UKC

Almscliff vs Napes Needle

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 Adam Greenwood 14 Aug 2007
Just been idly reading the first few pages of the '89 Yorkshire Gritstone guide which says that William Cecil Slingsby & friends were climbing at Almscliff in the 1870s. The FA of Napes Needle wasn't until 1886, so shirley Almscliff is the birthplace of British rock climbing?

Or maybe they were only bouldering, people keep telling me it's not real climbing when I go on about it ("mountaineers" usually)

Cheers,

Adam
 Trangia 14 Aug 2007
In reply to Adam Greenwood:

So who was Shirley Almscliff?
 nastyned 14 Aug 2007
In reply to Adam Greenwood: The ascent of Napes Needle became famous and inspired loads of people to take up rock climbing. People (including Haskett-Smith) had climbing things before then.
In reply to Adam Greenwood: Any photos? Were they wearing beanies?
In reply to nastyned:

Interesting, was it widely publicised at the time? I know it's an obvious feature, and was well photographed, but if people were already out and about exploring in Yorkshire and the Peak by then, isn't it a bit hard to tell how much effect it had?

I think I'm just feeling iconoclastic today.

(and Shirley Almscliff was wife of the 10th Lord Almscliff, and early explorers at Alsmcliff wore hand-crocheted beanies)
 Rob Naylor 14 Aug 2007
In reply to Adam Greenwood:
> (In reply to nastyned)
>
> Interesting, was it widely publicised at the time? I know it's an obvious feature, and was well photographed, but if people were already out and about exploring in Yorkshire and the Peak by then, isn't it a bit hard to tell how much effect it had?

It seems to be a climb used as a "marker" but it certainly wasn't (as often claimed) the first climb in the UK "for climbing's sake, with no thought of the summit". Haskett Smith himself (as has been discussed here several times) climbed quite a number of "pure rock routes" before he did Napes Needle.

(Geordie'll no doubt be a long in a minute to trot out yet again his old "Haskett Smith didn't actually climb Napes Needle at all" chestnut).
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