Was noting Smiler Cuthbertson's post re 'Over the Hill'. Here's a conundrum for the assembled wit and wisdom of UKC. Early in 1980 (possibly 1981 but I'm pretty sure 1980), while out soloing on Burbage, I noticed a heavily wire brushed arete not in the guide. Shortly afterwards I did it, jokingly naming it 'Technical Mistress' but assuming - because it was so obvious - that it had been done before.
About a year later, I saw it written up in one of the mags as 'Small Artic Mammal', FA Mark Millar. I thought that was a bit odd, having assumed it had been done long before. I don't think there was a FA date and people don't necessarily send stuff off straight away to mags but, even so... I thought, 'Surely I must have done it before Mark.'
Unfortunately I couldn't ask him as sadly he was killed soon afterwards. Several years later, when a new guide was being prepared, I mentioned the route to Steve Bancroft. He said, "Send it to the guidebook editor." I duly wrote to aforesaid person (Geoff Milburn?) but never received a reply.
In later guides I've seen FA some time after 1977 but no name apart from Mark. Now on the UKC database it says 1970 from Mark (for the arete done on the left-hand side, The Artic Mammal) which seems ridiculous and late 1970s which seems incongruent with the write-up in the mags. (Back in the late 1970s, stuff in the Peak usually went into Crags pretty quickly. Al Evans - of this parish - was the new routes editor.)
Does anybody know when Mark actually did it and/or if someone definitely did it before me?
I know it's only a micro-route but it is a lovely little arete and it's on Burbage, one of my favourite places.
Mick
