youtube.com/watch?v=Jzv3zODTQyc&
Bancroft and Al Manson,the two most talented climbers on this vid.
I first saw that in the early 80's when I was about 14 and it was on daytime BBC2 when I was off school ill, I've probably still got the old betamax tape I recorded it on somewhere!
I was totally inspired by watching Bancroft on London Wall. As a kid what I found particularly amusing was the way he had his gear clipped onto his shirt and his second belayed him on a classic whilst wearing a suit jacket.
I was so inspired by it I adopted the Steve Bancroft look when I started climbing a few years later
> Bancroft and Al Manson,the two most talented climbers on this vid.
Great blasts from the past, but given that it starts with a sequence of Ron the God, your assertion is nothing if not controversial!
> youtube.com/watch?v=Jzv3zODTQyc&
> Bancroft and Al Manson,the two most talented climbers on this vid.
I'm one of the "envious, admiring" onlookers at the bottom watching Bancroft on London Wall. I remember we used to drive up and park at the base of the Embankment wall.
https://www.ukhillwalking.com/images/dbpage.php?id=123478
Yep, I remember that too, made me smile in the video.
That car was first registered pre-1963, judging from the plates!
> his second belayed him on a classic
I was surprised by that when I re-watched the film of Ron on Lord of the Flies. By the time I started circa 1980 everybody I knew was already using sticht plates.
I remember taking my mum's mini up there, made a few scraping noises
Mate of mine took his Porsche up to prayer wheel wall at Stoney.
Ah the days of decent vehicular access.
> I remember we used to drive up and park at the base of the Embankment wall.
Yes, me too. When did that stop? It was always a bit dangerous with the traffic bollocking around surprise view!
What was the problem Manson was trying that he could never do? I'd imagine it's been done now?
marrowbone jelly
I like the multiple mentions of bouldering for training or as an activity in its own right. Also the video evidence that Stanage was as busy and seemingly even nore chaotic back then than it is now. Plus I'm most pleased as a sock user seeing stars in socks.
Did the peg on London Wall have in-situ tat in those days or was it preplaced?
Bancroft, Fawcett and Al Manson,the three most talented climbers on this vid
FTFY
And Allan Austin ... didn't he solo Wall of Horrors?
Thanks for posting this - not seen it before. One stand out feature was the almost exclusive use of EB's - still got a freshish pair. What was the route that Ron soloed at the end of the first part please?
> Did the peg on London Wall have in-situ tat in those days or was it preplaced?
Can't remember. Certainly ten years later there was always tat there.
> Plus I'm most pleased as a sock user seeing stars in socks.
Well most people wore socks, but the thing that struck me was they all had brand new EBs. Surely they must have been supplied for the film - at that time the tattier the better, like a badge of honour, frayed and patched with leather...
I've posted about it before and it's a bit off topic but watching Steve Bancroft on London Wall reminds me of the best piece of climbing I've personally witnessed.
It was September 1992 I'd just done Great Portland Street and was sitting at the top with my second watching this guy; I've no idea who it was, absolutely cruise London Wall. It was so smooth, between each move he'd dip into his chalk bag then blow any excess chalk of his fingers in an almost mantra like way. When he got to the top, he called down to the young woman who belayed him to ask if she wanted to follow ; she said she didn't fancy it so he did no more than reverse the route in the same smooth way, taking out his runners as he went and not even jumping off the bottom bit.
Good chance that was Shaun Hutson, I remember around that time he was building up to a solo of London Wall and regularly used to lead it and then reverse it! Good climber - presumably still is!
As for Ron the God,a friend of mine was raving about Ron when we were at Ilkley,about 1973 .I was bouldering on Milky Way,which hadn't been done then.Even though I had not done any new stuff at that time,I thought this idolatry was misplaced.Having seen Ron fall off one of my routes,I rest my case.How could a god fall off the climb of a mere mortal? Ron was a TRYER. Bancroft and Manson were talented AND tryers.I don't think Ron himself would say he was more talented than Steve and Al Manson.
Yes,Allan Austin was definitely the man for a while.
Is this one of the Sid Perou series, with the last one having Ron's famous "come on arms..."
Good stuff, thanks. I once flooded my kitchen because of Rock Athlete. Used to have drag the machine across the floor and attach the pipes to the kitchen taps and point the drainage into the sink... unless there's a rerun of Rock Athlete on the telly and you're rushing that is.
One of my local hill runs is called 'Come on legs!' (do your stuff) in tribute to Ron
It's a shame to hold a one-off encounter against someone for so long. When I arrived to try Moon Walk at Curbar, in the early 80s, there was someone already on it, hanging on the friend below the crux and cursing. Turned out it was Steve Bancroft, which nearly put me off trying it altogether as it must have been desperate. But as he offered to lend me his Friends for the crux (we didn't have any and I was hoping to cam hexes in) I couldn't really say no. Turned out it wasn't too bad after all and one of my heroes became a little more mortal that day. Still a legend though, and always will be.
Though Steve has now moved to Spain,Riglos,and is pretty fit,he basically went off the boil around 1978 and discovered there were other things one can do apart from climbing.Few people can emulate Steve's solo of Wee Dorris at Stoney Mid.
> Good chance that was Shaun Hutson, I remember around that time he was building up to a solo of London Wall and regularly used to lead it and then reverse it! Good climber - presumably still is!
I remember Shaun well, he used to regularly climb with Nige (prestidge I think?) spent many great sunny afternoons out with those two on Grit in the late ‘80s
I’ve a feeling that even Steve would be the first to admit that Johnnie Allen was The Boss.
> but the thing that struck me was they all had brand new EBs. Surely they must have been supplied for the film - at that time the tattier the better, like a badge of honour, frayed and patched with leather...
In the 3rd of the Rock Athlete programmes when Big Ron climbs Lord of the Flies he's shows his EB's to Chris Gibb and jokes about how the sole is flapping off at the toe so I don't think he can have been given new ones.
He also jokes about how one of his ropes is knackered and so he'd better not fall off on that one!
Speaking of Moonwalk....
youtube.com/watch?v=tj2ql4C4Sm0&
The leader has done the crux,but his left foot pops on the hvs bit to the top.Well held.
The last time I saw Shaun some years ago he was working as a guide in Chamonix. I remember Andy Cave telling me that he had guided another mutual friend on Everest and as a result had spent some time in a hospital with frostbitten feet.
I remember reading an interview, or maybe just a quote, but can't for the life of me remember who it was attributed to, but it went along the lines of:
'Why have you got such a downer on Ron?'
'Because he stops me being the best climber in the world!'
Any ideas?
Not heard that one before. Would be fun to speculate - but not really fair in public!
What was the route that Ron soloed at the end of the first part please?
Seem to remember it’s Tensor, Craig y Castell.
We believed the quote was in Crags magazine, can't remember who said it, but we assumed it was meant as a compliment to Ron.
Tony & Sarah
Unable to check this on our database (umpteen bookcases of magazines & books) due us being buried in snow in Vallouise
Yes, I reckon it was during the Crags era and of course yes, it was a compliment!
'Few people can emulate Steve's solo of Wee Dorris at Stoney Mid.'
I know of at least 7...
Not as impressive as that loon that soloed Traffic Jam the direct way.....
In terms of the climbing population,7 is relatively few.
Have those same 7 done Narcissus without mats?That was Steve way back in 1976.He put the grade up.
To be clear,some of the most talented climbers I have seen have never had any ambition to be noticed. We are just talking about the well known ones here.
> To be clear,some of the most talented climbers I have seen have never had any ambition to be noticed. We are just talking about the well known ones here.
If only you could see the irony in that Paul.
Again Pau I know quite a few people that have soled Narsicuss without mats after top roping, few on site above mats etc etc.
Asserting a point of view that someone was the best when you dont know of others achievements is a bit short sighted.
> I remember reading an interview, or maybe just a quote, but can't for the life of me remember who it was attributed to, but it went along the lines of:
> 'Why have you got such a downer on Ron?'
> 'Because he stops me being the best climber in the world!'
> Any ideas?
Charlton Chestwig.
Yes, one of Paul’s better quips! I’m pretty sure the name I’m looking for has already been mentioned on this thread.
> Have those same 7 done Narcissus without mats?That was Steve way back in 1976.He put the grade up.
It was practised on a rope before though IIRC?
Webbo,I do see the irony.Life is not so simple that one can stick to the same point of view in every situation. Playing Devil's Advocate is often necessary.If I were silent,this website would be a lot less lively.
Your own interjections are interesting. You are going to be silent? You have opinions and information;which is what this site thrives on.
Yes,Steve practised Narcissus on a rope.
Narcissus raised the top grade at the time.
Bancroft was more talented than Fawcett.
Good climbers have egos,shock horror.
Short sightedness relates to what is visible,not to the invisible.If you want to name a few names,people who were better than Bancroft in 1976,that I haven't heard of,fire away.
Masters Edge, Careless Torque f8a above a beer towel, unrepeated for 20 years.
Ron really needed to try harder
Yes, but it doesn't count if you have to try hard!
Wondered how long this response would take
I top roped it 2 years after Ron did it.After the first bit it is E4,max.I had a general policy of only doing dangerous stuff if it was a first ascent. If you are Ron's height,the span on the first bit is no problem at all. However,hats off to Ron for doing it. Bancroft was still more talented.
James Pearson used to bounce up the first bit.With ease.
I think the point not yet made is that people should stop uncritical worship of good climbers and go and see what is possible for themselves,instead of believing all the hype.I guess that point will be lost on the unshakeable views of punters (not Paul in Sheff)who would rather worship than go and push their own grade.
The media picks a photogenic route ,then hypes it for eternity.
If you tried hard on your mere E10,Doctor Dolittle,does that invalidate its magnitude?
That is one I haven't managed to top rope...yet.
That route is practically invisible in the punter's eyes,yet it is far harder than anything Ron did. Just a matter of what people choose to highlight.
Masters Edge was due to Ron having borrowed an Amigo,(or 2) the only camming device,pre Friends,that would go in the shot holes.Nobody else had that gear.
Moffat doing Ulysses was due to him having the only pair of sticky boots in the country at the time.
That’s very kind Paul, but I’m badging myself as a total punter
I do see what you’re getting at, and just like you, I’ve seen and climbed with some remarkable climbers no-one has ever heard of. There have to be people operating higher than the current level and not seeking fame and glory or sponsorship but I think with social media it’s now very difficult to remain under the radar. Mr B seemed to prefer busking in the Hole in the Road for income, but he was hardly a shrinking violet where Geoff and Crags/High was concerned. And conversely Ron’s achievements were no less because of sponsorship from Hanwag. In my view Ron’s achievements were even greater because he put them up in terrible boots....did you ever try a pair of Hanwags?
From a personal point of view for what it’s worth, I only saw JA climb after he came back from NZ, and was until JD the most naturally gifted climber I’ve ever seen, and not a penny in sponsorship.
> Moffat doing Ulysses was due to him having the only pair of sticky boots in the country at the time.
Only pair?
A few years ago (<5), I saw a quite lardy gentleman top rope an E2 5c at Stanage with consumate ease. I was surprised to be honest because he looked far too fat to be able to do that.
Then I discovered it was JA which basically explained it all.
And before anyone goes "shock, horror JA top roping", his mates had already led and seconded it so really he was just a subsequent second with no runners to remove.
> Webbo,I do see the irony.Life is not so simple that one can stick to the same point of view in every situation. Playing Devil's Advocate is often necessary.If I were silent,this website would be a lot less lively.
> Your own interjections are interesting. You are going to be silent? You have opinions and information;which is what this site thrives on.
The irony is that you usually use most threads to get some self publicity.
O K Webbo,you post some interesting stuff and I can chill out for a while.
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