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No gloves !

Johnny taught me how to climb at IMMarsh. A great man and a huge loss.

Incredible footage! What are the musical credits at the end?

I have not seen this one before Paul, I knew Johnny at this time.

Paul I knew JC when I spent a year at I M Marsh. He was a huge influence on my life! I met you too camping in Langdale, but then you were a babe in arms! JC taught me to ski and sold me a set of skis and poles that had been part of the payment he got from Chouinard for making this film. The skis are long gone, worn out, but the poles I still ski with. I have spent a lifetime teaching climbing and outdoor pursuits in NZ on his recommendation. He said that NZ was probably the best place in the world for Outdoor Education. Like in most thinks he was right. My Hero!

Great video. Reminds me if a winter mountain rescue course at the Lodge the police in their wisdom had me attend in 1982. It was well worth it. Memorable bit was when some clown on the course was appointed “leader” for a day and burdened me with every bit of hardware he could stuff in my pack, while he carried nothing. Struggling up deep snow in Coire Cas, I told him what I thought of him in fairly ripe language. Blythe Wright threatened to have me thrown off the course and report me to the Chief Constable. Sensitive wee souls. But thanks for the excellent video……enjoyed it immensely.

A classic piece of footage. The Creagh Dubh were our heroes 50 years ago, mainly for what they represented…. Working men who were world class climbers. The professional classes who seem to have taken over the the Scottish hills in the past thirty years cannot compete. Although we were from Edinburgh (the dark side!) it was always an education to meet the Glasgow crowd - their banter was priceless. Recall an evening in the Kingshouse bar all those years ago, when two CD members kept us laughing the whole night till closing time. Every gag was followed by another even funnier. Bring those times back! Thanks for all your videos Paul.

Brilliant pictures from those (now) far off days……many thanks

Great shots of the Ben…..takes me back 50 years- many thanks

🧨

Great pictures…….makes me wish I had my climbing days all over again. Might get dragged up something easy on a ( very) tight rope before I get too decrepit.

I met JC about 45/50 years ago on a Dumbarton district outdoor training corse. JC was the climbing instructor we had on the Cobbler and on the Buichaille. I was a complete novice and had never heard of the Creag Dhu or Johnny C. He was a magnificent person to be with, great humour and really down to earth with us his pupils. I was very sad when I heard of the events which caused his death, he was a great instructor and a pioneer climber. A great vid which brings back memories of the times I met JC on the training course.

Yes, 👌👌👍👍

John Cunningham had a great sense of humour.

Davy Gunn was telling me that this is part of a longer film? Any ideas where the full film might be found as this is great footage.

My uncle was a climber and belonged to the club. Bill Smith was his name. My Father was his brother, "Wee" Sam Smith. He also climber the cobbler and now he lays at rest in ashes on the mountain. i live in America, but claim myself as being Scottish! This was amazing to see the top of the mountain. Thank you so much!

Thanks for uploading this video

Superb

John Cunningham, I great guy. I never knew him personally, but he was a rock climbing instructor on an outdoor leadership course I took in the late 60s. He was a great instructor, with plenty of very funny dry humour. RIP John.

Those were the days!

The motorbike route seems a bit confused: first he's going down Glencoe, then he has turned back up past JC's cottage, then he is crossing the Corran ferry.....very scenic though!

Left hand was a Chouinard hammer.

I was on the Ben at the time. Notice Chouinard ridged crampons and he curved his own tools with the leashes taped to the shaft. He curved my brothers old Ashenbrenner wood shafted axe and Aid said it was the best tool he'd used until Chacals arrived.

Norrie passed away this month Paul funeral is today in Clydebank.

One of the greats.

Glad that I found this video, I have just re-read "Creagh Dhu Climber - The Life & Times of John Cunningham" by Jeff Connor. I am always proud to say that I was once a student of John's. When he was working at Liverpool's I. M. Marsh college with Ron James. I was there as an in service teacher specialising in Outdoor Education. Sadly he was lost on Angelsey South Stack whilst I, & others on the course, were back at the college, it came as a great sadness to all his students. I remember those days fondly & how he could inspire us to greater things, I also remember how he had a knack of appearing alongside you, just as you were tackling the crux move of a rock climb ! Sadly missed but many thanks for your inspiration John, & to Paul for posting this video.

Great flick.. thaaank you!!!

mcinnes terradactyls, my first second tool bought 2nd hand. knuckle bashers.

Terrors. Brilliant

Took two days to climb all that snow?

That rucksack doesn't seem big enough to carry his massive balls

No crampons until half way up!

Nice to see Sandy Cousins interviewing John.

badasss movie, badass climber. Thanks!

Great movie! Great Climber!

The infamous orange diving suit!

All I can suggest is that there might have been a tangle in the rope at the bottom end. you can see Wilkie looking like he has the rope wrapped around himself just before the break, so they might have just been sorting it out. If not that the I don't know

tough chapie he was..led the way in many areas ...

Nice wee video. I've been to the summit of Ben Nevis twice bu took the tourist route. Hazel.

What a lifestyle!

paul,i believe the first shot is of don whillans,taken on( 2nd traverrse ?)of Cemetary Gates,Johnny had the slides posted on ..So he,Johnny ,first showed this in langdale,in old dungeon ghyll,courtessy of syd ross,...hotel guests and the bhoys present. Particularly remember being impressed by d.w. being so relaxed,waving his bunnet,,,,, 1956 ??..,Balloch jack

did you watch the whole video? producer is chouinard and camera man is charles grosebeck

i would love to know as well!

i want to know who is the camera man?

Thank you! Inspiring.

nearly42,000 viewers,,,,paul you are totally justfied in putting this up.....these videos i treasure,,the best of times was the month i spent with the lads,in 1956?..in wales and in LANGDALE...where i made the mistake of challenging,jc to a wrestling match..i was 19 and VERY cockyl,,when i picked myself up...??? I ALWAYS HAD THE GREATEST RESPECT FOR HIM..and have great memories of him,,he was such a pleasure to be with,,THANX Paul...from BALLOCH JACK

ETIVE SLABS,,with the creagh dhu,in 1957? I was last on the rope,,when a cloudburst let loose a waterfall, the old hands saw it coming,raced to the shelter of an overhang,and left me to retrieve thier pegs,good job i could swim/ thought they might have renamed me "drookit" but no, remained Balloch Jack

epic

That must be the Etive Slabs in many of these pics. I was there in '83 to climb Creagh Dhu routes but then .... down came the rain and within minutes the slabs were running in fast flowing water. Quite an amazing thing to experience.

pre helmet motorcycling!