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We all met for the first time in a hotel in Cardiff and spent the day shopping for wet weather gear, doing group and individual filming and meeting Iolo. It was a long tiring day, especially as a lack of sensible planning on my part meant a four hour drive back home at the end of it all.

I'm going to have to work on my boredom threshold which is problematically (and famously) low.

In the outdoor gear shop, after I had picked my own kit and bossed Lloyd, one of the youngest participants, around a bit (ever my forte) over his choice of hiking boots (initially hideous fluorescent green numbers), I more or less completely lost interest, got very fed up with the hanging about and wanted to move on to something else. It wasn't the kind of shop I would normally spend time in and having spent my budget, it was totally time to go for me.

Being very much an 'own agenda' person, I wanted to go, when I was ready, even if just back to the hotel, to have more coffee and read my book! I guess I'm going to have to learn to deal with that kind of thing in a more positive fashion.

Another thing I felt was hugely self-conscious - not just about the way I look to myself and people around or connected to me, but also how I am going to appear physically and personality-wise to other people. Maybe that's just confirmation of how shallow I am!

In terms of my appearance, I'm probably more aware of how I look at the moment, having become quite badly overweight recently but, since the end of February having lost four stone and so dropped two sizes.

For me, one of the things about trying to experience nature is that you have to 'dress up' and it can be difficult to find the right clothing for the job in bigger sizes. That puts you off for a start.

I don't think that now, at a size 16 on top and 18 on the bottom half that that is particularly extraordinary - apparently about 40% of British women are at least a size 16. But this shop, a major supplier in Wales' capital city, had no women's waterproof trousers above a size 14.

Eventually I had to choose men's trousers which was ok - I don't have a problem with it as I know I will need them - but waterproof trousers are hardly flattering at the best of times without having to choose ones that are cut for men. Retailers, it's time to lift your game!

People who are not necessarily sylph-like are hardly going to be encouraged to experience the great outdoors if they can't even get kit to fit them in the first place!

I also felt that my natural inclination, particularly in the shop, was to play up big time for the cameras - having always had a reputation as a bit of a drama queen, it seemed quite easy to be a complete ham and 'mug' as much as I could.

I was pleased to meet Iolo, having heard various things from other people - comments ranging from "he seems like a bit of a plonker" to "oo-er he's completely gorgeous, you lucky thing meeting him". (Guess the gender of the two people involved in that conversation!)

I thought he was better looking than he appeared on the website and very funny and charming too. But when he talks about us seeing some "amazing things" over the course of the programme, I'm totally sceptical and think he will have a hard job convincing me, charmer or not!

With hindsight, I felt like initially I was going to come over as a bit of an idiot who seriously believes that one's choice of hiking boots should be primarily influenced by the colour co-ordination between the uppers and the stripes on the laces.

I'd like to come across as a thoughtful, intelligent person who has credible reasons for not taking advantage of the countryside out there, not as some lardy airhead who only think about film stars and shoes, who just can't be bothered to take her paws out of the chocolate and get off the settee.

I don't feel I should have to justify preferring a roaring fire and a good book, to a long wet slog up a freezing hillside to see some bird I wouldn't want to look at on the telly!

I'm always going to want to go to the movies or have a lie-in, listening to the Archers with the Sunday papers and a bacon sandwich or make fresh scones for afternoon tea. I don't think I will ever be prepared to give those things up in favour of yomping across the moors on a damp afternoon.

But maybe in future a balance can be struck. It's a notion to ponder for the next bit of filming...