Rowland. . .This is Dave Mellor here. . .Just found this on U Tube. . .fantastic memories from Wales in the early 60's old friend. .It's a long time since we picked Terry up from the bottom of Lythrig on Cloggy the day we were on Dyweth Grove. I talked to Al Burgess a while ago and he says him and Aid met you over in Spain a couple of years ago and you are still knocking off new routes. I'm 80 next year, still in the Bahamas. . Treasure Hunting, Sailing and diving these days. . Finished my Big climbing three years ago after starting again when I was 57 but had a good fun run. 20 Himalayan/Tibet/Pakistan trips 6 x 8 thousanders and the 7 summits. . Best Wishes or the New Year to You and Yours.
Gosh a voice from the past, and what a past. Great to hear from you Dave (George). We did some great climbs together. Good to hear that you are still active and doing well. Sounds like a good life you have there mate. I still can't get rid of the climbing bug it's still as crazy as it was then. Al and Aid had a really great time here, you should try it someday when all this crazy virus thing goes - if ever. Betty just arrived in the office and I mentioned you, she knew immediately who you were. cosh she has a memory like an elephant. Yes, I am still exploring new routes, just found two walls with great lines on them but a bit slow developing them due to them being on north faces and in the shade, not the best time of year to be doing north face routes. All the best to you and yours Dave. Must keep in touch send me your e-mail address.
By heck, and we think we we the boys now! We havent got a clue what you fellas did, and what pioneers you were! Thank you for sharing this epic but of history!
I went to St Mary's College with Bob Godfrey and remembered him making the film using caving ladders. Also we saw the film in colour. The swinging of the hammer behind Roland gave a great feeling of verticality. At college Bob made the first wooden climbing wall with wooden holds or even washers screwed in. It's angle could be adjusted against a tree. Bob was a remarkable climber, way ahead of his time. Arthur Barker
What a brilliant peice of film, with great music. Absolute quality. I travelled down to Llanberis on two occasions to climb the corner. It was a waterfall on both occasions. I had seen the pictures, but you never get the true vibe of the height. It is brilliant sat at the foot of the climb and yet sat in the clouds. Mi Da used tell me when they climbed down there in the late sixties, early seventies, that you could watch the RAF planes flying in your eye line.
Great film. Fiddling pebbles in while wearing big boots on a hemp rope? I did Left Wall, Foil, Resurrection, Lord and Right Wall back in the 80s with Wild Country Rocks and sticky rubber and dynamic ropes and it was a serious undertaking then. They had balls of steel back in the 50s and 60s! Just imagine if somebody had invented the Beastmaker 2000 in 1965 what the standards would have been!
07:38 The rock face in the background is where we got stuck for 4 hours whilst trying to ascend as the weather changed from "niceday" to wind and rain and low visibility, typical welsh weather.
lol "MASSIVE mechanical devices of the 60's"....This guy would have had an aneurysm when presented with a modern cam. Great film, good compliment to the one on Brown and Whillans.
I recall watch Eric climb on Tremadoc whilst Fawcett was repeating Strawberries for a movie, Eric moved effortlessly up and down Grim Wall and one step (ish) solo ferrying tripods and photographic gear for his mate Leo Dickinson the film maker. Mid 80's I suppose.
L escalade telle qu elle aurait du rester. À des années lumières du self service d aujourd'hui. Ces mecs étaient incroyables. Avez vous remarqué il ne se poudre pas les doigts à chaque mètre et aucune broche tous les 2 mètres. Les vrais grimpeurs, ils savaient respecter le terrain. Ensuite l escalade est devenue un produit de consommation.
The guy showing the various devices had an offset hexentric which wasn't manufactured until the early to mid seventies. Great film. Glad someone did it.
amazing vids. im going nuts (pun intended) trying to find the song all for the want of a nail. for the life of me i can't find a recording online. HELP
There's actually two songs - the Manchester Rambler(Climber) by Ewan MacColl (dunno who the version on here is by, but 'rambler' has been changed to 'climber' :D) and also "For Want of A Nail", as mentioned here mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=140947
We take great delight driving down cheddar gorge on our way home from work and shouting out to the guys with their clip sticks " wait up mate ill go and get you a ladder " each to their own , but somehow it just doesn't sit right .
I remember the first time I went climbing with people who weren’t the guys I learned with... and one comes up and says ‘is this your coat mate? Don’t forget it! Why are the pockets full of these stones? Stop it blowing away?’ I told him no.... it’s if they will do I’ll use me over a nut.... He had never heard of it before! Thought I was crazy at first... then some sort of pro climber as he told all his mates about the loony who uses pebbles instead of pitons.
The rack the narrator has contains cable swaged nuts, relatively modern compared to the rope slung machine nuts the guy was aiding on in the film. Impressive. The Brits were a bit ahead of everyone else, except maybe the East Germans...who boldly stayed behind, eschewing metals entirely in favor of simple knots.
There's actually two songs - the Manchester Rambler(Climber) by Ewan MacColl (dunno who the version on here is by, but 'rambler' has been changed to 'climber' :D) and also "For Want of A Nail", as mentioned here mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=140947 Can't help you with the latter, yet, but I know someone who might know...
At the time aid climbing was great fun. Sad when it all disappeared when sport climbers took it on, bolted everything, and changed how climbs were recorded.
@@glynnchurch4004 Great days indeed Glynn. Great to hear from you. I really value my early days teaching with the MA. It put me on the road to a life's journey, which I am still on. I hope you too are still hitting the mountains and rock. All the best to you.
You can't really compare this video to modern high speed solo alpinism... why would you? Aside from being an entirely different style of climbing, at this time, in the first half of the 60's this was some of the hardest technical rock climbing in the world. Alpinists at this time weren't climbing anything anywhere near this technical or difficulty: at E2 5C it's still a coveted tick today.
Incredibly irritating music, otherwise an excellent film showing what must be one of the first repeats of Ron Moseley's classic route, Left Wall on he Cromlech.
Rowland. . .This is Dave Mellor here. . .Just found this on U Tube. . .fantastic memories from Wales in the early 60's old friend. .It's a long time since we picked Terry up from the bottom of Lythrig on Cloggy the day we were on Dyweth Grove. I talked to Al Burgess a while ago and he says him and Aid met you over in Spain a couple of years ago and you are still knocking off new routes. I'm 80 next year, still in the Bahamas. . Treasure Hunting, Sailing and diving these days. . Finished my Big climbing three years ago after starting again when I was 57 but had a good fun run. 20 Himalayan/Tibet/Pakistan trips 6 x 8 thousanders and the 7 summits. . Best Wishes or the New Year to You and Yours.
Gosh a voice from the past, and what a past. Great to hear from you Dave (George). We did some great climbs together. Good to hear that you are still active and doing well. Sounds like a good life you have there mate. I still can't get rid of the climbing bug it's still as crazy as it was then. Al and Aid had a really great time here, you should try it someday when all this crazy virus thing goes - if ever. Betty just arrived in the office and I mentioned you, she knew immediately who you were. cosh she has a memory like an elephant. Yes, I am still exploring new routes, just found two walls with great lines on them but a bit slow developing them due to them being on north faces and in the shade, not the best time of year to be doing north face routes. All the best to you and yours Dave. Must keep in touch send me your e-mail address.
"Never fall on lead." No truer words spoken then or now.
This is our ROOTS, climbers! This is where we come from!
Well done!
By heck, and we think we we the boys now! We havent got a clue what you fellas did, and what pioneers you were!
Thank you for sharing this epic but of history!
I went to St Mary's College with Bob Godfrey and remembered him making the film using caving ladders. Also we saw the film in colour. The swinging of the hammer behind Roland gave a great feeling of verticality. At college Bob made the first wooden climbing wall with wooden holds or even washers screwed in. It's angle could be adjusted against a tree. Bob was a remarkable climber, way ahead of his time.
Arthur Barker
This is 24 carat gold. Thank you.
Thanks for liking it.
What a brilliant peice of film, with great music. Absolute quality.
I travelled down to Llanberis on two occasions to climb the corner. It was a waterfall on both occasions. I had seen the pictures, but you never get the true vibe of the height. It is brilliant sat at the foot of the climb and yet sat in the clouds.
Mi Da used tell me when they climbed down there in the late sixties, early seventies, that you could watch the RAF planes flying in your eye line.
Excellent camera work and great to see, so many memories of that time. Yes, climbing on-sight was the norm to measure success. Thank you for posting.
Thank for liking.
Great film. Fiddling pebbles in while wearing big boots on a hemp rope?
I did Left Wall, Foil, Resurrection, Lord and Right Wall back in the 80s with Wild Country Rocks and sticky rubber and dynamic ropes and it was a serious undertaking then. They had balls of steel back in the 50s and 60s!
Just imagine if somebody had invented the Beastmaker 2000 in 1965 what the standards would have been!
Thanks, GreyWolfClimber. Yes, they were great uncomplicated times.
Thank you for this film .When you look back , there where some unbeliveable climbers during this golden era.
brilliant film. thankyou
What a fantastic historical document. I could have used this when I researched my phd on 'the climbing body'. Many thanks for posting.
Any way of reading your phd?
07:38 The rock face in the background is where we got stuck for 4 hours whilst trying to ascend as the weather changed from "niceday" to wind and rain and low visibility, typical welsh weather.
I really appreciate the effort and time you took to put this up, I always liked Don whillans
Thanks George - always good to be late than never lol.
lol "MASSIVE mechanical devices of the 60's"....This guy would have had an aneurysm when presented with a modern cam. Great film, good compliment to the one on Brown and Whillans.
Only just seen this....Amazing how much alike Mark and Rowland look. Hadn't appreciated the resemblance so much until seeing the young Rowland here!
An absolute gem. Thanks.
you are welcome.
Priceless footage. Thank you
and thank you for the comment.
Heroes. Love it. Thank you.
Great footage - always suspected they pulled on the gear.. never done left wall.
EBs, wired nuts and Moacs were not around until about '69. Great film.
Great little film, thanks for sharing this one.
He was using the rope to hold on as placed the protection!
Great film and love the song
Thank you
This is priceless!
I recall watch Eric climb on Tremadoc whilst Fawcett was repeating Strawberries for a movie, Eric moved effortlessly up and down Grim Wall and one step (ish) solo ferrying tripods and photographic gear for his mate Leo Dickinson the film maker. Mid 80's I suppose.
What a great film. Love the creative process climbing brings out.
L escalade telle qu elle aurait du rester. À des années lumières du self service d aujourd'hui. Ces mecs étaient incroyables. Avez vous remarqué il ne se poudre pas les doigts à chaque mètre et aucune broche tous les 2 mètres. Les vrais grimpeurs, ils savaient respecter le terrain. Ensuite l escalade est devenue un produit de consommation.
Sick tunes.
Great film. Mans of iron that time
The last sentence uttered was very prophetic indeed
Does anyone know the names of the music titles and artits names?
The guy showing the various devices had an offset hexentric which wasn't manufactured until the early to mid seventies. Great film. Glad someone did it.
Thanks Greg clad you appreciated it. It has become a film that is part of history which at the time wasn't recorded too well.
This is fabulous.
Damn, it's just a nut and some rope up there!
amazing vids. im going nuts (pun intended) trying to find the song all for the want of a nail. for the life of me i can't find a recording online. HELP
There's actually two songs - the Manchester Rambler(Climber) by Ewan MacColl (dunno who the version on here is by, but 'rambler' has been changed to 'climber' :D) and also "For Want of A Nail", as mentioned here mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=140947
Well at least they didn't put bolts in. Respect for the rock has long gone.
Nobody’s bolted the Cromlech!
We take great delight driving down cheddar gorge on our way home from work and shouting out to the guys with their clip sticks " wait up mate ill go and get you a ladder " each to their own , but somehow it just doesn't sit right .
That's nuts that climbing nuts used to literally be nuts. NUTS
I was clueless rock climbing started with pebbles.
I remember the first time I went climbing with people who weren’t the guys I learned with... and one comes up and says ‘is this your coat mate? Don’t forget it! Why are the pockets full of these stones? Stop it blowing away?’
I told him no.... it’s if they will do I’ll use me over a nut....
He had never heard of it before! Thought I was crazy at first... then some sort of pro climber as he told all his mates about the loony who uses pebbles instead of pitons.
Great story 😁
The rack the narrator has contains cable swaged nuts, relatively modern compared to the rope slung machine nuts the guy was aiding on in the film. Impressive. The Brits were a bit ahead of everyone else, except maybe the East Germans...who boldly stayed behind, eschewing metals entirely in favor of simple knots.
Their bolts, though few, are mighty & large
that was awesome.
Hard to image what it all was like so long ago Paul. Compared to modern climbing it's miles apart
Special thank to the filmmakers
Much appreciated .
great video!!
pure gold
Thanks. it was a real shame that the original film stock was lost.
Please, what is that song? I tried and tried, but I can´t find it anywhere...
The only name is that it is called The Manchester Climber.
There's actually two songs - the Manchester Rambler(Climber) by Ewan MacColl (dunno who the version on here is by, but 'rambler' has been changed to 'climber' :D) and also "For Want of A Nail", as mentioned here mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=140947
Can't help you with the latter, yet, but I know someone who might know...
Think Tom Patey wrote that version.
The balls on the dudes using pebbles...my god
The song is 'Manchester Rambler by The Spinners I think.
The Manchester Rambler was written by Ewan McColl at the time of the Mass Trespass of 1937 on Kinder It is freely available just google it
Thanks Mike and Nigel for helping out.
I Love old school climbing the risks thay took back in the day!!! Fuck me just free climb bro!
Nice
thank you. Rowland. Edwards
im proud of you
Was this route well below your climbing grade? Falling looks like a death sentence
What's the song called
Yap, bolts were very very rare in those days, was called aid climbing?
At the time aid climbing was great fun. Sad when it all disappeared when sport climbers took it on, bolted everything, and changed how climbs were recorded.
Interesting
But I knew this anyway
Balls of steel.
Rocks
Is the lead climber Rowland Edwards ?
Yes it was indeed. Hope you enjoyed the video.
climbcompasswest If that’s Rowland replying - you were my rock climbing instructor at the MA @ Hafod Uchaf Llanberis, August 1964...good days.
@@glynnchurch4004 Great days indeed Glynn. Great to hear from you. I really value my early days teaching with the MA. It put me on the road to a life's journey, which I am still on. I hope you too are still hitting the mountains and rock. All the best to you.
If you think using pebbles n nuts is crazy you should see what Ueli Stek uses; 2 big nuts.
This route was filmed 56 yrs ago.
You can't really compare this video to modern high speed solo alpinism... why would you? Aside from being an entirely different style of climbing, at this time, in the first half of the 60's this was some of the hardest technical rock climbing in the world. Alpinists at this time weren't climbing anything anywhere near this technical or difficulty: at E2 5C it's still a coveted tick today.
Belter
Not anymore.
@@bighandg I know, he's dead, died at Everest
4:35 5.8 in my gym 🤡
climbers should remove the chalk they smear on the cliffs...
In England ? You're not in England
Diffwys Dinas Gromlach.No need for foreign names least of all stupid bus stop names from Manceinion(Manchester as the English call it,)
Incredibly irritating music, otherwise an excellent film showing what must be one of the first repeats of Ron Moseley's classic route, Left Wall on he Cromlech.