Mount Triglav
Climbing Mount Triglav is not for the faint-hearted. Standing at 2,864m, it is not only Slovenia’s highest peak, but also that of the Julian Alps. The extra catch? You can only climb to the very top by grappling with one of Europe’s best-known via ferratas. Roughly translated as ‘iron road’, via ferratas consist of steps and a series of cables which support even the most novice to reach the top of some dizzying rock faces. Although perfectly safe, teetering 9,396ft above sea level certainly gets the blood pumping.
All in all, it’s the perfect adventure for 15 service personnel and veterans.
Over two days, our group headed up to the summit of the mountain and all the way back down again, battling thunder, lightening and some pretty enormous hail stones. Luckily, the sun shone brightly as they reached the most precarious parts of the route and, ultimately, the top.
Tired, but feeling fulfilled, our group returned to the bottom where they could revel in their achievement. Here’s what some of them had to say:
“To be on top of the world again felt amazing, taking a deep breath of fresh air and being on the edge again “I felt alive again”. It was both an emotional and challenging event where I have learnt so much about myself and gained an understanding of my abilities, to realise I am not alone in the way I think and behave.”
“Because you are watching out and chatting with the person in front and behind you, you are taken miles away from your own issues, this in turn stopped the shaking, the tipping up, the fuzzy vision etc. I didn’t even have chest pain from the anxiety. That to me proves and reassures me that those symptoms are only temporary.For while I was with you guys I was able to take myself away from what’s going on in my head, even though we chatted with each other about our issues. That in itself felt normal.”
Head to our Gallery to see more photographs of the trip and thanks must go to Help for Heroes for funding this holiday.