In reply to beardy mike:
> Awesome video, and for me really brought home what Ed Ward Drummond and Oliver Hill achieved with rubbish kit, no chance of rescue, no idea of where they were going, no retreat... has to have been one of/the most audacious ascents in the UK ever?
Absolutely. Without detracting in any way from later efforts on this wall, the original ascent was mind boggling. A while ago Oliver kindly sent me an account he'd written of it. It was interspersed with ghostly black and white photos he'd taken (the last thing I'd have bothered to do).
Seems he gave most of the grub to Drummond as he was leading. Would sit on some Godforsaken hanging belay for hours, then have to second yet another collapsing pitch with no hope of a snug rope. The stuff of horror!
I asked Oliver if I could contact the powers that be and get his account on here - 'cos I felt people would be really interested. He felt that it was all so long ago that nobody would be bothered.
From memory, it's an extremely interesting account. Whereas Drummond was in the horror, Oliver was much better placed to reflect upon it - and then experience it for himself.
Mick