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Aged just 16!

But Moonraker was in a different league, bigger and more committing than anything I’d done before, and on such an awe-inspiring cliff! Pete [Biven] soon referred to it as a route of ‘national importance’ and began repeating it with well-known climbers like Ian Howell, Rustie Baillie, John Cleare and Al Alvarez. [1]

References

[1] https://www.alpin-ism.com/knowledge-base/news/pat-littlejohn-interview-1

Some aid used.

Some aid used.

First free ascent.

Monstrously brilliant! A new breed in space walking. [1]

References

[1] Arnis Strapcans' first ascents book 2, Mountain Heritage Trust collection.

With Andy Meyers.

An outrageously bold piece of climbing.

Dave briefly checked a loose block on an ab rope, as well as a few moves around the block. [1]

There was a moment when I had to drop down on to this rail that goes through this iconic, what I call the railway tunnel part of the route, and I had to hold this hold together. It was shifting, like a pack of cards balanced on top of this rail in lots of little bits, but it was the hold I had to use and I basically had to just grip it together and hope it didn't disintegrate. Thankfully it didn't and I dropped on to the rail, aped along it and stuck a foot in the break at the end and hung out backwards laughing...absolutely amazing! [1]

On the style of the ascent:

I'd been looking up from the cave with a view to just doing it as a lead anyway, but could tell from the ground that the large block on the lip could well be loose, so thought I'd better give it a look. I'd done Caveman a couple of times...and just thought the direct would be cool as a single pitch blast from Moonraker.

Abbed it, and knocked the block off, so wanted to see if it would still go, but just tried that one move - a completely stupid way, with weight on the rope, and thinking "That'll do". No aspirations of soloing it at that point, so wasn't sure where the large block beneath was.

Arrived with Frank Ramsey, and had already "joked" about soloing it. Got to the move on the lip, and realised it didn't climb as I thought. It may not be too bad - edit. It's probably easy, but just one of those "Oh flip" moments; biggish move - but I was just in commitment mode, and in a bit of a rush! 😁 [2]

[1] https://youtu.be/yri_x9Z9KG4?t=1453

[2] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,31629.msg650019.html#msg650019

References

[1] Mountain Issue 129 (1989), page 9 /library/11314/mountain-129

References

[1] Mountain Issue 129 (1989), page 9 /library/11314/mountain-129

References

[1] Mountain Issue 137 (1991), page 17 /library/11318/mountain-137

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdgO9WXiiMU