UKC

We all know the stories of Whillans, Brown, Scott, Haston etc.....

Who though stands out in the non famous yet truly great climbers that some of us may be aware of but are not household names?

Time to touch the forelock to some of the greats.......

........for me it would have to be Gary Gibson and Johnny Woodward!

Superb gritstone pioneers and top of the tree in their day...

Who else!!??

In reply to reidyold boy:

A topic actually about climbing instead of boozing?? Have you had a bump on the head??

In terms of skill, determination and sheer astonishing route productivity VS amount of column inches gained, I'd have to vote for Martin Crocker.

In reply to Fiend: Keeping off the booze.....till 5ish anyway!

In reply to reidyold boy:

pat littlejohn. a route machine and pretty good climber to boot.

In reply to reidyold boy:

Gary Gibson top of the tree?? Which tree was that?

jcm

In reply to johncoxmysteriously: He was!

I used to watch him sometimes at the Roaches when i was a youth.

Staffordshire guidebook would have taken years for someone else to get sorted...

In reply to reidyold boy:

Pete Oxley never seemed to get the credit he deserved ??

In reply to reidyold boy: Staffordshire guidebook would have taken years for someone else to get sorted...

Writing a guidebook does not make him a great climber.

Simon Nadin
Nick Plishko
Dougie Hall
Mark Leach

all get my vote!

In reply to reidyold boy:
Con Higgins for his Winter Routes on Ben Nevis.

In reply to reidyold boy:

Adrian Moore

The Brat

Mark Miller

In reply to reidyold boy: gary gibson???

In reply to reidyold boy:

Almost none of them are household names are they?

In reply to Norrie Muir: I never really got on with him but Kenny Spence put up a fair few routes over a longish period of time & is rarely written about.

In reply to reidyold boy: Gabe Regan.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

I know! I don't know of some of them and there are many more i'm sure that never promoted themselves or made a big deal of anything...

In reply to Anonymous: Gary Gibson in the70's and early 80's put up some of the Staffordshire grit classic lines...... he leant me some gear once to try a route that i failed miserabley on when i was about 15 and was very encouraging..

There was also Simon Nadin and Nick Dixon......anyone who led Clive Coolhead deserves a mention....an absolute classic slab route.

In reply to reidyold boy:
Bill Smith of the Creagh Dhu?

In reply to Hay:

Good call.

In reply to reidyold boy: Some worth of mention:
Hank Pasquill (Lancs pioneer, way ahead of his time in terms of boldness and technical ability),
Andy Popp (lot's of hard and bold first ascents and fast repeats of routes),
Tony Mitchell (New F8c's in Yorks in the early 90's whilst working as a full time GP and father of 3?)

Andy F

In reply to reidyold boy:

Graham Livingstone
Ryan Pasquil
Steve Mayers, I know he was in the mags pretty regularly but he did do a hell of a lot.

In reply to To_Boldly_Go:

I would have thought he got exactly the credit he deserved. He was, after all, primarily a local activist with a sometimes controversial approach to access and bolts.

In reply to Tyler:

Ask Ryan and I'm sure he'd say his dad!

Andy F

In reply to reidyold boy: What about Simon Nadin? Again.

In reply to reidyold boy:

Hmm, I've heard of every climber mentioned on this thread so far, even climbed with a couple of them. I think most are fairly well known in climbing circles if not by Joe Public.

Anyway, two more for the pot:

Colin MacLean
Dougie Dinwoodie

In reply to Norrie Muir:
Aye, or what about Pat Walsh? Did a few big names not fall off Club Crack? E2 must have been pretty close to the top then and he put up a good few.

In reply to Hay:

I've heard a great deal talked about Club Crack from people who were not there when it was done. However, last year I heard Pat talk about it, and he said that most of the tales was way off the mark.

In reply to reidyold boy:

someone random who is out there, who none of us have heard but gets on with his or her climbing from day to day with their best mate??

who knows?

In reply to greylag: I'm confused by that as i'm thinking you are someone i know who should be elsewhere at this very moment....on a fire engine?

In reply to reidyold boy:
Nick Colton?

In reply to Fiend:

Crocker was awesome

Oxley was also impressive

In reply to reidyold boy: In my world Nadin is famous, and should stand along the Browns and Whillans. World champ, regularly burning of Moffat in the early years, notorius for doing EVERYTHING in Staffordshire and sometimes beyond.

As for unsung hero's, how about Sean Myles? Always half a notch behind Moon and Moffat but much more modest and therefore less press coverage.

In reply to reidyold boy:

Yeah, another vote for Gabe Regan, he has to be the best of the forgotten ones in my eyes.

Nick Longland, Mark Stokes are both climbers who have left their subtle marks behind, but when you talk to people who saw them climb, they all say the were amazing. Nick Plishko also seemed to do some great stuff, but I don't know much about him, so I suppose he deserves another vote too!

In reply to andi turner: Can I add another vote for Andy Popp - Berlin Wall at Nesscliffe ground up with no fuss. Also Richard Davies, the other Buxton Stick man.

In reply to reidyold boy:

Dougie Hall, Dougie Hall and Dougie Hall in that order.

The Ent ™

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:

Who's Adrian Moore?

Wonder if there were any good but unsung climbers before say 1970 (excluding the Scots).....

I'm still reeling at the idea of Gary Gibson as an unsung hero!

jcm

In reply to Enty: From the Olden Days when the second ascent improved on the style of the first ascent. Good call.

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

Arthur Birtwistle?
John Streetly?

In reply to Stash: Yes! What a fella. Use to climb at Broughton and Nick was usually there. Always friendly and always with so many good unsung climbers. Jim Moran, another from that era (Borstal Breakout, Hen CLoud).

In reply to reidyold boy:
80s and 90s up here......
Bruce Kerr, Rick Campbell, Gordon Lennox?

In reply to reidyold boy: Leigh Maginley.
All the best
Rob

In reply to reidyold boy:

Justin Chritchlow?

In reply to Mini:

Julian Lines.

In reply to andi turner:

What about The Coounty boys, Mr Smith and Mr Earl? Legends.

In reply to reidyold boy:

Hmmm...interesting. How about...

John 'Fritz' Sumner
Pat Littlejohn
Martin Crocker
Nat Allan
Bentley Beetham
Ray McCaffie
Paul Ross
Pete Whillance
Paul Pritchard
Jim Perrin
Will Murray
Dave Birkett

In reply to reidyold boy:

Richard Machardy.
Murray Hamilton.

In reply to Norrie Muir:
I'd read that R Smith, Haston, Marshall and MacInnes had all failed on it prior to FA.
At the time of climbing C Crack, Doom Arete, Bloody Crack etc, Walsh must have been going as well as Cunningham and Smith though? If he was going as well as them then he was going as well as anyone in the country, no?

In reply to Jonno:

It was Ray McHaffie, not McCaffie

Two other lakeland greats not to be forgotten were Jim Birkett and Bill Peascod - their classic routes have stood the test of time.

If you mention Pete Whillance, the you'd need to metion the rest of the Carlisle crowd of the 80's - Jeff Lamb, Dave Armstrong, Pete Botterill, Mike Hetherington.

In reply to Hay:

At the time, Pat was well thought of as a climber in the UK. It is a pity old sutty is not available, as he would confirm this.

In reply to reidyold boy:

Someone I just recalled who doubtlessly will never be forgotten by those who knew him. (I didn't, but I've heard nothing but high praise for both his talent and personality): Colin Gilchrist.

GC and Mark Face MacGowan, afaik, their first winter route was the 1st winter ascent of Red Slab c.1989. Outstanding.

In reply to Removed User:

I was waiting for you to mention Colin. I heard some good tale in the summer about Colin.

In reply to reidyold boy:

Just home from a jar at the local.....thanks to everyone for these names!

Some i have heard of and others i shall make the effort to look up!

In reply to Jonno:


I'd have thought these would be better off on a list of "Great climbers.....(most famous!)"

Andy Brown
Tim Clifford
Andy Swan
Mat Birch
Mike Collins
Dave Green
Dave Johnson

In reply to Norrie Muir/other Scottish commentators:

What is Face up to? Launching another weegie climbing shop? Bruce Kerr's flapjacks are the stuff of legend btw...

Gary Latter's FA contributions have been prolific, and on his day he could see off Andy Gallacher, Malc Smith and Cubby within the space of one bouldering comp...

In reply to Tyler:

.....oh, and Keefe Murphy

In reply to Norrie Muir:

I never knew him or, afaik, met him. I heard lots about him though, and it was all good.

In reply to Jonno:

Agree with everyone but Birkett. He gets more press than politics.

In reply to whispering nic:
I met the Face last year, I nearly never recognised him as he looked as if he has been eating too many of Bruce's flapjacks. I think he is selling surfing stuff now.

In reply to whispering nic:

Bollocks, Later,In the same breath as Cubby who fortunately dooesn't seem to get mentioned cos he is recognised.
Away and study some history...

In reply to Removed User:

Is that story true ? (first route together maybe ?) - I climbed with Colin a few times over the sumer of 1983 when we both dossing in Glencoe a fair bit while on the brew - he wasn't a particularly good clmber but was keen to try anything & to push his way through the grades. Fairly sure we did Red Slab (summer) together - I know we had a day on Rannoch Wall & climbed 3 or4 routes at VS/HVS

In reply to Doug: Mark told me stories about the winter ascent of Red Slab - all sorts of madness but I don't remember him mentioning it being his (or Colin's) first winter route. I do remember RPs and dynos with ice tools were involved at some point though!

Norrie - glad to hear Mark is still in business and hopefully doing well. Even when he started his shop it was always more full of people buying trendy clothes than climbing gear so it isn't surprising to hear he's now in the surfing market!

In reply to Lord of Starkness:
>

Those two would definitely go on the A list. BP and JB are Lakeland legends.

In reply to reidyold boy: Keith Sutcliffe and Chris Bennett for the Isle of Man routes?

In reply to reidyold boy:

Jerry Peel, Al Manson, Dave Barton, Mick Johnston, Mark Radtke.

Alpine, sport, trad and bouldering gods.

Mick

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

John Welford.

In reply to seagull:

Surely anyone who's in the Power of Climbing cannot be considered "not famous". They're all legends

In reply to Tyler:
Stevie Haston is probably not as famous (here at least) as he should be.

In reply to Hay:

Where is here?

In reply to Hay: Some very strange ones here, GG? Has no one mentioned Gabriel Regan, and Jim Moran yet?

In reply to Al Evans: Or Jack Street and Chris Jackson and Danny Murphy, there are just too many.

In reply to Al Evans:

Wassup Al...you don't like him.

Gary Gibson has made an enormous contribution to British Climbing.

Overwhelmingly positive, thousands of new routes and guidebooks, with a tinge of negative.

In reply to iain roberto:
Jim Moran, another from that era (Borstal Breakout, Hen CLoud).

Sorry missed your post, I did Borstal Breakout with Jim.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Actually I do like Gary, a lot, we have even shared the stage together on occaisions, but as a great unsung hero, even Gary would not claim that.

In reply to Tyler:

Ha ha.



I don't think most people know quite how good John was/is. His CV of routes and problems on limestone and grit is unbelievable and he (like Tony Mitch) has done it all while holding down a full time job and raising a family. And he's a top bloke.

In reply to reidyold boy:

This thread should turn into "Whatever Happened To...?"


Fliss Butler?

In reply to Al Evans:

What is an unsung hero?

One definition: it is an excellent climber who climbs near or at the level of the cutting edge but hasn't got any or little press at anytime.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

And that is not applicable to Gary.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Yes, it may be one definition, but it is not the only one and it may not even be valid.

In reply to Norrie Muir:

Other definitions could include:

- new routes.....people like Dave Musgrove, Paul Clark, Alan Steel, Keith Phizacklea...the list is endless

- volunteer work for the BMC and other climbers...Henry Folkard for one: in fact anyone who volunteers for Area Meetings

Others?

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Aye, right, next you will be saying Guidebook writers; magazine editors and photographers are great climbers as they promote climbing.

In reply to Norrie Muir:

Not really Norrie. The climbing media do have another role. Showcasing inspiration and motivation.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

The climbing media like to think they make great climbers and as this thread shows, we do have our own opinions and good memories. Some 'great' climbers of yesteryears have been forgotten for good.

In reply to reidyold boy:
Some people I've not met, but they've impressed me by their deeds:
Steve Allen -- 2nd ascent of Ray's Roof, nuff said.
Paul Clarke -- slab maestro; tried everything, did a lot.
Laurent Jacob (French) -- all his routes have a special quality; a good eye there.

Someone I know:
Helen 'Zippy' Young -- very short, heavy and weak. Not one of the best, but a personal heroine for battling against the odds and proving technique was a substitute for power on some routes.

In reply to reidyold boy:

Martin Kocsis!

In reply to Anonymous: phil bartlet, apparently (my mate checked fairly thourghly) the 1st E6 in England.

def murray hamilton, steve jones.

In reply to alasdair19: what about rob gawthorpe-did walk on by font 7c+ in the 80's and thats all you ever get to know about him

In reply to reidyold boy:

Point taken....

RE: the definition of an unsung hero as this can be thought about in many ways and ultimately has to be subjective.......but....

what a great list....!

In reply to Al Evans: Hi Al

Were you a "member" of the Altrincham all stars? Met Jim when he worked in Estcourts.

In reply to reidyold boy:

F*ck me, that's made my afternoon. This is actually three list: those who always were and still are legends (e.g. Jim Birkett or Boysen, can't believe no-one has mentioned him yet); those who were highly rated but are now perhaps less well known, especially amongst younger audiences (here I vote Nick Dixon, very under-rated, especially vis-a-vis Johnny); those who were always under-rated - here Mark MacGowan is a good representative choice (can anyone who knows Mark say hello to him from me)

In reply to Andy Popp:

I was just thinking of Boysen. He would once have been too famous to be in such a list, but perhaps no longer.

jcm

In reply to reidyold boy: Dave Kenyon - put up the first 8a in the country!!

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

Same here, was going to mention him but if you put him in where do you stop? Al Rouse?

In reply to beastofackworth:

Erm, China Syndrome?

In reply to reidyold boy: who was that northern lad who was onsighting E5's in the 70's?
erm...

In reply to Anonymous: Ron?

In reply to reidyold boy: Ron? who's he?
I was thinking of Bob

In reply to Anonymous:

Or the other northern guy who put the E5's up in the first place - only they were'nt E5's, they were HXS because E grades hadn't caught on in the Lakes at the time.

Name begins with a P

In reply to iain roberto:

A limited member, I climbed a lot with Dave Pearce, and very occaisionally with others of them, Bonnington , Escourt etc. And of course Jim himself.

In reply to Anonymous:


Yeh, but we only graded them HVS!

In reply to Al Evans:

Where you Basketball players in your spare time?

In reply to Andy Popp:

I've never understood why Dixon's profile has remained consistently quite low. For anyone who has taken climbing seriously over the years they will know of him, but not know necessarily that much about him. Perhaps Nick just doesn't need the publicity so doesn't care and just gets on with what he wants to do? If so, good on him. But I do think that because Nescliffe isn't well known (isn't grit?) some of his incredible routes are virtually unheard of by the punter-masses.

Finally he should be more famous simply because of "Face Mecca" - perhaps one of the best and evocative names for a climb ever, far better than that "Indian thingymebob" of the same grade on the same cliff.

In reply to TobyA:

I know what you mean. My Piano makes End of the Affair look like a boulder problem.

Wonder if the former has been repeated at all?

jcm

In reply to Norrie Muir: Lol

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:


Yes, by this chap at least:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/profile.php?id=17835

In reply to TobyA:

To be honest I'd disagree that ND didn't get much publicity. There was a photo of him in one of the first climbing magazines I bought and features regularly from then on. There was a full page picture of him climbing Face Mecca in On the Edge and I don't remember too many other climbers being more well known than him through the 90's. I guess part of the problem was he didn't do anything of note on the Limestone (Clarion Call aside) and his grit exploits largely took place on the 'unfashionable' crags.

In reply to johncoxmysteriously: My Piano has had several repeats - Leo Houlding, Martin Crocker, Ed Booth.

In reply to reidyold boy: Iain Greenwood, Pat McVey, Keith "Chipper" Jones, Paul Cornforth.

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:
The guy who makes Aiguille Sacks. Has done a lot of Hardish Trad, Scary Alpine and Himilayian climbing.

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:

Didn't he do the frst 'winter' ascent of CB on Scafell?

Alison HardGreaves - Possibly Britian's best ever Alpinist.

In reply to Tyler:

Yes.

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:

Possibly the best known for sure (so not 'not famous')

In reply to Tyler:

Didn't he Headpoint a micro route in Llanberis somewhere, you know the one Airlie eventually did?

Was he not one of the first to seriously adopt this style of climbing.

In reply to Tyler: I used to buy all the magazines for years back in the 1990s so I recognize most of the famous climbers of that era and since, but I might not recognize Dixon if he was at the same crag as me. So maybe he was getting coverage at the end of 80s/very early 90s before my time?

In comparison Moffat, Moon, Robin Barker, Seb Grieve, Neil Carson, Neil Bentley, Neil Gresham, Fliss Butler, Ruth Jenkins, Paul Pritchard, Glenda Huxter, Adam Wainwright etc all seemed to have more exposure at least during my formative period reading the mags. I remember pictures of ND on Gribin Wall Climb, but I don't think I've seen a picture of him on Face Mecca.

In reply to Tyler:
ND i mean.

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide: Are you say Alison wasn't famous? If you are, all you are showing is that you are too young to remember when she was the most well known climber in the UK!

In reply to TobyA:


Thats interesting. I'd Recognise Nick before I'd recognise any of those, with the exceptions of Gresham and Wainwright.

But then again that type of climbing doesn't really interest me, I'd be far more likely to recognise Parnell or Kenton Cool or Al Powell than any of the 2nd level top rock climbers. Obviously I'd recognice MacLeod, Birkett, Holding ect.

In reply to Conquistador of the usless:

Yes, Beginners Mind, picture in the Llanberis guide before this one.

In reply to Conquistador of the usless: That was Gribin Wall Climb wasn't it? But maybe Airlie Anderson repeated Gresham's route there - Pretty Girls make Graves? Or maybe I'm mixing them all up in my old age.

In reply to Tyler: Doh! Yes, Beginner's Mind. Did Dixon do that and GWC? Who did Pretty Girls...

In reply to TobyA:

No, more underrated, but maybe that because she is more or less unknown now.

If you are, all you are showing is that you are too young to remember when she was the most well known climber in the UK!

Very possibly.


It is interesting that since her death she has virtually vanished off the face of the climbing map.

Why has this happened?

In reply to TobyA:

Beginner's Mind.

jcm

In reply to TobyA:

Funny you should mention Neil Carson as he was one I thought could feature on this list, not because he's unknown but more for his media exposure to achievement tally.

In reply to TobyA:


Craig Smith (no stranger to the odd magazine cover!)with, I think, Martin Crook. NG did Grave Diggers whihc was the arete to the right

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:


Yes, who'd have thought that death would have such a detremental affect on your climbing?

In reply to TobyA:


Yes and the second ascent of Rare Lichen. Or was it he did the FA of RL and the second ascent of GWC? I'm conufsed

A great thread. However, could you all please say why your nominations are great. After all they are 'unknown'.

I'm posting this as I want to know more.

In reply to Tyler:


Mean.... but funny.

Tom - have you read the biography of Hargreaves? I won a signed copy of it many years ago on this very website. Well worth reading, it treats both her climbing and life very seriously.

In reply to Doug:



Only what I've heard second-hand, though from a few independent and trustworthy sources. Happy to be corrected by anyone who actually knows though, and there must be some on here. I recall a fair few comments after Face did the '38 route on the Eiger that it was his second ever winter route. Again, someone here maybe knows rather than just having heard.

In reply to reidyold boy:
Andy Fanshaw gets my nod

In reply to reidyold boy:

Graham West, wrote the first limestone guide, put up new routes on many gritstone edges (not just the Chew Valley), and lots (pioneered) on the limestone crags of the Peak District. Very much a 'not famous' climber.

Unfortunatly he and Michael Roberts died in a huge avalanche in Wilderness Gully in the winter of 1963, who knows if it was not for that, he'd probably be as well known as Joe Brown or Don Willians?

There is a nice dedication to him, Mike Roberts and Barry Roberts in the Peak Limestone Wye Valley Guide, look through the history of many the of Peak guides and you will see how active he was in the late 50's early 60's.

Has to be Mo Anthoine

In reply to haworthjim:

He was and still is pretty famous. A good climber though, and one of the nicest people you could wish to meet.

In reply to Norrie Muir:

Good point and of great interest to me.

I started with Gary Gibson (which appears controversial)because he was within my limited knowledge in those days just a great gritstone climber. I've not spoken to him other than him lending me a bit of gear as a youth, however, it was because of people like him that i started to take climbing seriously.

There was no internet / video / dvd's etc and if you were lucky enough to see somebody who was really outstanding it was a real treat!

Nick Dixon for his outstanding routes, when i first had a Staffordshire guidebook i used to just stare for ages at some of those routes he put up in disbelief!

In reply to craig h: Didn't he write the first ever Peak Limestone guide, the blue one we all started with?

In reply to notbadforafatlad:


1st ascent of Appointment With Fear too E7 in 87

The Ent ™

In reply to Norrie Muir:
Brian Davison must be worth a mention, for many years of hard mixed climbing, from Engineer's Slabs in the mid-eighties to Mort in 2000, combined with an obsessive avoidance of publicity and what must be the world's worst climbing wardrobe.

Mo Anthoine made the first ascent of the Trango (Nameless) Tower; and got Chris Bonington and Doug Scott down from the Ogre after their accident.

In reply to reidyold boy:

Can't be bothered reading through it all again but has anyone mentioned Phil Davidson?

The Ent ™

In reply to reidyold boy:

Others have mentioned him, but I will do again: Pat Littlejohn, possibly the most modest high achiever in the history of our sport??

In reply to reidyold boy:

Jack Roper. (if that was even his name. The FA of Black Wall on Dow Crag and the other HVS next to it.)

jcm

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

Yes, Great Central Route, 1919. Awesome.

In reply to reidyold boy:

Another who's been overlooked so far on this thread is Arthur Dolphin.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth: Peter Harding, Ron Fawcett, Alan Austin, John Syrett, C D Frankland, Cecil Slingsby, Fred Bottrill, Authur Dolphin, Steve Bancroft.

In reply to Al Evans:

With the grand title of 'Climbs on the Mountain Limestone of Derbyshire'.

Some fantastic photos of Graham and Mike on the first ascent of The Big Plum, and Barry on Tokyo Wall.

In reply to Tyler: Nick did first ascent of Gribin Wall Climb, 2nd ascent of Loe's rare Lichen. Face Mecca Indian Face, Margins of Mind, Begginers Mind, Doug(first E8), Tender Homecomings, End of the affair(2nd ascent) Gaia, Slab and Crack. he pretty much owned hard headpointing. the best thing is he is still going today, last year he put up a couple of new E7's and another E8 at ness. Johnny and Neil Gresham are in my opinion 3 of the best trad climbers that have lived, and they all have a nice tick in common!

In reply to Removed User: I agree wholeheartly. I met him as a teenager at one of the bmc youth meets. A great guy>

In reply to johnwright:

And what do all these great climbers have in common?

In reply to Bergshrund: mostly from gods own county.

In reply to johnwright:

I think at least three of them were not.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth: true.

In reply to Bergshrund:

They are all famous.

In reply to Norrie Muir: Most if not all of the previously submitted are also famous.

In reply to Bergshrund:

And here are a few more Yorkshiremen (or at least predominantly Yorkshire climbers) to add to the list - in no particular order:

Robin and Tony Barley, Frank Wilkinson, Mike Bebbington, Brian Evans, John Cook, Mike Hammill, Craig Smith, Tony Marr, Chris Sowden, Rob Gawthorpe, Iain Edwards, Martin Berzins, Steve Rhodes, Tony Burnell. And let's not forget the recently departed but much un-sung Duncan Drake.

In reply to Bergshrund:

Tempted to suggest: they've all done new routes at Almscliff. But I have my doubts about at least one of them.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth: Your right gordon, I had a quick look in the Yorkshire Gritstone tome, and looked at Almscliff first ascent section. Caught out again.LOL

In reply to johnwright:

Ha, ha! I'm chuckling too.

In reply to Norrie Muir: thinking about it Norrie, if all of them have done a new route in Yorkshire, then they must be famous. Not Sure about Peter Harding though, Used to work for him, don't know if he's still around, he used to live in Batley.

In reply to johnwright:

Can't remember a 1st ascent by PH in Yorkshire but look at the entry for Bald Pate at Ilkley. He must have been pretty good to do that.

In reply to johnwright:

Peter Harding is unfortunately in hospital and not at all well at the moment.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth: I am sorry to hear that,I hope he gets better soon, he is a true gentleman, and was great to work for.

In reply to johnwright:

That's what I was thinking of...

In reply to johnwright:

I am not noted for knowning about famous routes outwith Scotland, but I know of those climbers, even if I've never heard of their routes.

In reply to Norrie Muir:

>At the time, Pat was well thought of as a climber in the UK. It is a pity old sutty is not available, as he would confirm this.

Pat was certainly well rated, if he had done the same grade of routes south of the border as he did in Scotland, at the same rate of exploration his name would be much better known.
As it was Walsh's Groove on Cloggy was reckoned to be 'rather hard' when first done, and avoided by a lot of people as too hard for them.
Charlie would also have been doing even harder things if he had not had that bad fall. He told me later that all he could think of while lying in hospital was all that fine weather going to waste. I didn't know him in his best years, but he was very determined when he wanted to be. As they say, a good man to have on your rope.

In reply to sutty:

Welcome back.

In reply to sutty:

As you had a small holiday from UKC, howabout some of the not so famous old timers, that I don't know about?

In reply to Norrie Muir:

Later, not up to much ATM, knocked me back rather a lot unfortunately.

In reply to sutty:

It sounded like it, anyway take care.

two friends of mine. One has very little experience but climbs naturally, and the other is over 2m tall and climbs like an overgrown spider!

In reply to reidyold boy:
Who though stands out in the non famous yet truly great climbers that some of us may be aware of but are not household names?

Hank Pasquill (Bolton), Tommy and Bob Smith and John Earl (NE) - all legends, WELL beyond their own lunchtimes, spanning several eras from the time of hawser-laid Viking ropes, PAs and Peck Crackers, to the present.......pleasant and modest guys to boot.........

Living in Japan at the mo I'd say Dai Koyamada or Yuji Hirayama. Both are famous on the climbing scene over here but never heard of them back in Blighty.

In reply to MadProfessor: Bob's climbing CV and ethics are hard to beat
http://www.climbonline.co.uk/bob_smith.htm

In reply to MadProfessor:
and they still climb hard today! haha

In reply to MadProfessor:

In support of B & T Smith, and J Earl. They are indeed unsung hero's and were all 'at it' again at Callerhues on Saturday!

In the NE it is unlikely their style and nerve has really ever been bettered.



Steve

In reply to SteveSBlake:

Northumberland is the only main climbing area where I've not climbed. I was let down last month or I would have climbed there, still there is time for me.

Anyway, Bob Smith is a good call.

In reply to SteveSBlake: aye steve and your up with them!

In reply to reidyold boy: Ken Palmer, Pete Oxley

In reply to John_Warner: can you expand....

....it's good to hear why..

In reply to reidyold boy:

Ed Drummond has not been mentioned.

Amazing eye for a line: Dream of White Horses, Wuthering, etc...

Pretty good writer too.

He gets my vote.

Oh and as a Londoner I have to mention another one you've all missed. Mick Fowler!

In reply to Queequeg: Both excellent but too famous!!

In reply to reidyold boy:

Fowler, fair enough, he was in the Telegraph! But Drummond?

In reply to Queequeg:

Drummond....jury's out on him!!

In reply to Jonno:


Are you having a laugh? If you'd said Will, then maybe I'd agree, but Jim?!

Incidentally, I am the first person to mention Will Perrin! Travesty!

In reply to withey:

P.S. I thought I'd second the person who mentioned Neil Carson. Big Bang still hasn't been repeated.

In reply to Norrie Muir: Would've agreed with you Norrie, but there was an article about him in one of the climbing mags a few years back. Suddenly put him into the famous category.

In reply to Norrie Muir:

make sure you get there Norrie - It's pleasantly quiet compared with other single pitch areas.
When I first joined the NMC, Bob was one of the leading lights as was his brother tommy who I found to be very encouraging. Same goes for john Earl. One of the most powerful climbers on the county at the time was pete kirton. i remember staying at the bowderstone hut one time when Jerry moffat was struggling on some of the harder problems on the stone. Pete came along in wellies and cruised them which pissed moffat off no end.
In fact, I remember being in awe of most of the northumbrian hard men in the late 70's. Andy Birtwistle was another. I've been gone so long now, I doubt if any of them would even remember me.

In reply to iain roberto:

There's an article about him in this month's Northumbrian mag. Seems he earns a living wood carving nowadays.

In reply to abr1966: okeydoke

Ken Palmer because he's climbed some insane stuff both here and abroad, the hardest being 8c which i "believe" is unrepeated (type anstey's cove into the route database), and he is incredibly modest about it.
Pete Oxley, I don't know how technically gooder climber he is or not, but his dovelepments along the south coast of portland and swanage have surely been invaluable in making it into what it is today.
my tuppence!

Gary Gibson gets my vote. He produced tons of new routes on N.Wales limestone and plenty in Pembrokeshire. Probably did many more that I don't know about.

Other great climbers: Me, of course !!
; )

In reply to julianwedd:

Er,but Gary Gibson is famous...or maybe infamous.

In reply to reidyold boy: john strettle

In reply to John_Warner: I hate Ken Palmer, he is way too good. Natural Born Climber

In reply to nolan:

Jim Moran. Gabe Regan. Pete Gomersall.

In reply to reidyold boy:

Andy Grieve for his outstanding achievements on some of the hardest routes in Devon and Cornwall.

In reply to reidyold boy:
Also Nipper Harrison and Steve Monks

In reply to reidyold boy: Pete Goble. When i was a complete wreck of a man and i opened my heart to him. He said "shut up yer gay tart" and took me caving. Ever since Ive just been a wreck of a man who once went caving and I have Pete to thank for that.

In reply to reidyold boy:

For me, John Syrett and Alan Manson. I climbed with them both in the early to mid 70s and with Alan into the 80s. John had raw talent. Brilliant if rather excentric. Alan was (and probably still is) a master technician.

In reply to reidyold boy:

Am surprised J.Redhead hasnt had a mention yet.

In reply to reidyold boy:

Arnis Strapcans.

He also has the best name of any climber (or person even) by far!

In reply to halhorner:

he's pretty famous so doesn't meet the OP requirements.

R.I.P. Peter Harding.

In reply to reidyold boy: Andy Pollitt?

In reply to reidyold boy: George Shields

In reply to reidyold boy:

Arthur Grant, Frank McLean and Rosemary Iliffe are all criminally under-recognised in my opinion.

In reply to reidyold boy:

Here's a few names from the Mountaineering world.

Steve Sustad. American but lived in UK for 30 odd years. Arguably one of the best ever mountaineers.
Ode.(Phil Thornhill). Think lots of us would like to have soloed the Macintyre-Colton in mid 80's.
Jon Sylvester,great climber. Now very well known in the Parapenting world.

mmm, and with above list perhaps Vic Saunders slips in. Unless he is too famous to qualify.

In reply to reidyold boy:

Here's a real old 'worthy' -- not particularly famous in world or even UK climbing terms, but a character nontheless.

Old Sid (Thompson?) from Maryport.

He's be in his 70's when I was first taking my lad out into the lakes in the early 90's, and we'd often see him of an evening soloing something on Shepherds. He was always good for a few minutes chat. He's have cycled from Maryport, and then bike back afterwards.

I've heard tales of one of his 'party pieces' was to solo most of Central Buttress on Scafell on a fine day, and wait below the Great Flake until he could get someone to give him a rope on that pitch. If no-one appeared he knew he could always downclimb the route safely!

He died several years ago, and there was a nice obit in the Times and Star.

In reply to reidyold boy:

I would like to put in another vote for Andy Popp and the first one for Pete Chadwick. Both very talented and inspiring climbers.

Phil Davidson was once well known but has since vanished from existence it would seem.

Joe Healey. I hear he's in a bad way now. Although I never met or knew him I think this is a real shame.

The last two for having such immense vision and for draping the walls of a certain local venue in such an enthralling history.

In reply to Will Hunt:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=177660&v=1#2555753

In reply to Jon Read:
Cheers for that. Had seen it before but had forgotten about it.

Katy, who may or may not still post on here, was taught (biology I think) by Phil. Apparently he was lanky, did the splits in class and howled like a wolf. Still in secret training for that big send?

This Katy:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/profile.php?id=40236

In reply to Will Hunt: What happened to Joe Healey? I seem to remember him rehearsing for a solo of Right Wall when I was up there one day. Never spoke to the guy, but I think it was him abseiling down and trying moves (with "Peaches" playing on a ghetto blaster at the foot of the wall). I wonder if he ever made the ascent? He was certainly a local legend.

In reply to Andy Stephenson:
I really cant be sure about i but I think hes depressed in quite a bad way. Maybe he recovered. My knowledge is very sketchy here.
Maybe he gave up trying to solo right wall after Phil Davidson made the first solo ascent?

In reply to John_Warner:

Well said. As for "how technically good", it seems it's taken 15 years for "Infinite Gravity" to get a 2nd ascent.

Of course, it all happened too far from the Peak to be at all important.....

In reply to reidyold boy:

Al Parker
Allan McHardy
Mike Simkins
John Gosling
Ivan Waller
Malcolm Baxter
Rod Wilson

In reply to reidyold boy: Andy Parkin

In reply to Dogwatch:

Totally agree. Re 'technically good', Pete top-roped New Statesman clean shortly after the FA but wasn't able to get back for a repeat lead. So I think we can safely say - pretty good!

Mick

In reply to reidyold boy: couple more for you how about ken palmer and mark edwards

In reply to fly or die: I claimed ken palmer !! totally agree

In reply to reidyold boy:

Smiler Cuthbertson.

In reply to Tyler:
Cheers Tyler - made my day!!

Don't forget Glenn Sutcliffe - hard new routes in the Lakes & Yorkshire & onsighting 8a when that used to be hard

In reply to dunkindonuts:



Here here - Andy is an unsung hero. Top man & artist to boot...

Si