[remus]

Little snap of Suspension Bridge Buttress in Avon Gorge, pre-mezanine. Ken Wilson, likely late 60s or 70-72. From Mountain 20.

Brian Wyvil really sells the place with the opening line "The effluent mud trail oozing towqards the sea on the north west side of Bristol is the polluted remnant of what is still politely called the River Avon after it's tortuous journey through the docks."   

[remus]

Bit of a labour this one, but there's a great interview with Don Whillans by Ken Wilson in Mountain 20 (March 1972) which I've scanned, OCRd and cleaned up for your reading pleasure.

https://climbing-history.org/file/eaff6c84-b054-0d0c-220a-a00119bdff3a/whillans%20wilson%20interview.html

[Johnny Brown]

Thanks, enjoyed that. 

[andy popp]

That's how I remember Suspension Bridge Buttress when I first climbed on it.

[jwi]

Patrick Berhault and George Unia climbing in the overhangs of Baou de St Jeannet near Nice in 1981. Interesting to see the state of the art regarding equipment, fashion and climbing technique in Provence in 1981.

[remus]

Mountain Heritage Trust have just released a film from their collection called Peak Perspective by Ian Smith. Featuring fine 80s stars such as Andy Pollitt climbing London Wall E5 at Millstone and Boot Boys 8a+ at Raven Tor and Martin Veale soloing on stanage.

[cheque]

 

[remus]

Reinhold Messner, owner of mountaineering's greatest bouffant?



📸 Ken Wilson

[SA Chris]

Even when he's not wearing a helmet, he's wearing a helmet.

[andy popp]

Andy Pollitt climbing London Wall E5 at Millstone and Boot Boys 8a+ at Raven Tor

Prolific photographer of the time Richie Brooks belaying on BB.

[cheque]

With a figure-of-eight descender 

[lagerstarfish]

Andy Pollitt climbing London Wall E5 at Millstone and Boot Boys 8a+ at Raven Tor

Prolific photographer of the time Richie Brooks belaying on BB.

Impressive getting that much footage of Richie not talking

[andy popp]

Andy Pollitt climbing London Wall E5 at Millstone and Boot Boys 8a+ at Raven Tor

Prolific photographer of the time Richie Brooks belaying on BB.

Impressive getting that much footage of Richie not talking

Ouch! But lol.

[remus]

Anyone with better Arapiles knowledge than me know which routes Andy's climbing on here?

[spidermonkey09]

Wouldn't swear to it, but I reckon the solo is Pilot Error (about HVS/E1) and the route near the end is likely on Henry Bolte Wall. Others might know better.

[T_B]

Yeah Pilot Error. He’s on Slinkin’ Leopard (28) on Henry Bolte wall.

[remus]

There's a pretty nice instagram account that posts pics + little write ups on Patric Edlinger https://www.instagram.com/patrickedlinger_/

In French, but translate does a decent enough job.

[andy popp]

That's one of the most 80s things ever!

[remus]

I found a nice interview with Elie Cheveux (first person to onsight 8b and 8b+) in an old copy of Desnivel yesterday. He seems an intriguing character so I put it through google translate and reproduced it here https://climbing-history.org/file/d66f59a8-e50d-62ae-f8f5-ca4a226f381d/elie_cheveux_interview.html

[jwi]

A friend of mine climbed with Elie Cheveux after he had been on a photography job in Afganistan for a few months, without any climbing naturally. My friend claims that Mr. Cheveux onsighted a vertical 8a on this occation on his first day back climbing. Luckily Mr. Cheveux was not very good at overhanging rock so my friend felt better about himself later.

[andy popp]

I've told this story here before, but I had the pleasure of taking Elie out for his first day in the Peak. I was looking for someone to climb with and someone said there's some Swiss guy at Ben Pritchard's house looking for a partner. I picked him up in the morning but it was only when we were halfway to the crag that I realised who he was. I had a project on Long Wall, Cheedale, so we went there. Happily I did the project and it took him two repoint goes. It was fun day, he seemed to be a really nice, easy going person.

[Johnny Brown]

Nice! Didn't he onsight a bunch at the Cornice too?

[remus]

I've told this story here before, but I had the pleasure of taking Elie out for his first day in the Peak. I was looking for someone to climb with and someone said there's some Swiss guy at Ben Pritchard's house looking for a partner. I picked him up in the morning but it was only when we were halfway to the crag that I realised who he was. I had a project on Long Wall, Cheedale, so we went there. Happily I did the project and it took him two repoint goes. It was fun day, he seemed to be a really nice, easy going person.

A lovely story Andy. Do you think it would have been this route? https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/chee_dale_upper-10865/mouldwarp_wall-12009 or something else?

[Bonjoy]

For anyone who's interested in what Windy Knoll Cave looked like before the lip collapsed in 2005:

[andy popp]

And look just how tiny Winnats Pass used to be!