mountain history
The Grand Route Forbes — a long-distance hike in the Alps
Regular followers of this blog will be aware that I admire the writings of James Forbes, a Scottish geologist best known for his pioneering studies on the glaciers of the Alps. I have written before about the long foot journey he conducted in 1842, and I’ve even followed the
Illustrations from after the Alpine golden age
Today I’d like to share some beautiful illustrations with you. One of my most prized books is the Badminton Book of Mountaineering, a massive tome of 19th century climbing lore compiled by C.T. Dent and published in 1892. It features contributions from the greatest climbers of the post-golden
One hundred and fifty years
Image from http://1865.chamonix.fr/En/ Next year, in July 2015, the Chamonix valley will begin a series of celebrations marking 150 years since 1865, and paying tribute to one of the most remarkable periods in modern history: the Golden Age of Alpinism. During this period, which lasted from
A return to the Western Alps
My blog has been far too quiet this year, and that’s a reflection on the fact that the day job has been occupying more of my time, and (as I recently lamented) I have been able to enjoy fewer trips to the mountains. However, that is about to change.
Last Hours on Everest by Graham Hoyland: book review
Last Hours on Everest:The Gripping Story of Mallory & Irvine’s Fatal Ascentby Graham Hoyland It’s customary to begin reviews of Everest books with the phrase “Much has been written on this subject.” Well, much has indeed been written regarding George Mallory and Mount Everest, but as I
Book Spotlight – Last Hours on Everest by Graham Hoyland
Last Hours on Everest:The Gripping Story of Mallory & Irvine’s Fatal Ascentby Graham HoylandI came home from work to an eagerly anticipated package today. It contained an advance copy of Graham Hoyland’s new book, Last Hours on Everest, which has been available in hardback for a while
Should George Mallory’s ice axe remain in the UK?
If you ask the average person to name two mountaineers, he or she will probably pick Edmund Hillary and George Mallory. Both are synonymous with Everest, but for different reasons; while Edmund Hillary was the first to stand on the summit (along with his partner Tenzing Norgay), George Mallory is
The Summits of Modern Man by Peter Hansen: Book Review
The Summits of Modern Man: Mountaineering After the Enlightenmentby Peter H. Hansen I actually started reading this remarkable book some months ago. It’s a bit of a monster, so to make it more manageable I broke it down into chunks. This book is a marathon, not a sprint – and
George Mallory on Ben Nevis … in 1906!
George Mallory is arguably Britain’s most famous mountaineer. Known for his early attempts on Everest in the 1920s (and his subsequent disappearance on the mountain in 1924), Mallory’s name has become something of a symbol: a transitional figure between the old school of Victorian climbers and the new
Featured in the Scottish Sunday Mail today
Exciting news! Today an article was published in the Scottish Sunday Mail about the Abraham brothers, pioneers of British rock climbing who were active in the 1890s and early 1900s. They were friends with O.G.Jones and Ashley Abraham plays a small role in The Only Genuine Jones. As