of money for us and we are hoping that once we get our sponsor forms in the shops that more money will be donated to the cause.

We have booked our flights south to wals Scafell Pike and Snowdon and we leave on the 21st of July. We have given ourselves a window of about 3 weeks to get both walks done and to see friends and family who live south. I think it might be a bit ambitious but we'll see!

6.2 miles walked!

After our lovely walk on Saturday we decided to keep the momentum going and walk to Skaw and back on Whalsay. We didn't think much of it and set out with Esme and the dogs. It was a particularly windy day but we walked at a good pace and made it to Skaw and back in about 2hrs15mins which we thought was quite a good time. It was only when we returned home that we realised that we had actually walked 6.2 miles! Quite an achievement! On the down side though my knee is knackered! I think I need to strap it up next time. Hopefully it will right itself in time for our next outing.

Family Training Walk #1

Well, today the Sh'Emmetts began the family training and what a day to begin on! It was so sunny we couldn't have wished for a better day to begin our walking training. We climbed up to reservoir above Scalloway and then up and along the ridge that looks over Tingwall and down to Scalloway. James carried Esme and she seemed to enjoy herself! My new walking boots turned out to be a good buy and despite walking through numerous peat bogs they didn't leak once which is brilliant - my last pair leaked all the time! We saw quite a few Arctic Hares as well, they stand out against the heather perfectly, but they are very fast and trying to get a good picture of them is not easy, as I found out! I honestly thought that I would find walking on the heather harder going but actually it wasn't too bad once I got used to it and the view at the top was worth it. I have to say our first outing was a complete success and we are feeling very proud of ourselves. It wasn't the hardest of walks but it was a good place to start. Off out to scale Clate hill on Whalsay with the dogs tomorrow - need to keep using the muscles so that they don't seize up!

Anyone for tea?

Not only are we doing the 3 Peak Challenge for the maternity ward but we are also holding a sunday teas on Whalsay on the 1st of May at the Symbister hall from 3 -6. There will also be crafts on sale. I am busy making jewellery for my stall! I love making jewellery but since Esme was born I've not had much chance to do any, so this is the perfect excuse to get back into it. My true ambition is to do silversmithing and hopefully I will get to do that one day but for now the pieces I am making I am really pleased with and I hope that they will make some money towards our final total. I will post some pictures on here so that it might entice some people to come along and buy some. Other than my jewellery of course, there will be some lovely crafts from other island residents who make some beautiful things. There will also be lots of baked goods for your afternoon tea and I have to say that the baking on this island is the best I have ever tasted! You really should try it!!! So if you are free on May the 1st come along!

The preparation begins!

Well we have begun, albeit slowly, to train and prepare for our challenge. I have begun swimming again and managed to swim 1km in half an hour last week! I was very proud of myself but I suffered for it in the following days. Of course walking would be the best way to get prepared for the climbs! We are going to start with Clate hill on Whalsay and then take it from there. Unfortunately the weather has not been great just recently but we are just going to have to go out regardless of the weather if we are going to reach our goal! Wish us luck!!!! We will let you know how we are getting on.