UKC

Our Friday Night Video this week is a feature length film from Mike Cheque, who spent three years documenting climbing on Britain's sea cliffs. It features a plethora of climbing talent and a huge range of abilities challenging themselves up and down the coastline. The Seaside captures the climbers who are drawn to these challenges, onsight on the routes they would have been climbing even if the camera wasn't on them, right across the English and Welsh coast. Near misses, deck outs and heart in mouth moments - don't forget your prusiks.

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In reply to UKC News:

The amount of work involved in this is massive. Anyone who has tried to make a film will appreciate this. There is some really good footage of sea cliff climbing which I know from bitter experience is hard won. Well done Mike.

In reply to UKC News:

What a great film, understated and mellow.  Nice to shine a light on some less well known crags, though some of that Range choss is probably best left unknown.  Earthly Powers looks amazing, one for the ticklist.

In reply to UKC News:

Just to echo James above - the sheer effort involved in the making of this film is totally inspiring, together with this and Mike’s recent climbing accident I’m in awe of his drive and commitment. The sea cliffs of this country are our best assets and this film shows them off in a splendid, peculiar and downbeat way. Not a Redbull in sight. 

Well done! 

P.s gizzus ya dws footage?

 

In reply to UKC News:

Aside from some sound issues, this is really good. Making me long for an adventure - which I'm pretty sure is the point.

In reply to richgac:

Couldn't agree more. I really enjoyed this, it feels like a truly genuine portrayal of UK sea cliff climbing; and it has saved me from ever being dragged to the Range.

In reply to UKC News:

Absolutely loved that. Friday night heaven. 

In reply to UKC News:

I haven’t even watched this yet but massive props to Mike for making it.

In reply to richgac:

Did Earthly Powers last week strangely enough. Very good. Take a strimmer for the approach. There is a new topo on the logbook page. You can scramble along the ridge opposite to see where to abseil in or leave a rope for the top section  if you choose to scramble in. 

 

James

In reply to james mann:

Great route, James. Have you do any of the other stuff there?

In reply to UKC News:

 

Great little film.

Matt. 'The Complete Works'... fair play!

In reply to Jon Stewart & richgac:

The Range has some genuinely great little climbs with a very nice vibe - they just weren't shown on the film. Have a look in the definitive guide, it's quite good at highlighting the different styles and qualities of the routes. 

 

In reply to UKC News:

I love this video. If ever l need to explain to foreign climbers what is great about British rock climbing I'll just show them this video.

In reply to UKC News:

Jeez there's some sketchy goings on in the first half. Best in show has to go to Fiend's grappling with mud and the odd bits of rock - which he then hurls at his belayer - brill!

In reply to UKC News:

Great.  

I love 'honest' films that portray everyman's struggles, wobbles, failures and successes.  I've no time for the over-rehearsed, super-slick characterless 'sends'.

In reply to UKC News:

Brilliant work Mike Cheque, and by everyone involved.  A dedicated piece of work secured by thoughtful insight. Great sea cliff routes all round and especially good to watch Earthly Powers being climbed so well.  This was one of O'Sullivan's most memorable jaunts.  On sight and into the wilderness. No handrail rope down the grass (we didn't know where we were heading), initial groove a bit wet and greasy and the Atlantic  snapping at our heels. We had some laughs down those cliffs, even when the clouds gathered.  At the time, Peter was reading Anthony Burgess's epic novel Earthly Powers . Hence the name. Coincidentally, some years before, I had been 'looking after' Burgess on a photo shoot at Long Carn, just to the right of the descent path to Whirl Pool Buttress.  Anyone interested in the 'literary' connect might waste a few minutes on:

https://deshannigan.wordpress.com/2015/12/23/clockwork-orange-meets-lady-ch...

Good to see Arthur Andrews' Bosigran Ridge and the Edwards' splendid Rock Dancer also featured in the video.  All fine West Penwith routes among a huge canon of brilliant climbs tagged with the names of Biven, Deacon, Goodier, Cannings, Littlejohn, Edwards, O'Sullivan, Raine and many more great players.   

In reply to jon:

LOL thanks. In my defence both The Great Crack Of Porth Oer and The Complete Works slant rightwards quite a bit so stuff mostly wasn't landing too close.

In reply to UKC News:

Excellent film

Makes me remember what I miss most about climbing in the UK - must be time to arrange another Lundy trip

In reply to Des Hannigan:

Fascinating coincidence and interesting blog post. Thanks for sharing.

In reply to Luke90:

Thank you, Luke. Every climb is a story!

In reply to UKC News:

Just got round to this, brilliant thank you!

In reply to Des Hannigan:

Cheers Des. ****ing Burgess, Lawrence, The Seaside and Rosemergy Towers (and its ba****d sandbags sometimes leaving 4 letter counterpoint to the coastal soundscape) all in one thread. A tin version of Hofstadter .

In reply to UKC News:

A really good, inspirational video, with none of the "to be expected" egotistical claptrap and look at me posing in videos these days.

I'm interested to see that young Mr Fiend climbs such dangerous, crumbly stuff with only his semi bald, occasionally shiny and always lovely scalp between him and permanent brain damage.

In reply to Frank the Husky:

I know, I should have been wearing a lid. When I get back into proper climbing I will get one.

In reply to UKC News:

Super vid   Love the mousetrap sequence. A route that never made of my “to do” list for good reason. 

In reply to UKC News:

That was great! The Eroica bit had me gripped.

It looks like some bore has already turned it into a ticking exercise though. Classic UKC. And to encourage people to do The Complete Works too... Jesus.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/set.php?id=2671

In reply to Fiend:

But that *was* proper climbing! You have inspired me to go and explore the weirdness of The Range in more detail.

In reply to Offwidth:

Brilliant!

I get everything but the maths and physics - which is why I was probably rubbish at grading routes. Those Rosemergy micro routes were all quickly repeated and downgraded initially by the sadly late Andrew Trevorrow who, aged eighteen at the time - early Eighties - was easily capable of 6a-ish. We were so ignorant of grades, however, we thought 5a/5b was probably the hardest we could ever manage.   

In reply to UKC News:

Great film. I watched this right through which very rarely happens these days. Brilliantly filmed and edited. As others have said a gigantic amount of filming, interviewing and editing must have been involved. So nice to see fellow punters having the intense experiences that make onsight climbing memorable. I also liked that the grades were not shown when introducing the routes. They all looked brick hard!

 

 

 

In reply to Frank the Husky:

I meant proper climbing like that yes, rather than farting around sport climbing at the moment (due to illness).

In reply to Des Hannigan:

Rosemergy TowersAn excellent film which captures the beauty and adventure of sea cliff climbing. I well remember taking 2 young lads on a county course up the second ascent of Des' Hard Times ( well away from the sea on an erstwhile safe crag). Whilst wobbling on the final move with little gear and having been told it was 5a I vowed to never trust your judgement again. Thankfully that was short lived and we had many more great days out on the cliffs of West Penwith. It was Des who supplied the whereabouts of Earthly Powers for which I am eternally grateful