What was the first mountain you climbed, and how old were you?
For me it was Blencathra, at the age of 10: that was 50 years ago today, to within a week or so. I was one of about 20 boys from Aspley Heath County Primary School in Bedfordshire, taken up to the Lake District for 8 nights Youth Hostelling, with just 3 adults looking after us! [The following year they allowed girls to come. Whatever next? Women running fell races? ]
I am not sure which way we went up, but I remember a rounded grassy ridge, so not Halls Fell; probably Blease Fell. I couldn't believe how long the uphill continued; we had done some training walks in the Bedfordshire Greensand Ridge behind the school (highest point 171 metres), but nothing like this. It was tiring, but exhilarating. It was also my first experience of going up into clag, which seemed very strange. And I remember us paddling naked in Scales Tarn on the way down (remember: there were no girls that year).