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| Bradford Lads: the boys are back at the Old Dungeon Ghyll | Bradford Lads: the boys are back at the Old Dungeon Ghyll |
| (5 months later) | |
| This coming Wednesday 14 November marks the annual gathering at the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel in the lake District's beautiful Langdale of one of British climbing's legendary institutions-The Bradford Lads. | This coming Wednesday 14 November marks the annual gathering at the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel in the lake District's beautiful Langdale of one of British climbing's legendary institutions-The Bradford Lads. |
| The northern ensemble were a remarkable collection of working class climbers who sprang out of the Yorkshire city just after the Second World War and whose individual members established themselves amongst the leading climbing activists of the day. | The northern ensemble were a remarkable collection of working class climbers who sprang out of the Yorkshire city just after the Second World War and whose individual members established themselves amongst the leading climbing activists of the day. |
| Counting the peerless Arthur Dolphin in their ranks, the Lads' other worthies included the Drasdo brothers - Harold and Neville - who established classic routes across northern England, North Wales and Ireland, and Pete Greenwood who was considered an equal to the human spider Joe Brown on the rock face until he suddenly gave up climbing, as too dangerous for a newly-married man starting a family, and took up ballroom dancing. | Counting the peerless Arthur Dolphin in their ranks, the Lads' other worthies included the Drasdo brothers - Harold and Neville - who established classic routes across northern England, North Wales and Ireland, and Pete Greenwood who was considered an equal to the human spider Joe Brown on the rock face until he suddenly gave up climbing, as too dangerous for a newly-married man starting a family, and took up ballroom dancing. |
| In the frenzied post war years of new routing activity, both in the UK and abroad, the group's members were not exclusively tied to the 'club' - a club in name only which eschewed traditionally accepted conventions of membership and hierarchies - and they worked closely with other legendary groups like the Manchester based Rock & Ice club. They carried out explorations of what are now considered classic cliffs and on them established unforgettable climbs. | In the frenzied post war years of new routing activity, both in the UK and abroad, the group's members were not exclusively tied to the 'club' - a club in name only which eschewed traditionally accepted conventions of membership and hierarchies - and they worked closely with other legendary groups like the Manchester based Rock & Ice club. They carried out explorations of what are now considered classic cliffs and on them established unforgettable climbs. |
| One of the common bases for The Bradford Lads and their cohorts in the Rock & Ice Club was the Wall End Barn at the head of Great Langdale. It was literally a rough stone barn which a local farmer allowed to be used as a doss by these northern climbing vagabonds. The hedonistic activities which took place within this crude shelter have become the stuff of legend and it's appropriate that this week's gathering should take place but a stone's throw from the barn. | One of the common bases for The Bradford Lads and their cohorts in the Rock & Ice Club was the Wall End Barn at the head of Great Langdale. It was literally a rough stone barn which a local farmer allowed to be used as a doss by these northern climbing vagabonds. The hedonistic activities which took place within this crude shelter have become the stuff of legend and it's appropriate that this week's gathering should take place but a stone's throw from the barn. |
| Some of the greats are dead and describing the surviving collection of septuagenarian and octogenarian climbers as 'lads' these days might seem like pushing the Last of the Summer Wine concept a bit far. However, many of them are still active in the great outdoors; not establishing hard new climbs any more but still taking to the hills whenever they can and still writing about the activity for outdoor journals. | Some of the greats are dead and describing the surviving collection of septuagenarian and octogenarian climbers as 'lads' these days might seem like pushing the Last of the Summer Wine concept a bit far. However, many of them are still active in the great outdoors; not establishing hard new climbs any more but still taking to the hills whenever they can and still writing about the activity for outdoor journals. |
| Despite Father Time taking his toll of members in recent years, including leading light Pete Greenwood, the group can still count on a couple of dozen old crag rats propping up the bar on Wednesday. The roll-call has been supplemented in recent years by honorary 'lads' including the highly regarded climbing writer, Kendal based David Craig. | Despite Father Time taking his toll of members in recent years, including leading light Pete Greenwood, the group can still count on a couple of dozen old crag rats propping up the bar on Wednesday. The roll-call has been supplemented in recent years by honorary 'lads' including the highly regarded climbing writer, Kendal based David Craig. |
| Last year leading activist Harold Drasdo mused that perhaps one of the group should bring a trumpet and sound 'The Last Post' given their advancing years. Happily, one year on and the climbers pub will once again reverberate to the sound of laughter and clinking glasses as the old boys tell their tales and plan new fell country campaigns. | Last year leading activist Harold Drasdo mused that perhaps one of the group should bring a trumpet and sound 'The Last Post' given their advancing years. Happily, one year on and the climbers pub will once again reverberate to the sound of laughter and clinking glasses as the old boys tell their tales and plan new fell country campaigns. |
| John Appleby is a Liverpool-born artist and outdoor writer based in north Wales. He writes on art, rock climbing and conservation for the Footless Crow blogzine. | John Appleby is a Liverpool-born artist and outdoor writer based in north Wales. He writes on art, rock climbing and conservation for the Footless Crow blogzine. |
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