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For those who may not have heard, Ray passed away on the 14th December.
I attach a brief tribute by Phil Tinning which was circulated via out club's webmail.
I am sure all RT'ers thoughts are with his family at this time.
Fondly remembered, and sadly missed.
Alan Stark
"Ray McHaffie
Sadly I have received word of the death of a Lakeland Legend.
Ray Mchaffie, or simply Mac to many, suffered a heart attack in Keswick on Wednesday 14th December and unfortunately did not recover.
Originally from Carlisle and, in time, a member of the Raffles Alpine Club, Carlisle Mountaineering Club and others, Mac Climbed more than extensively, and not quite exclusively in Borrowdale but in this valley was his literal and spiritual home.
Mac will be remembered for his tireless Borrowdale cragging, years of new routing, footpath work, distinctive voice, dry humour, and amiable personality. His spirit will live on in Borrowdale.
A cremation will be held at Carlisle Crematorium, Tuesday 20th December at 2.00pm."
Phil Tinning 15/12/05
I attach a brief tribute by Phil Tinning which was circulated via out club's webmail.
I am sure all RT'ers thoughts are with his family at this time.
Fondly remembered, and sadly missed.
Alan Stark
"Ray McHaffie
Sadly I have received word of the death of a Lakeland Legend.
Ray Mchaffie, or simply Mac to many, suffered a heart attack in Keswick on Wednesday 14th December and unfortunately did not recover.
Originally from Carlisle and, in time, a member of the Raffles Alpine Club, Carlisle Mountaineering Club and others, Mac Climbed more than extensively, and not quite exclusively in Borrowdale but in this valley was his literal and spiritual home.
Mac will be remembered for his tireless Borrowdale cragging, years of new routing, footpath work, distinctive voice, dry humour, and amiable personality. His spirit will live on in Borrowdale.
A cremation will be held at Carlisle Crematorium, Tuesday 20th December at 2.00pm."
Phil Tinning 15/12/05
In reply to Alan Stark:
Very sad news
Spent many happy hours listening to Macs crack at sheperds cafe
RIP
Very sad news
Spent many happy hours listening to Macs crack at sheperds cafe
RIP
In reply to Alan Stark:
Coming in from climbing and reading this... I am so sorry.
Although I never met Mac, so many of my mates did, in Borrowdale. They all said he was a real character, full of life.
Little Cham in boxing gloves & roller skates - classic!
His spirit will live on in Borrowdale - yes, always.
My condolences to his family.
Mick
Coming in from climbing and reading this... I am so sorry.
Although I never met Mac, so many of my mates did, in Borrowdale. They all said he was a real character, full of life.
Little Cham in boxing gloves & roller skates - classic!
His spirit will live on in Borrowdale - yes, always.
My condolences to his family.
Mick
In reply to Alan Stark:
Just got back from a run over the Lakeland tops under moonlight and early morning sun. Crisp and clear with empty fells - one of those days that lifts your heart. Borrowdale was bathed in golden sunlight but it won't quite be the same.
Sincere condolences to all those close to him.
Bob
Just got back from a run over the Lakeland tops under moonlight and early morning sun. Crisp and clear with empty fells - one of those days that lifts your heart. Borrowdale was bathed in golden sunlight but it won't quite be the same.
Sincere condolences to all those close to him.
Bob
In reply to Alan Stark: Sad - top bloke, never ending enthusiasm. Condolences to all.
In reply to Alan Stark:
Met Ray at the summit of Helvellyn a few years ago after completing my first winter route with my brother. He took the time to chat to us and told us a few stories
about recent escapades and generally enthused us to keep on climbing. We didn't really know who he was at
that point, but a leaf through the guides, and seeing the
article about the rollerskates up on the wall in the pub in Keswick inspired us even more.
Met Ray at the summit of Helvellyn a few years ago after completing my first winter route with my brother. He took the time to chat to us and told us a few stories
about recent escapades and generally enthused us to keep on climbing. We didn't really know who he was at
that point, but a leaf through the guides, and seeing the
article about the rollerskates up on the wall in the pub in Keswick inspired us even more.
In reply to Alan Stark:
Very sorry to hear this news. Mac was one of the great characters of Lakes climbing. Shepherds Cafe will never be the same again.
Condolences to James and the rest of the Family.
Andy
Very sorry to hear this news. Mac was one of the great characters of Lakes climbing. Shepherds Cafe will never be the same again.
Condolences to James and the rest of the Family.
Andy
In reply to Andy Hyslop - UKClimbing.com:
nor will the moot hall in keswick, where i was inspired by his regular slide shows
RIP Ray
> (In reply to Alan Stark)
> Shepherds Cafe will never be the same again.
>
> Shepherds Cafe will never be the same again.
>
nor will the moot hall in keswick, where i was inspired by his regular slide shows
RIP Ray
In reply to Sankey:
He must have given so much enthusiasm to so many people. What better epitaph could anyone possibly have?
Mick
> (In reply to Alan Stark)
>
> He took the time to chat to us and told us a few stories
> about recent escapades and generally enthused us to keep on climbing. We didn't really know who he was at that point
>
> He took the time to chat to us and told us a few stories
> about recent escapades and generally enthused us to keep on climbing. We didn't really know who he was at that point
He must have given so much enthusiasm to so many people. What better epitaph could anyone possibly have?
Mick
In reply to Bob:
do you know what footpaths he was involved in repairing?
what fine memorials
grains gill is one i believe
do you know what footpaths he was involved in repairing?
what fine memorials
grains gill is one i believe
In reply to Alan Stark:
The valley will never be the same again. I will remember happy days of my teenage years in the company of "the jaws of borrowdale" for the rest of my days. Condolonces to his family, I am sorry that I cannot get to the crematorium.
Trev
The valley will never be the same again. I will remember happy days of my teenage years in the company of "the jaws of borrowdale" for the rest of my days. Condolonces to his family, I am sorry that I cannot get to the crematorium.
Trev
In reply to Alan Stark: A legend passes on. Condolences to all.
In reply to Alan Stark:
Very, Very, Very sorry to hear it.
I first saw him in the now legendary photos of his ascent of Little Chamonix in boxing gloves and roller skates before I even knew what climbing was.
We went to his ice and rock climbing talks in the Moot Hall just by chance and anyone who has been to one of these won't need me to say how good and funny these shows were.
Later on met him a few times at Shepherds and on the hill - always a humorous comment and a friendly word. The Lakes will be poorer without him around
Very, Very, Very sorry to hear it.
I first saw him in the now legendary photos of his ascent of Little Chamonix in boxing gloves and roller skates before I even knew what climbing was.
We went to his ice and rock climbing talks in the Moot Hall just by chance and anyone who has been to one of these won't need me to say how good and funny these shows were.
Later on met him a few times at Shepherds and on the hill - always a humorous comment and a friendly word. The Lakes will be poorer without him around
In reply to Alan Stark:
Very sad news.
I'm honoured to have met him (soloing Little Cham a year or two ago)
Very sad news.
I'm honoured to have met him (soloing Little Cham a year or two ago)
In reply to Alan Stark:
Dear Alan
To the best of my recollection I never met Ray, however, I did a few of his routes. I am sure he will be missed by both his family and the wider climbing community.
Norrie
Dear Alan
To the best of my recollection I never met Ray, however, I did a few of his routes. I am sure he will be missed by both his family and the wider climbing community.
Norrie
In reply to Alan Stark:
Very sad, I've lost count of the number of times I saw his lectures in the Moot Hall, always full of enthusiasm and entertaining. A great loss to the community.
Very sad, I've lost count of the number of times I saw his lectures in the Moot Hall, always full of enthusiasm and entertaining. A great loss to the community.
In reply to Alan Stark: I am very sad to hear that. I had the pleasure of climbing with Ray a few times many years ago, accompanied by his dog 'Ado', who he claimed could do v diff and grade 3 ice, when I lived nearer to the Lakes. I thought then that he was the most infectiously enthusiastic person that I had come across in climbing and one of its great characters. I certainly do not think that I have met anyone else to equal his brand of likeable and funny eccentricity within the sport. I am sure that the memories will live on long after his passing with those who knew him. My condolences to his family and close friends. I am sure he will be sorely missed.
In reply to Pete:
My first Mac memory was of just having moved to Penrith, and turning up at Sheperds looking for someone to climb with.
I was approached by this guy with a little dog, who enquired if I was a climber, and if I had a rope.
I said I climbed about severe, but had seconded the odd VS. My gear (early 70's) consisted of very few nuts, a couple of slings, and 100ft of No3 Hawser laid nylon. He only had his EB's. He said I know a nice climb we can do - it's called Adam, and propmptly tied directly onto the rope. The first pitch was nice and short, but as he neared the top of the main pitch, he asked me to take the belay off and start climbing, as he couldn't quite reach the belay -- talk about having confidence in someone he'd never met or seen climb before!
The patter was entertaining from start to finish.
It was the first of many meetings over the years in Borrowdale, though I never climbed with him again.
Undoubtedly one of Lakeland's finest.
His tireless work repairing the footpaths is a wonderful legacy, and fitting memorial.
My first Mac memory was of just having moved to Penrith, and turning up at Sheperds looking for someone to climb with.
I was approached by this guy with a little dog, who enquired if I was a climber, and if I had a rope.
I said I climbed about severe, but had seconded the odd VS. My gear (early 70's) consisted of very few nuts, a couple of slings, and 100ft of No3 Hawser laid nylon. He only had his EB's. He said I know a nice climb we can do - it's called Adam, and propmptly tied directly onto the rope. The first pitch was nice and short, but as he neared the top of the main pitch, he asked me to take the belay off and start climbing, as he couldn't quite reach the belay -- talk about having confidence in someone he'd never met or seen climb before!
The patter was entertaining from start to finish.
It was the first of many meetings over the years in Borrowdale, though I never climbed with him again.
Undoubtedly one of Lakeland's finest.
His tireless work repairing the footpaths is a wonderful legacy, and fitting memorial.
In reply to Alan Stark: As I recall Ado the dog was his trademark. Went everywhere with him. On the routes that I did with him he left Ado at the bottom and he always magically appeared peering over the top of the particular route that we did. As I recall he named the dog after an old climbing partner of his.
I remember him saying that the boxing gloves were the hardest to cope with on the Little Chamonix stunt. With the roller skates you just used them like a rigid mountain boot hooking the steel plate onto the holds. Classic! Not enough characters around like him.
Only consolation is that I guess that he lived his life several times over compared with a lot of people that do far less with it. Very sad and a reminder of one's own mortality.
I remember him saying that the boxing gloves were the hardest to cope with on the Little Chamonix stunt. With the roller skates you just used them like a rigid mountain boot hooking the steel plate onto the holds. Classic! Not enough characters around like him.
Only consolation is that I guess that he lived his life several times over compared with a lot of people that do far less with it. Very sad and a reminder of one's own mortality.
In reply to Alan Stark: very sad to here. condolences to his family.
In reply to Alan Stark:
I never climbed with Mac, I knew him via family connections. Oh, and the best slideshow the NMC ever had.
He told a fine tale. One, told when we were on a family visit in the 70's, related to a very early ascent of something on Gable, I can't remember what, with Ado Liddell. Ado was leading and got his finger irretrievably stuck in a crack. Mac sent up a knotted sling to jam in so Ado could take the weight off. Nothing doing, it was still stuck. Then Ado spied Mac soloing up towards him with an opened jacknife in his teeth. "What're you doing!" "I can't leave you stuck there, the knot'll give up, I'll have to chop your finger off". It did the trick, Ado's finger came straight out of the crack, minus a bit of flesh.
It's a sad loss, the world is a poorer place for his passing, not just Borrowdale.
Special condolences to Margaret & James
I never climbed with Mac, I knew him via family connections. Oh, and the best slideshow the NMC ever had.
He told a fine tale. One, told when we were on a family visit in the 70's, related to a very early ascent of something on Gable, I can't remember what, with Ado Liddell. Ado was leading and got his finger irretrievably stuck in a crack. Mac sent up a knotted sling to jam in so Ado could take the weight off. Nothing doing, it was still stuck. Then Ado spied Mac soloing up towards him with an opened jacknife in his teeth. "What're you doing!" "I can't leave you stuck there, the knot'll give up, I'll have to chop your finger off". It did the trick, Ado's finger came straight out of the crack, minus a bit of flesh.
It's a sad loss, the world is a poorer place for his passing, not just Borrowdale.
Special condolences to Margaret & James
In reply to Alan Stark:
I never met him, but the postings on here show what a loss his passing has been.
My condolences to friends and family.
Ridge
I never met him, but the postings on here show what a loss his passing has been.
My condolences to friends and family.
Ridge
In reply to Alan Stark: Sorry to read this news. I knew Ray prior to his Blue Peter fame. I first met him at Shepherds (where else?) or rather heard him first. In fact he never stopped talking. He always had a story to tell and indeed did tell it again at one of my Club's dinners. Such tremendous vitality. He will be sadly missed.
In reply to Alan Stark: I met Ray once (Shephards Cafe of course) and his enthusiasm was infectious. He chatted away to me like a long lost friend eventhough it was our first meeting. To me he epitomised what climbing should be about - friendly, non pretencious and most of all enjoying it for yourself.
What a sad loss for his family and the true climbing community
What a sad loss for his family and the true climbing community
In reply to Alan Stark: Belaying atop Troudale Pinnacle feeling quite pleased with myself after Superdirect or something when Ray soloed past. Asked him what he was on - "Black Crag Buttress, me favourite route..." Probably one of many! He took the time to stop to chat awhile, pointing out worthwhile routes. I must go back and do "Gleaned Grooves" - "Unjustifiably neglected - good climbing". A climber's climber.
In reply to Alan Stark: I met Ray the first time as I heaved over the top of the Bludgeon. He chatted to me as I set up the belay and I could sense he was watching over me to make sure that I set up correctly. It was nicely reassuring as I hadn't been leading that long. He was so enthusiastic and full of praise that if my arms hadn't been dead I would have gone and done it again. I was enthused.
He sat on top as I brought my Dad up and he shouted encouragement down in a way that not only made me believe that Dad was going to make it but convinced the old man himself!
The next time I met him was about a year later and the day that my Mum decided that she liked the sound of Little Chamonix and would do that as her first climb. Surprisingly she made it quite easily to the base of the final headwall but then her fear of heights kicked in. Ray happened to be wandering past and obviously heard me trying to coax her up. She was having none of it until he talked to her and before I knew it had persuaded her to carry on. I think I might have been there a long time if it hadn't been for Ray.
I am so glad that I got to meet him.
He sat on top as I brought my Dad up and he shouted encouragement down in a way that not only made me believe that Dad was going to make it but convinced the old man himself!
The next time I met him was about a year later and the day that my Mum decided that she liked the sound of Little Chamonix and would do that as her first climb. Surprisingly she made it quite easily to the base of the final headwall but then her fear of heights kicked in. Ray happened to be wandering past and obviously heard me trying to coax her up. She was having none of it until he talked to her and before I knew it had persuaded her to carry on. I think I might have been there a long time if it hadn't been for Ray.
I am so glad that I got to meet him.
Sad news, I have fond memories. I met Mac within a few months of starting climbing in the 70's when I worked the summer season in Borrowdale. Although I was new to it he didn't mind doing the odd route with me although I turned out to be not quite the young tiger he was no doubt hoping for! I especially remember his openess, down to earth humour and anecdotes.
In reply to Alan Stark:
I can't remember when I first met Ray or first climbed with him - he was just always around,always friendly,always enthusiastic, an integral part of Borrowdale life. He represented a time far removed from the pettiness and superficiality that characterises so much of climbing today.
I can't imagine the death of anybody else from those days affecting me so much.A very sad day indeed.
I can't remember when I first met Ray or first climbed with him - he was just always around,always friendly,always enthusiastic, an integral part of Borrowdale life. He represented a time far removed from the pettiness and superficiality that characterises so much of climbing today.
I can't imagine the death of anybody else from those days affecting me so much.A very sad day indeed.
In reply to Alan Stark:
A Lakes Legend. It's all been said on this thread. His routes defined my introduction to the Lakes.
RIP & Condolences
A Lakes Legend. It's all been said on this thread. His routes defined my introduction to the Lakes.
RIP & Condolences
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