come down into Cwm Lloer, or, indeed, almost anywhere to the south or east, where there were only gentle grass slopes, or grass covered with snow at an easy angle. But then, had the storm not stopped, I might have died on Ben Nevis. There is no bad luck in mountain accidents but a great deal of good luck in survival. We have all exposed ourselves to risk in the early days, but seldom the same risk twice, because we had learnt our lesson and knew that the second time the luck might not be with us. People who are cosseted in their climbing, like those sheltered in life, are unable to cope with danger when it comes. The good mountaineer is not the man who has never made a mistake, but the one who has made mistakes and learnt by them. A certain humility is required in the attitude to mountains. Continue to Chapter 7