Lectures - Òraidean

Victory over Reason: adventures on the Eiger, El Cap, Patagonia and the Caledonian Canal

Andy Kirkpatrick talks about the last 12 months, including a fraught attempted winter solo of the Eiger direct, sea kayaking in Patagonia with the BBC, taking a novice climber who couldn't walk up El Cap, oh and a trip down the Caledonian Canal. Funny, insightful and maybe a little scary, this is a show you won't want to miss.

Plus films: Africa Revoltions Tour & Contrast

 

Friday 12th February | Nevis Centre Festival Theatre | 7-10pm | Online ticket price: £12.50 adults / £10 kids. On the door tickets: £14 / £12 | Book online

 

Climbers I've Shot and Some I'd like to Shoot

Paul Diffley is a multi-awarding winning adventure filmmaker, based in Scotland. Join him for a mixture of chat, pics and video clips, tantalisingly titled 'Climbers I've shot and some I'd like to shoot'. Also, he'll show 'Single-Handed', the award-winning film about Kevin Shields who is known as the 'one handed climber'. Despite being born with most of his left hand missing Kevin has shocked the climbing world with some daring and inspirational ascents. The film exposes Kevin's motivations and follows his progression through the climbing grades, culminating in a gripping and palm-sweating attempt to solo E6 in Glen Nevis.

Paul and Kevin will also hold a Q&A after the screening.

Saturday 13th February | Nevis Centre Festival Theatre | 7-10pm | Online ticket price: £12.50 adults / £10 kids. On the door tickets: £14 / £12 | Book online

 

Jimmy Marshall Night: The architect of modern Scottish climbing

"In one legendary week on Ben Nevis in 1960 Jimmy Marshall and Robin Smith advanced Scottish winter climbing a full ten years. On consecutive days they climbed six first winter ascents, including the mini Alpine-route Orion Face Direct (V, 5), while also making the second ascent of Point Five Gully (V, 5) for good measure. The fact they achieved all this by cutting steps up the snow and ice appears, from the remove of the 21st century, to be almost unbelievable. Marshall’s skill was such that he could lead routes almost faster than some of his talented seconds could follow."

Who's who in British Climbing, Colin Wells

Marshall and Smith’s week on the Ben has been talked about and celebrated ever since as among the finest performances ever in British mountaineering; a feat of fitness, skill and commitment that some would argue has never been bettered even with modern gear.

To mark the achievement exactly 50 years on, Dave MacLeod and Andy Turner will attempt to repeat the week of climbs, with each ascent being filmed for the festival. Dave and Andy are the modern day Marshall and Smith, pushing climbing standards forward years ahead of anyone else. Despite modern gear this will be an arduous test of fitness. The weather, ice conditions and threat of avalanches will also have a huge impact on the challenge.

On Sunday 14th Jimmy Marshall will appear at the festival and Dave and Andy will both talk about their experiences during the week and will compare Jimmy’s recollections of cutting hand and footholds with once ice axe on the climbs to their own experiences. We will see the footage from their ascents as well as perspective on Jimmy’s achievement with interviews from Jimmy’s climbing peers and several other well known figures in Scottish mountaineering history over the decades since.

Will it be possible to complete the climbs to mark the 50th anniversary? Only one way to find out! It will be a fascinating night of stories and images from Scotland’s finest mountaineers and the climbs on Ben Nevis they pioneered.

Sunday 14th February | Nevis Centre Festival Theatre | 7-10pm | Online ticket price: £12.50 adults / £10 kids. On the door tickets: £14 / £12 | Book online

The full list of climbs is -
The Great Chimney (IV,5) 6th February 1960
Minus Three Gully (IV,5) 7th February 1960
Smith's Route (V,5) 8th February 1960
Observatory Buttress (V,4) 9th February 1960
Point Five Gully (V,5) 10th February 1960
Piggot's Route (V,6) 12th February 1960
Orion Direct (V,5) 13th February 1960

Follow Dave and Andy's progress during the week here

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