As ever, a public holiday on a Thursday or Sunday means one thing... Oman. This time, the realisation that we had never scaled Oman’s highest peak meant there was only one option... Jebel Shams.

The gang set off from our various offices through the emirates on Wednesday evening.  The plan was to get there while meeting up at “some point” along the way. We all eventually caught up at a “local” eating place and lemon seller half way between the border and Ibri. At that quick pit stop little did we know that we were about to embark on a Top Gear style challenge.

Jack and I set off from the eatery first with James and Rachel in the car behind.  At Ibri we pulled into a petrol station only see James and Rachel passing a minute later. We nipped back into the car and back on the road we increased our to speed catch them up. Going 140kph on a single carriageway road under road works seemed a bit extreme but we had to catch up and it had the added bonus of keeping me awake. Racing along we became increasingly suspicious as to the whereabouts of James and Rachel, “surely we should have caught up with them by know” we thought. That’s is when we received the phone call...

It turned out that James and Rachel had also stopped at a petrol station just after ours and then had been racing behind us trying to keep up! And there was more, google maps had found a shorter route and James and Rachel had just turned off towards Wadi Damm a bit back. Jack and I quickly looked at the map and tried to appraise their new route the only thing was that their new route was not clear. And so that was the set up for the race; we had further to go but we on faster roads, James and Rachel had a shorter route but of unknown quality. Race on!

With little regard for my heroic but well used short wheel based Pajero, we pressed on hard keeping our recent pace up. There could only be one winner and that was going to us. Although there was constant nagging doubt due to the much shorter route of James and Rachel. Jack and I made good time but in Bahla disaster struck. We became lodged in a traffic jam behind a slow cement lorry. The line was far too long to get around so we just had to sit it out. 5 slow kilometers later we reached our turning towards Jebel Shams. It was time to make up lost time. This accelerated strategy lasted for all of 3 minutes due a series of perfectly camouflaged speed bumps and our unintended collusions with them. As we started to wind our way you the mountain, I was staring paranoidly into the gloom for the next aggressive grey speed bump. Halfway up we received another phone call, James and Rachel reported they had just got back onto tarmac. This could either mean one of two things either they were ahead of us as we knew that the road ahead goes to dirt and then back onto tarmac near the top or they were somewhere on their mystery road behind us. There was only on thing for it; assume they were ahead and speed up round the sharp bends of the mountain road. Finally we emerged at the turnoff to our proposed campsite and there was no James or Rachel. Jack and I had proved that with a bit of motivation the further faster way was the quickest!

10 mins later, and after a demonstration of Jack’s new found skill of diagnosing any engine or car noise, James and Rachel appeared. We bumbled down the planned track to find that the extended proposed google earth track was no longer so camp had to be pitched closer to the start of the Jebel Shams walk then desired. 

We had a very slow next morning (Thursday) and thank you Mohammed PBUH for a having a birthday. After a bacon breakfast we arrived at the start of the abandoned village hike with a defensive mind set as we and heard the locals vigorously try and sell you unremarkable rocks. Firm walking and heads down turned out to be the perfect tactic to nullify the locals and we were on the hike proper. On the side of the grand canyon, we felt our true place in the universe. It wasn’t long until we were close to the abandoned village. The village was a small affair. We continued straight through and up to the lake for lunch. Jack was the first to dive in (see above). He reported that it was a little cold but refreshing. James and I followed... it was definitely refreshing! The only other things to report are that there is a Japanese water garden behind the lake, tites come down, and the way back is all up hill even through the way out does not seem down hill. That evening we arrived back to camp to find we had visitors in the form of three more tents and two cars; no impressed. Anyway I was alotted to prepare food that evening and the cauldron whipped out and boeuf bourguignon was prepared and eaten. The rest of the evening is a bit hazy due to Rachel’s gin measures...

Friday morning was the big morning of the Jebel Shams hike. I stood up and then immediately fell over due Rachel’s gin measures. That girl can certain pour a measure! We commenced at 7.15am following a rather large pack of American scouts; not something one wants to encounter first thing in the morning. We quickly passed the scout group and proceeded up to the edge of the grand canyon.

Flag. Flag. Flag. No flag. Where is the next flag? Wonder round for a bit. Oh there is the next flag. Flag. Flag. Flag. And so it continues. We left the edge of canyon. Flag. Flag. Up the side of a Wadi. Flag. Flag. And reached the top at the col just underneath the military installation. Oh we thought we must be nearish the top... What followed was quite a stagger to reach the “Southern Summit”. The altitude had taken the spring out of our steps and after 4km along the ridge going in and out wadis we finally made it to the top with magnificent views!

At lunch we reflected on the hike and confirmed that the hike across the ridge from the col to the southern summit was most unwelcome. Next we noticed the time 2pm! We had to crack on. Back a long the ridge in and out of the wadis. The col was a happy site. As we lost altitude the spring gradually return to our tired steps. Flag. Flag. Flag. Bird of prey. Flag. Flag. The light began to fade providing some awesome photo ops (to the left you can see the bushes of grass lit up and then Jack silhouetted against the mountains). The last 2km was walked in complete darkness the day’s exertions had definitely taken their toll. Close to camp Jack and James manage to find all the fire wood we would ever need with several large dead logs dry by the summer. James sorted dinner and e kept Rachel away from the gin bottle...

The next day we went back the interesting James and Rachel route. We stopped at the world heritage site of the beehive tombs of Al-Ayn, had a walk around, did some rebuilding and Rachel showed off her bottom.

Jebel Shams hike is damm good. Crack on...