Toubkal is the highest peak in North Africa, and at 4,165 metres (13,665 feet) it was also my first time hiking above 4,000 metres. Our group were in the safe hands of the wonderful Adventurous Ewe, flying into Marrakesh and taking a minibus to the village of Imlil, where we had a beautiful guest house to ourselves.

On day 2 we hiked up to base camp while our bags went by donkey with their guide. Base camp is a shared refuge with lots of other groups, big communal sleeping areas and delicious, fresh hot food. Day 3 was mountaineering training: how to use an ice axe, how to stop yourself sliding down a mountain, and plenty of practice in crampons on ice and snow.

Summit day started in the dark, with head torches and crampons on steep snowy slopes, then a sunrise that turned the whole mountainside orange. We had clear skies, warm sunshine and the top almost to ourselves, and it took 7.5 hours to walk just 3.5 miles by the time we were back at base camp. After lunch we hiked down to Imlil, and the next day it was the minibus to the airport and home.