Manchester Evening News editor Paul Horrocks is part of team which is currently climbing Africa’s highest mountain, Kilimanjaro, for charity. During the trip he is keeping a daily diary, and here tells how he conquered a “demon” that had been waiting for him during the trek…

Day 5

A demon in my head which has been waiting for me all along during this trek is now behind me. The 300-metre high Baranco Wall is a fearsome volcanic cliff face which has to be scaled to continue the Machame route, and my fear of heights meant this was always going to be one of my toughest days.

We set out from camp at about 8.30am and I tried to beat back the feelings of nausea and panic which can grip me. More than once I thought: “How did I get into this?”

At first it was a steep but well-worn path which zig-zagged up the cliff face. It is a path not regarded as dangerous and you see young and old scampering up with ease.

With our guide Elias directly in front of me and Mark Rix and Hervey Magnall close behind offering calming words we scaled ever higher.

Then right on cue, the mist I had been praying for swirled in to conceal the awesome drop. But it was just as we reached the more sheer sections that the cloud blew away again.

Don’t look down everyone said.

I had a crick in my neck from just looking up at the rock.

My legs felt like they were filled with water and my stomach felt like jelly.

Seeing the look of terror on my face, Elias brought the climb to a halt and passed me a harness with shackle which he wrapped around my waist.

A green rope dangled from above, and as Elias gripped my arm with his big African hand I was part hoisted and part climbing up the rock face.

In 30 seconds that section was over and my confidence soared as we reached a plateau. I was unshackled and we continued the ascent.

There was one more steep section and we repeated the procedure again.

This time I felt much better and I was again hauled upwards with the rope lashed to a large rock.

After 90 minutes we had scaled the Baranco Wall. I would never say my vertigo has been defeated but I felt elated at the sense of achievement.

Would I want do it again? Probably not.