Climbing History
A selected history of climbing and mountaineering through the climbers, climbs and media.
4687 Climbers
8314 Climbs
22234 Ascents
Featured
Divided Years | E9 Trad climb at Buzzard's Roost
One of the most compelling single pitch lines out there, Divided Years tackles a 55m prow at Buzzard's Roost in the Mournes. It was the first route to be given E10 in the world in 1994, and was said to feature 8c climbing. It now rates E9, with climbing around 8a+.
James McHaffie and Ryan Pasquill made ground-up ascents with minimal beta and prep in 2015. Robbie Phillips made a well-prepared flash of the route in 2026.
Jack Geldard, UKC:
The route is one of the most inspirational lines in the UK, tackling a huge overhanging bastion of rock in a beautiful and remote setting.
Dave MacLeod describes it as: "This is one of the best single pitch routes I've ever seen or done"
The sport grade would weigh in at around F8a+ (possibly F8b) and the route is known to be well protected. Both John Dunne and Dave Birkett are thought to have had a few pre-placed runners on the most difficult section, whereas Dave MacLeod and Ricky Bell placed all gear on lead. Ricky took some 30ft falls on to hand-placed bird beak runners during his ascent.
One of the most compelling single pitch lines out there, Divided Years tackles a 55m prow at Buzzard's Roost in the Mournes. It was the first route to be given E10 in the world in 1994, and was said to feature 8c climbing. It now rates E9, with climbing around 8a+.
James McHaffie and Ryan Pasquill made ground-up ascents with minimal beta and prep in 2015. Robbie Phillips made a well-prepared flash of the route in 2026.
Jack Geldard, UKC:
The route is one of the most inspirational lines in the UK, tackling a huge overhanging bastion of rock in a beautiful and remote setting.
Dave MacLeod describes it as: "This is one of the best single pitch routes I've ever seen or done"
The sport grade would weigh in at around F8a+ (possibly F8b) and the route is known to be well protected. Both John Dunne and Dave Birkett are thought to have had a few pre-placed runners on the most difficult section, whereas Dave MacLeod and Ricky Bell placed all gear on lead. Ricky took some 30ft falls on to hand-placed bird beak runners during his ascent.
Pics + Vids
Featuring 10863 pictures and videos. Try searching for a climber, climb or summit to see pics and videos.
Siara Fabbri on The Arch 8B
Drew Ruana on Bloody Sunday SDS 8C+
Łukasz Dudek on Project Fear 8c
Oriane Bertone on Golden Shadow 8B+
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You may also be interested in the Mountain Heritage Trust, a charity dedicated to preserving the rich history of climbing and mountaineering. Their collection includes many unique and valuable items, from rare guidebooks through to the boots worn by Doug Scott on the 1977 Ogre expedition.
Explore
Fancy a look around? You can browse by climber or by climbs, or you can check out some lists. For example
- All sport ascents of 9b or above
- British women who have climbed 7C or above
- British men who have climbed 8c or above
Podcasts
Featuring 4358 podcasts. Try searching for a climber to see podcasts with them, or check out some of these podcasts:
- Dave Birkett on Jam Crack Podcast (2019)
- Robbie Phillips on The Nugget (2022)
- Lynn Hill on Written in Stone (2023)
- Obe Carrion on The Testpiece Podcast (2025)
Library
Featuring 16204 items in the library. Try a search to see what you can find, or check out these library items:
- The Warrior Path (2012) Film
- Alpine Journal 1870 Vol 5 23-34 Hall Lyskamm (1870) Journal
- Snail-Shell Crag Draft Guidebook
Recent updates
Megan Turnbull worked on it at Easter, sent two weeks later.[1]
References
[1] NZ Climber Magazine Issue 24, page 9.
Canada's national mountaineering club, founded in Winnipeg in 1906 by Arthur Oliver Wheeler and Elizabeth Parker. Its national office is now in Canmore, Alberta. [1, 2]
References
[1] Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpine_Club_of_Canada
[2] ACC honorary membership https://alpineclubofcanada.ca/award/honorary-membership/
The first 9A in Britain. Sitting on the slopes of Helvellyn, the name is a reference to a poem by the Lakeland poet William Wordsworth:
There are in our existence spots of time,
That with distinct pre-eminence retain
A renovating virtue, whence, depressed,
By false opinion and contentious thought,
Or aught of heavier or more deadly weight,
In trivial occupations, and the round
Of ordinary intercourse, our minds
Are nourished and invisibly repaired;
A virtue, by which pleasure is enhanced,
That penetrates, enables us to mount
When high, more high, and lifts us up when fallen [3]
References
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHE6FsicWVk
[2] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/53188941620/in/photostream/
[3] https://users.scc.spokane.edu/JRoth/Courses/World Masterpieces/POETRYCOMPENDIUM/spots_of_time.htm
First one-day ascent
Named after Harry Kelly who is supposed to have tried the route in descent, as was common at the time, though there is not much to corroborate this.
References
[1] Kelly, P, Hoey, G, Barker B (2013) Peak Rock. p45 UK: vertebrate publishing
Named after Harry Kelly who is supposed to have tried the route in descent, as was common at the time, though there is not much to corroborate this.
Harry Kelly was a leading British rock climber of the 1910s and 1920s, pioneering gritstone routes at Laddow and Stanage, and Lake District classics such as Moss Ghyll Grooves (VS), Tophet Wall (HS), and Routes One and Two on Pillar. He was known for the precise writing of his guidebooks. He was a member of the The Rucksack Club for 66 years and its president in 1930-31. His wife Emily Kelly was a founder of the Pinnacle Club. [1, 2]
References
[1] Obituary in Rucksack Club Journal 1980 /library/7707/rucksack-club-journal-1980
[2] Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Kelly_(climber)
Harry Kelly was a leading British rock climber of the 1910s and 1920s, pioneering gritstone routes at Laddow and Stanage and Lake District classics such as Moss Ghyll Grooves (VS), Tophet Wall (HS) and Routes One and Two on Pillar, and was known for the precise writing of his guidebooks. He was a member of the The Rucksack Club for 66 years and its president in 1930-31. His wife Emily Kelly was a founder of the Pinnacle Club. [1] [2]
References
[1] Obituary in Rucksack Club Journal 1980 /library/7707/rucksack-club-journal-1980
[2] Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Kelly_(climber)