Ed Drummond and Oliver Hill sort through gear before the first ascent in 1970 of Long Hope Climb: Photo Oliver Hill
According to Hot Aches head honcho,Paul Diffley, St John's Head, at over 1000' is the highest vertical sea cliff in the UK and filming on these awe inspiring wind wracked cliffs promises to be challenging.
The route was first climbed by Drummond and Hill in 1970. They spent 7 days on the wall, sleeping on ledges and in hammocks, and several of the 23 pitches involved some aiding. A first free ascent was made by John Arran and Dave Turnbull in 1997, but this avoided the final pitch up the steep head wall, taking instead a slightly less direct line. Both ascents were landmark achievements for their time, both being on sight and showing real audacity in an unusually inhospitable environment.
The team hope to climb the route in a single day and Dave Mac hopes to free the final aided pitch but reckons it will be a hefty F8b+. Quite an undertaking after 800' of E5 climbing far above the roaring seas!
Dave Macleod on the abandoned attempt to film the climb last year: Paul Diffley/Hot Aches
With interview footage of St John's Head vets, Dave Turnbull,John Arran and first ascentionist Oliver Hill filmed already,The Hot aches team are eagerly anticipating the arrival of Ed Drummond this summer to join the proceedings. Although ill health has curtailed his activities on rock these days, his presence at the shoot has excited all those involved.
The team originally started shooting the venture last summer but,according to Paul Diffley..
" we had only one day to attempt the climb. The day started OK with footage of the first 2 pitches captured. But things started to unravel when a camera and tripod met with a gust of wind and a rock pool. Enough said. By the time I had scrambled back to the top of the cliff, soggy camera in tow, the mist was rolling in. As Dave reached pitch 5, the rain had started. Climbing and filming now both impossible, we abandoned ship'.
Weather Gods and screaming fulmers permitting,The great Long Hope Climb is planned to be in the can by the end of summer.
Further info can be found on the Hot Aches Blog
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