UKC

Mate of mine said he once turned up at Tremadoc, no-one to climb with. Then a voice booms from the other end of the car-park....ended up doing a few routs with Brian Blessed.

Have you climbed with anyone 'famous' (you can generously inrterpret the expression...and well-known climbers also count)

In reply to Greenbanks: I once shared the first belay on The Curtain with Alison Hargreaves!

In reply to rwg:


I once saw Michael Jackson on the Miners' Track.


Sorry.

In reply to Tim Chappell:
<hands Tim his coat>

In reply to Greenbanks: shared a belay on tryfan with jon cunningham

In reply to koolkat:

My wife gave some clues to Kenton Cool on where he should belay, in Cogne.

Y

In reply to Greenbanks:

I bumped into Richard Branson & Princess Beatrice at the bottom of the Gouter Ridge last September - near the Tete Rousse.
We were descending.
Richard looked a bit worried looking up at the ridge and asked my friend what it was like.
He replied "Man, its hard, it f*cking hard".
You should have seen the look on the guide's face! Classic.

In reply to Greenbanks:
Many years ago one of my mates was in Chamonix on his own and went to solo a route on the Matterhorn, he bumped into this american who asked if he wanted to team up, so he did. He kept thinking he recognised him from somewhere but couldn't place him. Eventually the penny dropped, it was Clint Eastwood. Absolutely true story.

In reply to Greenbanks: climbed on adjacent routes and exchanged pleasantries with a certain Mr J Dawes and our esteemed BMC President (the current one) - that's as close as I get.

In reply to JimR:


And did they do the Matterhorn? Or did Clint get distracted half way up by a conversation with a chair?

In reply to Greenbanks:

My mate bumped into Bernard Sumner (New order) on top of the Glyders.

This thread seems to be showing clearly that Brian Blessed is approximately the only British climber who is famous for something other than climbing

In reply to Greenbanks:
I have climbed occasionally with an, Doctor, Managing Director, Author whom, had his role in a ‘first ascent’ listed in the Peak Limestone guide book. E2 I think it was, I’m sure he’ll put me straight when (if) he reads this.
He also ‘draws’ a little and had some of his pictures included in guide books, back in the day before camera’s …

I’m afraid that’s all I can offer

In reply to Greenbanks:

Somehow that doesn't ring true... BB and Tremadog don't seem to go together.

In reply to Greenbanks: I've climbed with James Oswald. THE James Oswald.

In reply to highaltitudebarista:

More importantly, I've given James Oswald FOOD.

In reply to Greenbanks: I had recently topped out having soloed Equilibrium on Burbage South the other day when Neil Gresham strolls up and says "Wow Mark you made that look pretty easy mate, can I buy you a pint and maybe you can give me a few pointers on technique".
" Sorry mate" I replied, "Just off for a pint with Big Ron, then Kate Bush wants to take me out for a curry"

Then I woke up ............

In reply to Ciderslider: And before anyone says Kate Bush how could you ... I'm a man of a certain age and she still looks ok to me

In reply to Greenbanks:

I used to climb regularly with Scott Muir

Stuart

In reply to Ciderslider:

Kate Bush will always be lush.

In reply to The Pylon King:

I did some repairs to her next door neighbour's thatched roof several years ago. Trufax.

In reply to Greenbanks:
Met Eric Cantona walking down Glen Nevis,think he might have been keeping a low profile after the 'kung-fu kick incident'.

In reply to The Pylon King:

Apostrophe, Mark.

In reply to Greenbanks:

One of the Burgess twins helped me out when I got stuck on a pitifully easy route at Stanage a few years ago.

In reply to Greenbanks:

I've also climbed near The James Oswald, I sat next to him eating food....... I feared for my fingers!!

In reply to staceyjg:

>Presumably the gold star in this area – at least if plausibility be taken into account – will be won by the poster who claims to have climbed alongside Mick Jagger on southern sandstone in the 1950’s.

Anyone?

jcm

In reply to Greenbanks:

I spent 4 days cragging on a tiny island (Koh Lao Liang) with Heather Graham and her director husband. They weren't there to climb, but we managed to get him to tie on a couple of times, she mainly lay on the beach below us doing yoga in her bikini. Streuth.

Sasha DiGiulian was at The Biscuit Factory on Sunday.

Which was nice...

In reply to Pete Dangerous:

After a quick google to check she was who I thought she was, I expect it was very nice.

In reply to roperat:

Lets skip over the fact that you came late to the party, and just be pleased for you that you got here eventually.

In reply to Greenbanks:

I've climbed with Johnny Dawes, Gerry Moffatt, Ben Moon, Mick Lea and a guy called Joe Brown (Although I think I remember them better than they remember me - I don't think I'll be popping up on their lists )

Also Davina McCall and her hubby.

In reply to Greenbanks:
Did Roaches Valkyrie one summer morning watched by an old guy sat in a deckchair with a knotted hanky on his head. He came over and told us he was A B Black of the first ascent and described the pen-knife incident with Peter Harding. All this while walking-fable Doug Moller stood in the background heckling everyone with earshot to try Thing on a Spring!

Was once followed up Sword of Gideon by a very flatulent Paul Williams.

Followed Dave Cook up Cathedral Slab in Pembroke.

Saw Lofty from Eastenders on Tryfan.

But my greatest fame moment is saying 'hello' to Ron Fawcett in the street in Hathersage. I nearly died!

In reply to Greenbanks: the first time i went climbing with the old notts climbing club Doug Scott was there. I didn't know who he was at the time....i do now

In reply to alan moore:

What pen-knife incident?

The nearest I’ve come to climbing with a Famous Climber was making a date to climb on Creag an Dubh Loch one weekend with an FC (or perhaps more of an FMountaineer). Anyway, on the Wednesday he emailed me from the Hallamshire and told me he’d fallen off some V Diff while soloing at Burbage and fractured his pelvis, and was a bit worried about how this might affect his Himalayan trip in three months’ time. I never actually found out if he went on it or not.

jcm

In reply to wilf1:

You've got a good memory.

For my part, Ive been dragged up a few routes by a reasonably well-known downhill skier (not quite Franz Klammer, but getting close)

Now then.

In reply to jon:

That's what I thought...but he (BB) was (apparently) very nimble on the rock for a 'big' man....maybe he was still based up north at the time

In reply to alan moore:

You can do that almost every day at the Climbing Works.

In reply to jwa:

Times change. In my day it was The Pebble.

jcm

In reply to Greenbanks:
c'mon, who's going to 'fess to climbing in Glen Coe with disgraced Jimmy, then?

In reply to Greenbanks:

Have climbed with Chris Bonington and Steve Venables a couple of times. Spent a fun day skiing with Victor Saunders. Dad used to climb with them (S + V) loads 'back in the day'.

In reply to FrankBooth: Ok, but he told me not to tell anyone

In reply to Ciderslider: Or he'd toss me off - sorry

In reply to James Jackson:

I once sat next to SV at a dinner party by coincidence - the hostess didn't know either of us were climbers.

In fact I think I may have asked him whether he'd climbed outdoors much.

jcm

In reply to Greenbanks:


Did some aid routes at Millstone in the sixties with Don Morrison and Paul Nunn.

Andy Kirkpatrick belayed me when I aided a route on Stanage. (I don't think that counts because we hired him)

Chatted with Keith Myhill as we both sat in the tree at the top of the first pitch of Evasor at Stoney. (Is the tree still there?)

I had just led Brown's Corner at Electric Wall, and Big Ron was at the top. We chatted and then he downclimbed something on the left wall, and soloed all over said wall.

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

Excellent! I expect he took it in his usual unassuming modest stride.

In reply to James Jackson:

He did, although I think I did manage to worm some info out of him by the time the brandy was circulating. Much as Crispin Waddy did when I once asked him (also incognito) whether he'd done much deep water soloing at Swanage. That was just before he had to rescue me.....

jcm

In reply to Greenbanks:

I've climbed with John Noakes a fair few times - no messing

In reply to Charlie Noakes:

I've climbed with John Noakes a fair few times - no messing

That's all very well, but have you climbed with Alfie Noakes: -

youtube.com/watch?v=Vn2oCfbNk8w&

In reply to FrankBooth:


Four of us ignored him in Glen Nevis once

In reply to Greenbanks: My friends met Bill Bryson on Skiddaw one wet summer day.

In reply to MJ:

No. But I did a new route in Pembroke, at Trevallen, called Alfie Noakes. It wasn't very good so I didn't put it in the guidebook. There might be a passing mention of it in the 1986 guide...?

In reply to Greenbanks:
I'm surprised there have been any replies to this thread. We had a clear winner before it even started.

I took Marti Caine climbing at the Foundry in er.. 1994 I think.
I was working at the Lyceum theatre at the time & she was starring in the panto, she'd never tried climbing before and just fancied having a go.

In reply to Greenbanks:

When I was just starting to climb I met Doug Scott at the Carlisle wall. He asked if he could have some of my chalk. I told him no, he couldn't.

He looked a bit affronted, as anyone would, until I told him it was calcium carbonate and was making my fingers even more slippery.

Not the only time I'd gone into the chemists and come out with something I didn't need...

Jase

In reply to Greenbanks:

Not exactly climbing but I accidentally poured scalding hot coffee down Andy Cave's neck at a lecture once.

There was little evidence of the ice-cool, fearless Himalayan man let me tell you...

In reply to Greenbanks:

Met Joe Brown on his birthday two years running at Dali's Hole a few years ago. He was bolt clipping. The first time we had a bit of a chat and mainly talked dogs. (His little Jack Russell was keeping him company. He remarked that she was crap at belaying.) The following year he remembered me from the previous year, so we talked some more, during which he opinioned that "two young lads like us (both in our 50s!) should be doing some proper climbing in the Pass and not wasting time on useless sport climbing."

I've also climbed a lot with Don Roscoe and bought Don Whillans a mug of tea in Wendy's cafe in payment for giving my mate a lift. The following year we challenged JB and Don W to a game of darts, for money, in the Padarn and had our ars*es kicked. My mate said 'best of three?' so we left a little wiser and a lot poorer. Doug Scott spent a night on my sofa after he gave a lecture in Liverpool and I once had a pee in the adjacent urinal to Chris Bonnington in Birkenhead Town Hall. Needless to say, we didn't make eye contact.

'Tis a strange old life.

Dave

In reply to jon:

No. But I did a new route in Pembroke, at Trevallen, called Alfie Noakes. It wasn't very good so I didn't put it in the guidebook. There might be a passing mention of it in the 1986 guide...?

You are right: -

"The crack to the left has also been climbed, Alfie Noakes (E1, 5b), but is loose and unworthwhile.

In reply to FrankBooth:

Never climbed with him but sat next to him in the Clachaig once.
Shared a belay with Kenton Cool and Ranulph Feinnes on Patri in the Cogne valley when Kenton was teaching him to climb before they did the Eiger.
Shared a ride in the Midi telepherique with Christophe Profite (ok, so that's a bit tenuous).

In reply to Greenbanks:

I have a couple of friends who have climbed with Franco Cookson.

In reply to Greenbanks:


Yes. I've soloed.


<hatband bursts>

In reply to Greenbanks: i was once at the roaches on the lower tier and nial grimes looked in my direction,oooh i went weak at the knees.

In reply to Greenbanks: Not actually climbed with him, but Neil Gresham was stood next to me at the urinals in Westway today :P

In reply to jon: Reminds me of the time I was climbing at Shorn Cliff and the bloke on the next climb shouted down, 'Safe, Derek'. His partner replied, 'OK , Clive'. They were both mystified by my amusement.

In reply to Greenbanks: It wasn't really climbing weather, so I bought Don Whillans a pint.
When I lived in a big house near M/c airport it turned out that my cleaner was the mum of Morty Smith. We met at a wedding a few weeks later he but declined when I offered to climb the 'Gates' with him, for old times sake. He said 'his climbing days were over'!
When climbing White Slab more than 40 yrs ago, I just couldn't get the lasso (after over 40 attempts!), so Tut Braithwaite got it second throw for us!

In reply to John2:

If they'd realised the significance, the partner would probably replied 'F*ck off, Clive'.

In reply to Greenbanks:

And Ron's dog once sniffed my balls.

I thought of getting the T shirt

In reply to Greenbanks:

I once took a Manchester Utd. player climbing for a weekend. It was a bit annoying when he refused to move either up or down on one route. Once I'd finally got him to the ground, he became very worried that his manager would find out that he'd been climbing at all.

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:
Funny, I was climbing with the Waddy yesterday and he never mentioned that.

In reply to Greenbanks:

Not climbing but walking - once met David Blunkett and his entourage (Special Branch minder, agent, PA, dog) marching along on the moors above Chatsworth. It was during the spell when various domestic arrangments of the Rt Hon member for Sheffield Brightside were in the public prints, and none of the party looked at all happy. The agent was yabbering into a mobile with feeling. They were all moving at an impressive speed given that one of them was blind.

In reply to Greenbanks:

Hamish MacInnes, Ian Clough, Peter Harding, John Syrett, Pete Minks, Stephen Venables, Ed Douglas (did a rather scary Ghyll scramble with him in Lakes), Rebecca Stevens, Norman Croucher, Richard McHardy, Tut Braithwaite, Johnny Dawes (bouldering), John Allen (bouldering ... OK, this was ridiculous because they were in an utterly different league), tried one or two boulder problems Ben Moon was doing, ditto Paul Pritchard ... couldn't leave ground ..., Brian Blessed (hillwalking), Griff Rhys Jones (hillwalking), Dennis Davis (hillwalking), Joe Brown i know moderately well over the years, haven't climbed with him as such but was closely involved with him when doing the Right Unconquerable shot for my Peak book, John Beatty, and shared belays several times with Al Rouse in 1968 when he too was starting climbing in N Wales.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Yeah but have you climbed with anyone famous................?

In reply to Greenbanks:

Lucky I was very tanned or people would have seen me blushing when I saw people nudging one another at the station for the Mer de Glace and pointing and whispering. I had gear for playing round on the glacier. In the shop I heard someone whisper "Ahh Profite..." as I passed and I suddenly understood and wished the ground could swallow me.

In reply to Greenbanks: Once got Dave Thomas out his box on acid.Played pool with Joe Simpson and John Stevenson in the Broadfield. Been out ma box loads with Dave Pegg and Joe Healey. My mates lived with the Dawes on Wath Road for a bit. I watches Airlie Anderson make the first womans ascent of Masters Edge and I shagged Mark Pretty's bird.

In reply to the weegy:

Hang on, isn't this about who we've climbed with? I've socialised with all the people you've mentioned. Actually, I've been bouldering with both Dave Thomas and Mark Pretty.

In reply to Greenbanks: I was once placed next to Eric Tabarlay at a dinner in Chamonix, but without having heard the introduction. So after a certain amount amount of discussion I remarked: "Donc vous êtes plutôt mer que montagne"! A deadly hush fell over the table.

I once climbed with a 16 year old Johnny Dawes at Avon and lectured him (rightly) on safety!

My greatest embarrassment was before a CC diner half a dozen years ago when Derek Walker said Hey come over and join us with Jo. In the course of chatting he said but I saw you last night. I had walked into the hotel and passed the pool table where someone gave me a cheery wave to which I vaguely responded. He had recognized me but I not him!! Oh dear.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth: ok, I probably spent more time in the Broady and the Byron than out on the edges but I have climbed with a few stars too.

In reply to cb_6:

Now you're talking, well hello cupcake

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

For one short while I thought it was about who you stood next to at a urinal...

In reply to Greenbanks: I once took Jules Cartwright for a day of sport climbing near Chamonix. He hated it.

In reply to Greenbanks:
Early one morning, I opened the unlocked door of the Port-a-potty in Wild Iris in Wyoming, only to find Yosemite legend Jim Bridwell taking a crap. Not exactly the time to ask for an autograph.

In reply to Greenbanks: I still have the happiest memories of climbing alongside Dave 'Smiler' Cuthbertson on Craig y Gesail as night fell: I can still hear the Brummy accent: 'Crack on Rob, crack on...'

In reply to Greenbanks:

A few years ago some mates were climbing (can't recall where) when a rather unkempt chap assailed the rock near them and soloed a route in a pair of knackered and somewhat "flappy" trainers. One of the older gents reprimanded this young dare doer for doing something dangerous. The more youthful hung their heads in shame as Jonny Dawes walked off.

In reply to Greenbanks:As a 15 year old me & another youth got asked what we were doing in a stern way by Neil Bently, when chimneying somewhere we shouldn't at The Foundry, as he appeared we just landed. Didn't know he was a good climber. ()

Pretty cool being a heedless teenager when I think about it...

In reply to Greenbanks:
One evening at the Edge climbing wall I rather rudely asked Rab Carrington how come he was wearing a scraggy old jumper, when his (then) company made some of the best outdoor kit to be had. He was slightly stumped for an answer and was much more polite than I deserved.

Very nice man. And climbing much harder than me, despite my 25 year advantage...

In reply to Greenbanks:

Not strictly climbing, but had a chat with Mick Fowler as he overtook us on the Jura Fell Race last year!

In reply to Greenbanks:

I've met Catherine Destivelle.

Okay, not climbed with her, but dammit - I met Catherine Destivelle!

In reply to Ciderslider: Haha...looks good to me too!

In reply to jcw: Apparently Dawes didn't listen to you because when he gave me a belay at the castle I was terrified on a 5+ lead! .. didn't know who he was at the time 'cause i'm a foreigner! I was formally introduced after our session and got a full biography spewed at me about him, an vice versa(our mutual friend is very exhaustive)

Now whenever I run into him he asks if I've lead strawberries yet.

In reply to air: I made Big Ron fall off something at Caley with my cheerful ay up. He just grinned and looked a bit sheepish.

In reply to Greenbanks: Lucky enough to have been out with worcester MC at the Roaches only to climb next to J Dawes and Mr Andy Cave. They were doing some sort of photo shoot and the missus was chatting to another famous climber whos name evades me but wow what a day!!!!

In reply to Greenbanks: I`ve climbed with Rob Stanfield and Jack Blackbrook,who are they you say,well they made the front cover of Climber magazine this March.

In reply to Dave Hewitt:

We too once met Mr Blunkett in the same place, but he was alone except for his Black Labrador.
We too had a Black Labrador, an unruly, excitable ball of energy that was totally uncontrollable.
We pondered whether Mr Blunkett would notice if we swapped.

In reply to Greenbanks:

When I was living in Thailand, a certain actress from Hotel Babylon came in the shop doors (wont say which one as we are now good friends). I had no idea who she was at the time but everyone we passed kept recognising her. Anyway, she had put in her CV that she was a rock climber and low and behold, she had a role in a climbing movie coming up. Problem was she had embelished her CV a tad and was now looking for some proper outdoor instruction. Turned out she was pretty good too!

In reply to Greenbanks:

I was in a party that helped Rene Desmaison with his client on the Grade VI traverse on the S Ridge of the Noire in 1970. He reciprocated by guiding us all down in the dark and we avoided a bivouac.

In reply to Greenbanks:
Arrived at the top of Cosmiques Arete just before Zinidine Zidane (the football player) and guide arrived - he seemed to be having a nice day out!

In reply to Dave Hewitt:
>once met David Blunkett...

Came across David Blunkett with a woman and two dogs in Ecclesall Woods last year. My dog very helpfully stood right in front of him and wouldn't leave him alone because the dog thought he had treats for him.

In reply to Greenbanks: Alan Titchmarsh and one of Jim Davidsons wives down Avon Gorge as part of one of those "Why don't you try ..." series that local TV companies like.

I was taking part in a climbing comp in Birminghams national indoor arena back in 93.
I was climbing well, about half way up and in the zone when I felt a sharp tug on my ancle, I looked down and was suprised to see Michael Van Wijk AKA 'Wolf' hanging off my shoe shaking and snarling!

That was the last comp I attended

In reply to Greenbanks:

One winter I ended up trying The Sphinx at Burbage N with Leah Crane and friends. We pooled our mats, I struggled to get off the ground whilst she cruised it after a few attempts and one fall from rather high up.

In reply to Postie:

Stu, Scotty Muir....really???!! LOL...

I climbed with Stuart the postie a few times.... unforgettable!!

Also, bumped into ex Labour leader John Smith and Chris Smith on top of Bidean one summers day. Jimmy Saville was nowhere to be seen.

As for famous climbers.... I've met a few who thought they were, and been to a few lectures and film festivals...oh, and bumped into Tim Em at Ibrox the other day and chatted for a while. Nice guy, as was Steve Mac and most others to be fair, after all we're only human and not all morons.... Having said that I did meet Pete Oxley once at Fareham (?) wall back in the day.......

Finally my biggest claim is to being DI GILBERTS FRIEND...
And it gets no better.

In reply to Greenbanks:

My crampons once went up the Matterhorn with Alan Hinkes. Sadly, i wasn't wearing them at the time.

In reply to Greenbanks:

Went on a boys boozy ski/board weekend to Chamonix a good few years back and stayed in a fairly low budget hotel in Argentiere with a shared toilet.

One evening, as my 'digestively challenged' mate was vacating the toilet, who should be next in line but Tim Emmett. On entering the cubicle TM was heard to report "Jeez that's well nasty".

I'm sure any right minded climber, would have advised the 5 minute warning, especially to a celeb, but alas my mate is a non climber.

And I also saw Mick Jagger at St.Govans once - I think he was visiting the chapel, but he might just have been soloing about.

In reply to Greenbanks:

Climbing with Mick F meant also climbing with & chatting to loads of well-known climbers

But my greatest claim-to-fame was in a PyB disco years ago when Gill Fawcett said "You look suitably degenerate - wanna finish this?" and gave me a spliff

In reply to Greenbanks:
I was climbing the East face of tryfan and started up The Grooved Arête. I reached the first belay and was surprised to find Keith Harris belaying his partner Orville. as they were moving slowly Oriville was kind enough to let me lead through. Later on the knights slab we passed sooty and sweep climbing 'alpine style'.

I vaguely remember going to do Diglyph with Hughie Banner in the late 50s and have photographs of what I think may be the second ascent. If I upload one of them could someone confirm the climb?n reply to Greenbanks:

I did a couple of routes with Arnie Strapcans (not in the alps...in Griff Quarry!), Terry Taylor, one of the Greenwoods, crossed swords with Al Evans (is he famous?), saw PRL burn up the first ascent of Earth Rim Roamer (member of the on-beach support team!), followed Doug Scott up Raven Crag Gully, did some routes with Bill Lounds, and was overtaken by Bill Birkett (he splashed all over my Ron Hills)on his way to meet Andy Hyslop for the first ascent of Fallout on Esk.

err...that's it. Not much to go on for nearly 50 years on the crags.

In reply to chubbs2:


I once had a "discussion" about climbing rucksacks with Tim Emmett when he was a rep and I worked in Cotswold Outdoors - he was raving about a new pack and I thought it was rubbish!

In reply to Greenbanks:

I've climbed with a lot of famous climbers. The cool thing about climbing with a big name climber isn't that they're famous but that they're good climbers and you're always going to learn something.

In reply to Greenbanks:
>... Bill Birkett (he splashed all over my Ron Hills)

I think you should elaborate a little on this.

Was he very excited to see you or what?

In reply to Punter S Thompson:

Once rescued Bernard Cribbins who got bekighted on TPS

In reply to Owen W-G:

That's a lie.
Obviously

In reply to Greenbanks:
I saw Richard Hamond doing his weekly 'big shop' at Stanage a couple of years ago and he shouted me a cheery hello but I told him to go f*ck himself

In reply to Greenbanks:

I met George Abraham walking above Easedale Tarn in 1960 - and saw him later at the Lakeside Teagardens in Keswick where he recognised "this young lad" - I did not really appreciate who he was and his involvement in climbing since the 1890's.
I sat next to Noell Odell at a FRCC dinner in the early 1990's - he was somewhat old then and difficult to communicate with - but what tales he would have with Everest in 1920's, Nanda Devi and many more.
Had a chat with Jim Haggas - Gordian Knot and Hangover fame - a few years ago. He climbed Hangover because he knew Jim Birkett was active on a crag somewhere and thought the crag was Dove Crag - it wasn't - it was Castle Rock with OB; May Day and Zig-zag - which he found out later and then did the second ascent of OB.
I have met and climbed with a "few" other famous people.

In reply to Rob Exile Ward: That would be a 'Wolverhampton' accent! Smiler and I climbed with a few famous folks in the Pass and the Alps, Minxy, Rouse and Cliff Philips used to solo next to us for a bit of fun. Remember being invited into a tent on the Laverado campsite to meet Doug Scott who asked me to take his Nottingham mate up the Comici, whilst he was doing the Cima Ovest, after 1000 feet I had to ab him off. 30 years later at Smiler's 50th he denied all knowledge! I still bare the mental scars.

In reply to Punter S Thompson:

Excellent! And I usually double-check for double entendres! On the track from the Pass road up to the crag (on our way for Red Edge) really early (well, 7ish on a Saturday morning), BB came chundering past us with an earnest look about him. He was intent on the Buttress, and totally unaware of the peat bog he splashed through) whilst on Medusa Wall we had a grandstand view of proceedings.

In reply to Greenbanks: I've "climbed" with peter andre as part of some work I did at alton towers for "mt. rocky" a promotional climbing wall for rocky biscuits... he's pretty useless, but i did get a shit load of free chocolate as part of the deal and had my 10 mins of fame on TV... my famous line among friends when he asked how to get up the 4+ artificial climb... "just climb up more, its cold up here" best bit of work I've ever had

In reply to Ciderslider:

Just Kate Bush? Where were Jaimie Lee Curtis and Helen Mirren?
Now that would be a really great dream, older, but quality women, that are sexy like Kate Bush , butbwithout the classic 'beauty' look of too many stars.

In reply to Jim C: Oh go on then you've talked me into it.
Mine you I'd just settle for managing to top out on any grit E1 at the moment (and then a couple of beers after)

In reply to TM_Horton: Need more than free choc to even be within spitting distance of that retard

In reply to Ciderslider: Aside from all the climbers, because of my job I've climbed with a few actors. The only famous sport star I have climbed with is Bruce French, the England Wicketkeeper, then again he is now my kids step dad

In reply to Greenbanks: I shared a belay at the top of the groove on Llech Ddu
with Joe Brown in the 70's i was tongue tied.Also climbed with Jonny Dawes in the avon gorge inn the 80's he told me my attitude was all wrong????

In reply to Greenbanks:

The BMC international meets are great places to climb with 'famous' people, and doubly great when you realise that they're all normal people, and very pleasant and approachable, who just happen to be very strong/brave etc.

But my favourite anecdote is having Gary Gibson talk me up a new route of his at some shitty quarry in the Peak, despite me politely asking him to stay quiet.

"There's a good nut slot just above you", he would say. "I won't tell you what size it is." Pause. "But it's a size 5".

Nice bloke though.

In reply to Greenbanks: Katy Whittaker offered to belay me on Brown's Eliminate, I declined as I didn't want to slow her and her Mum down

In reply to Southern Man: we met her and her family on idwal slabs, she was climbing with some middle aged dude ( in his 50s) and her daughter, they were waiting for us to start tennis
Shoe, old dude said can't you symo climb to me as I was belaying, I looked with an alarmed 'f&&k off face' and said no!!!
Then CD bollocked him a told him to leave us alone!!

In reply to Greenbanks: In September 1988 I found myself with my climbing partner at the Tete Rousse hut, before an ascent of the Bionassay NW face. Sharing it were Chris Bonington, the CEO of Apple UK, and a team of managers from the same firm with several guides. They were climbing Mt Blanc as a team building exercise. After we did our route we bumped into Bonington and the CEO in the old Bar National. Most of the managers had got up the mountain. But to emphasise their superiority, Bonners and his friend told me, they had spent the afternoon after getting down on a game of squash.

In reply to lhs:
I think this one is the most impressive; as meeting a famous climber while climbing isn't entirely unexpected.

My story is that Adam Ondra asked me about the grade of an adjacent climb so I lent him my guidebook. He then returned it to another chap, which led to the amusing scene of him running around trying to find my guidebook while I was flailing on some feeble route.

I met him again at Flatanger a few weeks later while he was trying his new route there. Friendly chap.

In reply to lhs:

He did Mont Blanc as well. Here's the Cosmiques - are you on it?
youtube.com/watch?v=R_XXd_L23ZQ&

In reply to Greenbanks: Jamie Andrew. Enough said..