UKC

It's been forty years this weekend.

Forty years since we first met on that wet night in the Vaynol, huddled round a small table amongst the heaving masses of damp fibre pile bodies and dripping Helly Hansens.

The conversation flowed as effortlessly as the beer, along with the laughter, as we aquainted ourselves with routes done, and routes dreamed about. Slowly the good natured sarcasm and barbs turned to the start of something more, restless wandering spirits, sensing the possibility of a potential anchor for each of our wild ambitions.

The following day was damp, cold and windy, but we went up to the Grochan anyway, and startled our hangovers away on Spectrum, swinging leads with a comfortable easy rythym - unusual for a first dance.

It was the first of many vertical dances, and the start of a friendship which has been played out through good times and bad times, on the rock and off. From Yarncliffe to Yosemite, Cloggy to Cham, and all points in between. The utter effortless joy of that glorious day on Motorhead, to that horrendous retreat from the Brouillard Face.

And here we are, forty years on, two ageing old farts, yet still alive - both lucky to be, in all honesty - still friends, still laughing, and still dancing effortlessly with each other.

We've both danced in the mountains with other partners over the years, but I can't think of any partner where it's been quite as effortless and natural.

Today we live our lives in the bus lane, not the fast lane, but there's no one I'd rather creak and limp into the Autumn of my climbing with, than you.

Thank you, for those glorious roaring forties.

In reply to Goucho:

Sometimes you come across as a real prick on here, but that was one of the most beautiful things I've read in a while. Thank you.

In reply to Valkyrie1968:


Why thank you - on both counts

In reply to Goucho:



Goucho, I was going to say I envy you - but envy's a useless emotion. I'm simply glad for you.

For me, there have only been a few really close climbing relationships in 50 years. At least one of them is still bitterly painful. Another one, from 42 years ago... I wonder... a lot of history, some guilt. I'd love us to climb hard together again but I guess I'd settle for a hug and the past wiped clean, the memory of how we were, so young and innocent when we first met.

I think of my present climbing partner - 8a at 63 ain't so shabby, particularly when you can barely hobble painfully to the crag. But if only we'd met 40 years ago. If only I'd been around to watch his back. If only... yeah, two words that don't get you anywhere - so let's forget 'em.

We are where we are. You pull on those crimps one more time. Sometimes it's even upward progress. Today it was - and I'm grateful. Tomorrow there's much less chance of success - but it doesn't matter. What matters is that I pull on different crimps, give it what I have.

I'm glad for you. The routes are the routes. But in the end you realise it was always about the people.

Mick

In reply to Mick Ward:



Very true Mick.

The right climbing partner can make a shite route, a laugh, a good route a great route, and a great route, a deathbed memory.

With so many special memories that I owe to people who are now absent friends, it's nice to be able to go back down memory lane over a few bottles of wine, with someone who's still alive

In reply to Goucho:

Wow, got a bit emotional reading that. Thanks for sharing, I think you've captured something that many (most?) of us feel. Mick you are spot on, it's all about the people : ) I'm just glad to have realised that at 27!

In reply to Goucho:

Thanks for the post. I came over a bit emotional reading it. I wouldn't know who your partner is, but mine over a similar period (but at a much more modest level) has been my dear Deborah with whom I recently celebrated half a century of wedded life. Although I've been lucky enough to climb with many partners to whom I owe thanks the vast majority of my climbs have been shared with her. I realise when I look at many of my friends whose spouses don't share their passion for climbing how blessed I have been.

In reply to Goucho:

You have two great things to offer us on here: good stories and the ability to tell them. I know you don't need the dosh but if you can't be arsed with writing a book at least do a mini-series on here like Stevie Haston did a few years ago.

And in the context of these forums I'd take being called a prick as a huge compliment

In reply to Removed User:



Thanks.

I've a load of diaries with half written, and some complete musings. I might go through them in detail and post some more?

In reply to Goucho:
That would be great! Why not get in touch with Natalie? I'm sure she'd respect your anonymity. If you're short of photos, there's the database to borrow 'em from. Even if they're not of the right route, it's usually possible to find something that's illustrative of the era/type of route, etc. Hopefully it brings the photos to a wider audience and gets them more appreciated.

Mick

In reply to Goucho:

Hi that was so good to read , emotional and stopped me in my tracks. Making me think of the day loads of mates in the pub many years ago drifted into talking of other sports(other than Football) and a guy told me he'd been on a course in Wales and I said I'd love to go climbing in the mountains and we said we would try to climb a mountain and see how fit we were.
We climbed Tryfan , my favourite mountain and the week or so later he talked of Rock Climbing and went back to Wales to climb the cracks on 'little Tryfan' with a Tow Rope and some pebbles!
We were hooked , and like your goodself we have been all over the UK and The Swiss Alps, Spain and we are climbing grades even now we never perhaps thought we would. Were still out there, still adventurous, still great friends and the very best of mates and at the end of this year it will be 37 Years!
Where does the time go -- just fabulous.

In reply to Goucho:
I'm very lucky to have climbed with my old man for over 35 years. All the more remarkable in that he didn't start climbing until he was in his late thirties. We were rubbish hills walkers and soon escaped into the world of rock climbing, learning the ropes from a copy of Kirkus's Let's go Climbing; itself then, fifty years out of date!
Climbing with the same person all the time you don't need to discuss which routes you want to do or how you'd like to do them, who's going to lead or even the basic climbing calls. All this clutter takes grades off you when you go out with a stranger.
We mopped up classics and shared adventures all over the country and although a few have escaped us ( Moonraker and Mousetrap stand out...) , we've had a pretty good haul.
Although we live 500 miles apart now we still get out for the odd route, trying to pick up an E point or two or bag a new classic. This summer we made the long haul up to Gimmer for North West Arete, did Eliminate A in glorious September sunshine and last week, did the remarkable Suspension Flake on Hound Tor. Gasping for breath on top we agreed that it was as good a route as we had ever done.
I turned 50 the other day and he's 72. I hope we might have a few more routes in us yet.

In reply to alan moore:


It's just brilliant, isn't it? You think how can a route this short be one of the best VSs in the country? But it is! I'd always wanted to do it and, when I did, it was like a kid in a sweet shop. Had to do it three times in succession.



As Jim Jewell was apparently wont to say to Paul Williams on days with not so great Welsh weather, "Keep the fire burning..."

Mick

In reply to Goucho:

Nice one, its great to a have a constant companion in the hills through the years, dipping in and out of each others company yet always being able to pick up the conversation when together on the hills, sharing that same interest in life.

In reply to alan moore:


This. It's all about the trust that builds up, and usually when you find a compatible partner it builds up rather quickly. Then one can relax and give up a part of the ego and other baggage. Sounds an awful lot like a marriage!

The rest of your post is wonderful.

In reply to Goucho:

Mine was killed on Striding Edge 47 years after we first climbed together. I've had other climbing partners, but Martin...