UKC

NEWS: The Night Climbers of Cambridge by Whipplesnaith: New Ed.

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 Michael Ryan 16 Oct 2007
"Lest others should attempt the ascent of this terrible climb and perish, they swore themselves to secrecy and went off to try Everest instead.”
 
Stegophily: (noun) the act of climbing on the outside of buildings and other artificial structures.
 
“...while mountaineers are counted by the tens of thousands, roof-climbers could scarcely be mustered by the dozen.”
 
“Like characters from Buchan crossing a Scottish moor on a stormy night, they are silent and solitary, mysterious and unknown...”
 
“There is no moon, the sky is cloudy and the barometer is high. It will be a fine night.”
 
 "A few enthusiasts swarm up every pipe they see, for its own sake, but they are not necessarily good climbers. They are gymnasts."

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/
 Doug 16 Oct 2007
In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
towards the end you write
"The guy standing on that pinnacle (in the pic) is Nares Craig who is 90 now and coming to the launch next week. He was sent down from the University for climbing King's Chapel with an effigy of George VI in 1937!""

But the only picture I can see if of a the top of a building, should there be another photo ?
 Mark Stevenson 16 Oct 2007
In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: As a Cambridge Sutdent I can testify that I did climb on a fair few buildings and bridges. However, the then Mountaineerng Club Presisdent was caught whilst doing the first ascent of one of the new University buildings (Law Library? c.1997?) and with dire threats of being 'sent down', our climbing was unfortunately much curtailed.

Will be buying a copy for old times sake!
 dread-i 16 Oct 2007
In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
Nice to see there is a book about this.
I went on a walking tour of Cambs. and the guide mentioned the night climbers.

On one occasion they placed a brolly on the top of a spire. The local marks man was tasked with shooting it down. Which he did, from some distance away as well. So they went up again an placed a union jack on the spire. Said marks man refused to shoot down the union jack as it would be unpatriotic! They also used to leave certain female undergarments on strategic high points to prove their ascents.

Another thing we were shown was some leap between buildings. Even though the tops are slightly overhanging, there is still a good 10+m drop into pavement. There is no room for a run up and only a small area to land on. Apparently it was seen as some sort of initiation test.
 IainSunderland 16 Oct 2007
In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Heres' what happened at my local Uni:

http://www.buildering.net/news/2005/beaulieu_nat_post.html

This kind of took the romance out of the rebelliousness that clandestine buildering was associated with.
 Doug 16 Oct 2007
In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: I really must go see the optician again
OP Michael Ryan 16 Oct 2007
In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

The launch is being held Heffers book shop, 20 Trinity Street, Cambridge on Friday 26th October at 6.30pm (next week). Tickets are free but best to reserve by Emailing <general@heffers.co.uk> or call 01223 568568.
 Phil Kelly 16 Oct 2007
In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
> (In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com)
>
> The launch is being held Heffers book shop, 20 Trinity Street, Cambridge on Friday 26th October at 6.30pm (next week). Tickets are free but best to reserve by Emailing <general@heffers.co.uk> or call 01223 568568.

I'll be there just to see who pops up. I have the original and it would be good to get some autographs in it.
OP Michael Ryan 16 Oct 2007
In reply to phil kelly:

Send us pics and a report Phil.

atb,

Mick
 JohnHutch 18 Oct 2007
In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
Did "Whipplesnaith" also do an edition under the pseudonym "Hederatus" (ivy)? I saw a copy many years ago. Hederatus and his pals managed to suspend "Peace in Vietnam" between King's College Chapel towers around 1965 - as a result of which other climbers were persuaded to help the college build modifications into the towers to prevent them being chimneyed. An alternative route was duly put up instead.
 JohnHutch 18 Oct 2007
In reply to dread-i:
Sounds like the leap from Senate House roof across Senate Hse Passage onto Caius college wall. Action photo in the Hederatus book.
 caminoaustral 19 Oct 2007
In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
full text is available at - http://www.insectnation.org/projects/nightclimbers/html/
Hamish Symington 20 Oct 2007
In reply to JohnHutch: Action photo also in the Night Climbers! Just got the copies back from the printers yesterday; they look really good!
Hamish (great-nephew of Whipplesnaith, and designer of the new edition)
Hamish Symington 20 Oct 2007
In reply to JohnHutch: Whipplesnaith and Hederatus aren't the same. Hederatus was in the mid 1960s, and did quite a bit of damage (and also consumed inhuman quantities of curry!). I think in the end he was sent down.

Whipplesnaith and the Night Climbers, on the other hand, didn't do damage if he could at all help it - they did break some slates on the roof of King's porters' lodge and sent some money as conscience money to the Bursar. There was also a broken stone which fell off and hit one of the climbers, but that possibly would have fallen off anyway in high winds.

H
 JohnHutch 21 Oct 2007
In reply to Hamish Symington:
Thanks for getting it republished. I'll be buying a copy.

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