UKC

Another good man done gone

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 Rob Exile Ward 08 Feb 2016
John Disley

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/wales/25749606

A pioneer from a heroic age of pioneering in Snowdonia, never mind the Olympics...

1st pitch Helsinki Wall in big boots, anyone? Not for the faint hearted!
 Doug 08 Feb 2016
In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

Way back when I was a teenager, I borrowed more or less every climbing related book that was in the local library. One was by John Disley & I still remember parts of it, particularly the section on hitch-hiking - at the time an essential skill for the budding climber.

RIP John
 Postmanpat 08 Feb 2016
In reply to Doug:

> Way back when I was a teenager, I borrowed more or less every climbing related book that was in the local library. One was by John Disley & I still remember parts of it, particularly the section on hitch-hiking - at the time an essential skill for the budding climber.

>
"Tackle climbing this way". I've still got my paperback copy. It starts with a youthful story about rushing up Snowdon (I think) at breakneck spread leaving the aged leader behind, and then running out of steam and being overtaken by the aged leader still going at the same steady pace. I always remember that lesson!

No mean performer on some major first ascents in Wales: Kaisergebirge Wall,Ribstone Crack et al...

RIP.

In reply to Postmanpat:

I remember that story, but I've always thought it was from Let's Go Climbing.

Whatever. I think I might have done Helsinki Wall. Or was it Olympic Slab? Whichever it was, I enjoyed it. RIP.

jcm
 Postmanpat 09 Feb 2016
In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

> I remember that story, but I've always thought it was from Let's Go Climbing.

> Whatever. I think I might have done Helsinki Wall. Or was it Olympic Slab? Whichever it was, I enjoyed it. RIP.

>
Just checked. It was John Disley on the PYG track! I even constructed a DIY rucsac frame based on his design, and bloody heavy and uncomfortable it was too!!

 Greenbanks 09 Feb 2016
In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

Sad news - like others his pamphlet was a cornerstone of my early years on the rock. A hero from the days of the hemp waistline.
 Sean Kelly 09 Feb 2016
In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

He was chief instructor at PyB for a short time and also Head of the Sports Council when the BMC moved to Manchester. I also remember his instruction book on mountaineering, again from my local library. RIP John.

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