UKC

So say messrs Macleod and Cuthbertson.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-15639703

I'm sure WH Murray touched on this in his last book. Don't have to hand at the moment so can't check.

I always new us Leodhasaich were at the cutting edge

In reply to Toby S:

What about the Cloggy ascent of 1798?

In reply to Parrys_apprentice:

Don't know about that one. So it didn't happen :-D

In reply to Toby S: Aye you're a trend setter right enough Toby. It's obvious in the way you wear your flares with your EB's.

In reply to Toby S: Nice try, but I thought the 1st 'ascent' of the Great Stack was more a rope climb than a rock climb? And since when was Handa in the Western Isles?

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

Shhh... if you don't tell anyone they'll never know.

In reply to Toby S:

Damn, the Beeb have noticed their mistake and changed the headline.

Still makes for interesting reading though, although like Dan says its more of a rope climb than anything else. http://davemacleod.blogspot.com/2011/10/handa-more-dangling-above-drops-for...

In reply to Toby S: What about St Kilda? The locals there had been climbing to collect eggs for quite some time. Not sure if it counts if it wasn't for fun though...

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

To be fair it's an island off the West coast of Scotland

In reply to Toby S: I think the Skye guide has the first ascent of An Dorus as 16?? by "marauding Macleods". Is that you lot from the West too?

In reply to MG:

I'm from a long line of Skye Macdonalds. We were probably the ones being marauded!

In reply to Toby S:

You were...by us, the Skye Macleods, and we were climbing long before you lot.

In reply to Parrys_apprentice: My 1989 Tremadog guide has as the first entry on the first ascents page Glyndwr's ladder on Moel Hebog, credited to O. Glyndwr, on-sight solo circa 1400. It also drily notes that a strong English party failed to follow...

T.

In reply to Toby S:

I thought this was already fairly well known, it's just that Haskett-Smith's ascent of Napes Needle was reported in the national papers. Is this not why it is widely credited with being the start of modern rock-climbing?

In reply to Calder:
Possibly there is a "in the British Isles" missing somewhere?

It´s also perhaps worth noting, especially in the context of `trad´climbing that the first ascent of Half Dome in Yosemite was as an on-sight bolt aid route in 1875.

In reply to Toby S:

Yes, this is absolute cobblers. Major ascents in England and Wales in the 19th century include Pillar Rock (Old West Route 1826 and Slab and Notch Climb 1863) and the West Buttress of Lliwedd 1883. Surely the Stack of Handa was simply very (I mean very) bold rope work, rather than any rock climbing as such?

In reply to Toby S:

PS. I actually think that the first great 'rock climb' in Britain was Prof. Forbes' ascent of Sgurr nan Gillean in 1836. It's still a very hard and bold scramble, and in 1836 it would have been quite ridiculously bold. Perfect rock all the way, requiring good balance, a very good head for heights, and loads of places where one slip will be fatal.

In reply to Toby S:

One other thing, it continually annoys me that BBC Scotland show climbing related programmes, but the rest of Britain misses out. Does the Beeb not see that if it appeals to those north of the border, then it must also appeal to those of us south of it?

In reply to Calder:

one reason why iplayer is fantastic.

In reply to Toby S:
Actually there is an article in one of the early FRCC Journals which quotes excerpts from old Viking sagas where they describe rock climbing for fun and dare. I rather think this predates any British claims to have invented rock climbing, Scottish or English.

Having said that, it obviously did not catch on, nor did the Scottish islanders' bird nesting exploits, whereas, Haskett Smith's ascent of the Needle really started the ball rolling.

In reply to Toby S:

I think the key thing here is that it was recreation, ie. done for fun. Nothing has ever been done for fun in the Western Isles.

In reply to The New NickB:

Not since the reformation anyway
Liking your work there.

In reply to Toby S:

This is obvious propaganda on behalf of Alex Salmond.

In reply to Toby S: They used to train on the outside of houses for egg collecting on st hilda, must be the first example of buildering?! And going from the mcofs article about this they climbed for fun and manlyness aswell.
Cameron