UKC

FRIDAY MORNING VIDEO: John Cunningham Climbing Ben Nevis ' 76

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 UKC Articles 30 Oct 2009
[Unknown climber enjoying the top pitch of The White Line, Ben Nevis., 3 kb]Just picked this up at Dave MacLeod 's blog and what a classic video, pure class. "Rare footage by Yvon Chouinard, initially created for National Geographic featuring John Cunningham climbing an unspecified climb on Ben Nevis".

Jack has another Friday video going live tonight. And we have plenty more winter stuff; destination articles, gear reviews, videos and stories coming up soon at UKClimbing.com

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=2202

 DWilliamson 30 Oct 2009
In reply to UKC Articles:

Wonderful film. I can hardly wait to get at the white stuff this year...
 lummox 30 Oct 2009
In reply to UKC Articles: what a fantastic film ! Anyone know what route he was on ? The Coe road was a bit more rough and ready in the 70`s...
 petestack 30 Oct 2009
In reply to UKC Articles:

So good you had to post it twice? Leaving my Thursday night comment isolated...

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=378746
 Hay 30 Oct 2009
In reply to UKC Articles:
That is just a great film - Creag Dhu Climber is worth a read too.
Best Scottish all-rounders; Cunningham, Cuthbertson, Macleod?
Bruce
 JimR 30 Oct 2009
In reply to lummox:

Having started climbing in the Coe in the early 70's I would say from the look of the road that this film pre dates the 70s and is more like 1967 than 1976, the Ballachulish Bridge was opened in 1975 and the film is before that, The law about motor cycle helmets was introduced in the early 70's (73?) and its also before that.
 George Fisher 30 Oct 2009
In reply to UKC Articles:

The most amazing part of it all... no gloves, riding his bike. Gives me the hot aches just watching!!
 Henry Iddon 30 Oct 2009
In reply to Gfunk:

Yeah I was thinking that aswell, then skipping over train tracks and climbing gates - renegade!

Great stuff.
 gethin_allen 30 Oct 2009
In reply to Gfunk:
I was thinking the same, he can't have had any feeling in his hands riding a bike without gloves in that weather. truly a film from back in the day when men were men as they say in guidebooks when hvs is down as a severe.
 Grahame N 30 Oct 2009
In reply to UKC Articles:
I happened to be out for a walk on Ben Nevis at Easter 1976 (aged 17) and sure enough MacInnes, Chouinard, Cunningham, Braithwaite, etc, etc were there making a film.
There was a guy at the CIC who I didnt recognise but was one of the 'stars', and he was feeling ill so had decided not to climb that day, however he asked if I wanted to do an easy route with him, so we did Bob Run. And thats how I did my first ever winter route and I never did find out who he was.
 Paulcmountain 30 Oct 2009
In reply to UKC Articles:

Wow, I didn't expect the vid to get such a fastand positive response, I only put it up on Wednesday...

 galpinos 30 Oct 2009
In reply to Paulcmountain:
> (In reply to UKC Articles)
>
> Wow, I didn't expect the vid to get such a fastand positive response, I only put it up on Wednesday...


I'm glad you did Paul, it's great. Quite inspiring and a bit humbling when I think of all the money I've spent on the "best" gear only to wield it so ineffectually compared to the gent in the film, flying up stuff with flair using the far more rudimentary tools of the time.

Bring on the white stuff.
 Ron Walker 30 Oct 2009
In reply to petestack:
> (In reply to UKC Articles)
>
> So good you had to post it twice? Leaving my Thursday night comment isolated...
>
> http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=378746

It's gone!!!

 George Ormerod 30 Oct 2009
In reply to Gfunk:
> (In reply to UKC Articles)
>
> The most amazing part of it all... no gloves, riding his bike. Gives me the hot aches just watching!!

Fantastic vid, wondering what the bike was. A trumpet? Makes me feel real girl with not only gloves, but heated grips.

 JDal 30 Oct 2009
Blimey, that brings back memories. Great stuff.

In reply to Hay:
> (In reply to UKC Articles)
> That is just a great film - Creag Dhu Climber is worth a read too.
> Best Scottish all-rounders; Cunningham, Cuthbertson, Macleod?
> Bruce

Robin Smith/Jimmy Marshall?

 petestack 30 Oct 2009
In reply to Ron Walker:
> (In reply to petestack)
> [...]
>
> It's gone!!!

But still in my browser history...

So what I said (at 23:57 Thu) was:

> That's great to see, but some wacky, repetitive bike route they've filmed!

And so it is, with Glen Coe followed by the Corran Ferry followed by Glen Coe again, all on the way to the Ben.
 Doug 30 Oct 2009
In reply to petestack: Corran or Ballachulish ?
Geoffrey Michaels 30 Oct 2009
In reply to Doug:

Corran I think.
 studgek 30 Oct 2009
In reply to UKC Articles:

The bike belonged to Bob Hamilton who still has it in his shed at Cuil Bay. Bob worked as a barman in Clachaig at the time.
 petestack 30 Oct 2009
In reply to Doug:

Definitely Corran (check the lighthouse in several views and Ardgour Inn when he rides off the ferry).
 Jack Frost 30 Oct 2009


What I want to know is where is the "Glencoe Malt Whisky" establishment?
Looks like a kwolity joint.
 alan edmonds 30 Oct 2009
In reply to Grahame N:
> (In reply to UKC Articles)
> never did find out who he was...

Nicholson? He is mentioned in Jeff Connor's book which has an account of the making of this film in 1976.

 dmhigg 31 Oct 2009
In reply to George Ormerod: Tremendous wee film. I like the obvious effort to change gear on the bike: there's an awful lot of foot movement!
 jazzyjackson 31 Oct 2009
In reply to UKC Articles:

superb clip. great to see such confident movement with archaic tools.
Thanks

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