You could see the end of day three from our camp at Shira I, which was the end of day two. I have to admit I find that a little disconcerting as it never turns out to be that simple and this would turn out to be no exception. Basically, we were walking on the floor of the caldera hemmed in on all sides by its steep walls. We were heading in a straight line towards tonight’s camp at Shira II, when for some inexplicable reason we diverted off the main path onto a side track. This track did not appear to head towards our next camp and low and behold I was right, it didn’t. It headed instead towards Cathedral Point on the rim of the crater.

What a detour. The clouds stretched out below us, with its tentacles probing into each fold of land, pushing and testing to see whether it could spill over the top of the caldera. Turn 180 degrees and the enormity of the caldera was spread out before us. It was then just a shortish walk to Shira II camp site.

Day four was an 800m climb to Lava Tower, then a 600m descent to Barranco camp site. I’ve ascended far more than 800m in a day on many accusations, but we were now at an altitude of 3,850m going up to 4,650m. Oxygen is taken for granted by most people and in a day to day situation, they don’t give it much thought. But once you get above 3,000m it then becomes just a little more important. The simple act of breathing and moving at the same time becomes somewhat harder and as an oxygen breathing mammal, I find that disturbing. It’s not only disturbing but more importantly, it is debilitating, this is when you realise that the phrase ‘ Pole Pole’ (slowly slowly) isn’t so stupid after all. And it is the main reason I chose this route, an eight day route gaining height slowly so Colin and I could acclimatise.

The 10km walk took us six hours and 45 minutes including an hours lunch break. So a breakneck pace of 1.5km per hour! The walk was through a lava strewn wasteland, with little or no vegetation, with the exception of three plants. One that appeared to be clumps of daisies, one that looked like a pineapple and a tree that grew with anything from one to five branches, each branch taking 20 years to grow. I was told the name of all of these plants but surprise, surprise I can’t remember any of them!

We finished the day at Barranca camp and when the cloud clears at sunset the full extent of the climb up The Barranca wall became apparent.