Mark came over to visit this weekend (22 Jan 2007) and sort of messed up our plans for the summer holidays.
He said on arrival "I have a bit of an idea that I want to run past you. How do you fancy climbing all the routes in Hard Rock in one go?" I think Rich laughed but for some reason I liked the idea. The two of them went off climbing and I sat in the sun with my laptop and started to list the routes with grades, walk in times, heights etc. When they returned I took great pleasure in telling them. " 22.000 ft of climbing which should take approx 150 hours, 180 miles of walk in. Over 3000 miles of driving (all done by me), but I think you (we) can it"
The book documents 60 of the most spectacular and adventurous rock climbs to be found anywhere in the British Isles. Sir Chris Bonington and Hamish MacInnes head a formidable cast of professional and talented climbs who have contributed by writing essays, giving an inspirational account of the climbers and climbs.
This is more than just a book of climbs, it’s a unique journey to the steepest, most exposed and wild places the British Isles has to offer.
http://www.needlesports.com/hardrock/hardrock.htm- Derek Walker has written a great appreciation of the book on the above website.
Our boys both have the third edition Rich was only 6 when the book was first published and Mark was only a twinkle in his mums eye.
So why do we do want to do it then?
Mark - " I have always wanted to tick all the routes in the book and just never imagined that I would get the chance to do them all in one go.
Rich - "I’ve owned a copy of this book since the mid eighties, and periodically been referring to it ever since. One thing strikes me, every time I’ve completed one of these routes, I`ve been filled with a sense of achievement that can only come from an adventure where the out come is uncertain, and the hardship real".
He said on arrival "I have a bit of an idea that I want to run past you. How do you fancy climbing all the routes in Hard Rock in one go?" I think Rich laughed but for some reason I liked the idea. The two of them went off climbing and I sat in the sun with my laptop and started to list the routes with grades, walk in times, heights etc. When they returned I took great pleasure in telling them. " 22.000 ft of climbing which should take approx 150 hours, 180 miles of walk in. Over 3000 miles of driving (all done by me), but I think you (we) can it"
The book documents 60 of the most spectacular and adventurous rock climbs to be found anywhere in the British Isles. Sir Chris Bonington and Hamish MacInnes head a formidable cast of professional and talented climbs who have contributed by writing essays, giving an inspirational account of the climbers and climbs.
This is more than just a book of climbs, it’s a unique journey to the steepest, most exposed and wild places the British Isles has to offer.
http://www.needlesports.com/hardrock/hardrock.htm- Derek Walker has written a great appreciation of the book on the above website.
Our boys both have the third edition Rich was only 6 when the book was first published and Mark was only a twinkle in his mums eye.
So why do we do want to do it then?
Mark - " I have always wanted to tick all the routes in the book and just never imagined that I would get the chance to do them all in one go.
Rich - "I’ve owned a copy of this book since the mid eighties, and periodically been referring to it ever since. One thing strikes me, every time I’ve completed one of these routes, I`ve been filled with a sense of achievement that can only come from an adventure where the out come is uncertain, and the hardship real".
No comments:
Post a Comment