UKC

Tonight's bbc program seemed a bit of a damp squib to me,saw it in the schedule and thought that will be interesting particularly as a climber, but it was quite dull. What does anyone else think?

What's the iPlayer link?

I thought it was absolutely rubbish, very disappointing.

Apalling. Cliche ridden. No interest in conveying anything about the reality of climbing but in feeding the general publics ideas of what it’s like- “free solo” a chossy gully on Dow!  
Impressed by the fitness etc to link all together without mechanical means but….really bad.

Yes, but it was good to see him falling off Requiem yet again. 

edit. Rhapsody

“Cliche ridden”. Quite agree. Which is real a shame, given they’re both such incredibly accomplished climbers.

More like incredulous self publicising scramblers

Contrived tripe. 

I liked it, showed talented climbers dealing with a different challenge. And how scary wet easy ground can be

Yes, I found it very comforting that a wet Diff with trainers and a rucksack is frightening even if you climb E8. Or was it all just put on for the camera?

Oh, was looking forward to watching that later. Shan't bother!

unfortunately, that’s all it was.

Full marks for effort in a thoroughly daft project, although back in the day this sort of thing was often used for alpine fitness training. Lots of yucky navel-gazing in the rain. In years to come, if they're still together, they'll look back on this with embarrassment. Watch it before they pull it.

The two bits I enjoyed most were the look on Neil Gresham's face when they described the idea to him and when it turned out the guy didn't know how to pitch a tent.

Classic rock in a day, that's a decent lakes challenge. 

Soloing Classic Rock on a bike would have made a good documentary!

Backing off Middlefell Buttress in the rain (don’t blame them!) not so much.

Loved the scenery!

I've watched the first couple of minutes so far, might watch more later but I was amused by the "we so love living in the Lakes" bit when there Instagram has been mainly this summer about their move to Scotland! 🙂 

C ordinary on Dow is fine to solo in the rain (haven’t watched it to see what they were doing)

It was a bit fluffy. Fine for mainstream telly but not something that’s going really hold the interest of those thoroughly embedded in climbing.

I think the Dow route was the scramble that’s used as a descent after C Ordinary (but not actually done either myself). They backed off Middlefell Buttress, and had a wobble at the crux corner of St Sunday pinnacle ridge.

I hadn’t heard of either before watching, and missed the context of the hard routes they have climbed. The impression I got from what I saw was not good- they seemed to be over-selling the seriousness of some of the most well known and straightforward routes in the Lakes. 

Given what I’ve since found out about what both have done previously, and are capable of, the programme did them a disservice. I don’t think it really conveyed the physical and mental drain of days and nights spent in the rain, and how much that can impact on performance and mental state even in climbers as capable as they clearly are- i think more about their reflections on how far they were stretched would have been interesting to see
 

looked more like a scramble starting along a terrace/ramp (under Giant's Crawl- possibly their original objective?)

I can't bring myself to watch it  but 'easy terrace', so called because  ..... 

A non climber mate said this: "It was very cringy. I guess putting 30 mins of pure climbing on prime time  was never going to happen." 

Then maybe do not televise sports which can't be portrayed as they really are, not everything has to be on tv, streamed etc... next you'll be telling me they created some kind of gladiators style rapid climbing competition to try and make indoor climbing more appealing to mass market audiences. 

Free Solo was pretty good. The result seemed to me well worth the effort of filming, even if the exploit was practically beyond comprehension.

Ascent of old man of hoy too (obviously of it's time), my point was this wasn't a film of normal people out mountaineering, doing what they'd normally do. It's staged, artificial. 

I suspect those that have done endurance events appreciate much more the fatigue and mental drain such events produce, partic in challenging conditions with consequences to decision making, risk taking and relationship dynamics. I actually thought the  program conveyed that well.. but I’m obviously (as usual) in the minority corner😀

Then why not follow 3 pairs of people in the omm/kimm. 2 part programme, show them training before, emphasise the mystery of location, kit lists, camping. Then follow the pair in 3 different classes, see the difference in speed, distance, and light weight camping skills. But importantly the activity would happen exactly the same even if there were no cameras. 

Any producer can have that for free. 

It has done previously-

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vg4qt

Dave MacLeod and Tim Emmett’s Sron Uladail climb was also on the BBC. 
 

They were both a while back now though.

There was another 5 part series, 5 completely separate programmes, with very different aspects of mountaineering in each. Great something, climbs maybe. I can't remember. I think one was Bonnington of course, another Arlie and Andy I think. 

"The Face" (1998). It was excellent. Included Airlie Anderson (very memorably) with a Burgess in Utah, Tony Howard in Wadi Rum, Cubby and Lynn Hill on Pabbay. Unfortunately doesn't seem to be available anywhere now. I have a DVD somewhere.

Wild Climbs; BBC 2, Fridays, Nov and Dec 1999?

That was it. Your memory is clearly better than mine! But yes, proof you don't need fictional bullocks to make decent adventure tv. 

Oh, now maybe I'm merging two different sets of programmes together! 

I think that the live-streamed first ascent on the Dru West Face a few years ago was pretty realistic! Not sure whether that counts, though. 

I saw a trailer and thought 'why do I pay the licence fee?' Didn't bother looking any further. Not climbing (but possibly a hell of a lot more interesting) I hear that a documentary is in the pipeline about Mossdale Caverns. Not obsessing about the 1967 disaster but about more subsequent exploration activities. I well recall the superb caving films produced by the recently deceased Sid Perou which inspired me as a teenager to get out. So different to the contrived stuff that seems to be being produced just now.

It was half an hour on a Friday night for a mainstream audience. Bit scrappy, bit rushed, bit lacking in context, and some lovely shots of the Lakes. I've got a couple of ideas off the back of it, including revisiting Pinnacle Ridge. I'm happy with that.

I can sort of remember three episodes of Wild Climbs.

Leo Holding and (I think) Andy Cave, possibly climbing Cezch sandstone.

Mick Fowler and someone else climbing in the Lofoten Islands, and

The one I recorded and watched repeatedly, Tim Emmet and Alison Osius in Yosemite.

Never been able to find copies, or YouTube vids.

​​

Mark Garthwaite?

Steve Haston ice climbing in Canada.

One of the series had Joe Simpson and, I think, Ed February in S. Africa.

I remember that episode. And the thing which I particularly remember from it is Mick using his binoculars the wrong way round, when trying to scope out the prospective route!

⛑️

 Yes, they showed him helping a drug addict in Scotland.

Wild Climbs was brilliant, it was more about the personalities than the climbing.

The others were: 

Stevie and Lawrence Haston climbing in Colorado in between lots of swearing and opinions.

Andy Parkin and Greg Child on Thai sea stacks.

Ed February and Joe Simpson on a brilliant looking route in S. Africa. 

All of them were brilliant. The young Leo Houlding was amusing throwing up after a night on the sauce.

Edit, just seen Robert's reply.

The Face was good as well, I was trying to remember which was which. I remember Fowler taking a scary fall in Norway which unsurprisingly didn't faze him a bit.

Ooft. That was painful; didn't know whether to laugh or cry. 

They got paid for it. The joke's on you.

The joke is arguably on those who believe it or think it's real. Their loss. 

I vaguely remember this one.

Definitely remember this bit!

Dull +1

In reply to Godwin:

That’s turned unpleasant this evening.

Having watched them being interviewed by Neil Gresham, I don’t think they’re half wits, and neither did he.

I expect they had zero editorial control over which material was chosen to broadcast, and in a challenge that ran over a few days there would be plenty for the production team to choose from to paint the picture they wanted. 

It was disappointing, and given climbing can and has been showcased on tv successfully, could have been much better- but I don’t think that’s on the two climbers involved. 

In reply to Godwin:

You do realise it was satire don't you, wasn't it? 

Found this episode quite amusing, it was poor on so many levels, but to be fair to the protagonists given the poor weather for climbing   carrying heavy packs, laden with camping gear they did give it a go. It is obviously not aimed at climbers.

The final scene when our "free soloing"  hero's return bedraggled to the starting point having bagged some Wainwrights and survived the rigours of Striding edge  & other testing Scrambles, including a lovers tiff en route they receive some muted applause from a gathered rent a crowd for  a fitting end to this ridiculous debacle .

I'm looking forward to next week where Mo Farah will be taking on a Parkrun

(I agree with other comments,  they likely had very little editorial control,  such a shame with such a talented pair of climbers!!)

They seem happy with the outcome:

https://luxe-magazine.co.uk/2024/10/climbers-anna-and-mat-discuss-the-lakes... :

"How did you feel when you first saw the finished documentary? Was there anything that surprised you in the final cut?

"Anna: When I first saw the documentary, I thought some parts of it looked a little more dramatic on screen than they felt in the moment. It’s funny how that happens on screen. But I’m really proud of how the documentary captures the beauty of the Lakes and the challenges we faced.

"Mat: I agree, some parts did seem riskier on film than they were in real life, but in the end, we’re both happy with our experience and excited for people to see it."

If they had only replaced the phrase “free soloing” with “scrambling”, cut the amateur dramatics, Neil Gresham interview and the shot of Rhapsody then I think many more people on UKC and the wider audience would have enjoyed the programme for what it was; an adventurous bimble around the mountains and crags of the Lake District

FTFY

IMHO its 10% at most on the Bear Grylls exaggeration scale. Most non climbers I know seem to have enjoyed it and given the distance and rain it won't have been a trivial test.

I wasn't going to watch this but now I know who is involved I might. I have seen Anna and Matt on a few YouTube videos and really like thier individual personalities as well as the couple dynamic.

Plus, they are clearly both excellent climbers.

I was expecting to see this pair of elite climbers soloing some low E grades, with a lot of walking in between. Something like Caff's Lakes extremes, but with more walking and less climbing. 

Was hoping it would give some insights into their mental approach, risk assessment etc. and showcase their considerable climbing abilities to a non- climbing audience. 

What was presented was like watching formula 1 with a 20mph speed limit imposed. I'm not sure who the intended audience was for this? Climbers were left feeling short changed and non-climbers were probably wondering why anyone would want to scramble up a wet gully carrying a large rucksack. 

And wearing trainers instead of boots, no excuse for trench foot

The majority of stuff on telly will be rubbish to someone.

I thought it was OK for a bit of easy watching with some nice lakeland scenery. Definitely above average amongst the broad range of stuff that makes it onto our screens.

Why stash kit/food in Ennerdale, its a grand spot but hardly on the way between langdale and Dunmail Raise/Paterdale. Was pillar on the itinerary? Slab and notch, crossing of waterfall gully or North Climb all under slushy snow , thats what I call a grand lakes wet day out.

Another televised rock climbing series was Ultimate Rock Climb with Julia Bradbury learning to climb and doing, iirc, Commando Ridge, Crackstone Rib and one I can't remember.

ETA: It was Original Route - There's a ticklist of the routes here: https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/ticklists/the_julia_bradbury_collection-...

Maybe: the intro mentions six routes, but only four featured. Perhaps they sacked off the other two (or didn't get usable footage from them)?  See if you can ID the two unnamed red crosses on the sketch map at 2:11 in https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00225h5/our-lives-series-8-12-the-la... - maybe something on Gable, and Raven Crag Kentmere? 

Can anyone remember John Noakes of Blue Peter seconding Barbarian at Tremadog?

You better tell Alex Roddie he's doing it wrong:

https://www.alexroddie.com/2015/03/inov-8-roclite-295-trail-shoes-first/

Caught a bit of this last night - thought it was utter bilge.

The kayaking showed them mucking about putting a PFD on, then about 3 seconds of paddling before landing on a beach.

And it sort of went downhill from there.

I personally can't stand the 360 camera self-filming trend.

Your much better than that. Such negative comments without watching the full show are worthy of Mary Whitehouse. They had half an hour to cover the whole thing and the paddling was hardly the key challenge ... how much paddling would you expect? All my non climbing friends and family enjoyed it.

I think the 3D cameras work well and certainly make things look more exposed than they are, so add excitement for the viewing public. There are some good walking and cycling  films and TV shows that were made cheaply thanks to them.

I suspect (from their planning map) the couple originally had a few low grade solos lined up but changed their mind thanks to less than ideal weather. 

My key issue with the show was what was a genuinely tricky target for experienced scramblers (solo with a backpack, partly in wet conditions) was 'sold' as solo climbing. My guess is the show producers made that decision, not so unreasonable before the event, and should have changed it when weather forced easier options.

May be, but it wouldn't have killed them to have added a long-distance shot of them on the lake, surely - would have added to the sense of the distance involved.

I agree, and it's even possible they tried but maybe the images they got were disappointing..... however failing to do that (and your other points) don't justify "utter bilge". I've been around filming in the hills a few times and it's a tricky business. I still think the main flaws were in post footage production decisions (and it's unlikely the climbers had much input to those editorial decisions).

Some of the others in the series are more interesting imo. eg the welsh mine explorers and fossil hunters..