Thursday 16 June 2011

Be seeing you....in a few weeks!

For the next few weeks Footless Crow will be flying off into the sunset while I take a holiday and catch up on a million and one things including sorting out new Footless material.

In the mean time,if you've only discovered Footless Crow lately, you will enjoy many of the previously published articles which date back to October 2009. Many of which have not appeared in any media before.

From Samuel Taylor Coleridge to John Redhead...George Leigh Mallory to Steve Dean. Robin Smith to Harold Drasdo.Here's the full run down.......

October 2009
Falling about and not laughing- David Craig ( A previously unpublished piece from the master of exquisite climbing prose kicks off proceedings) Pictured

Aging Cumbrians in Desert Storm-Paul Ross ( A news piece about Paul Ross and Chris Bonington making a first ascent in Utah with photos by Paul)

New Lands for old hands-Harold Drasdo ( The old fox contemplates finding an easy route up Cloggy?)

Ronnie's last long climbing-Terry Gifford ( A poignant piece about one of climbing's characters-Ronnie Wathen)

Never on a Sunday-Pioneers on Tryfan and the Glyders-Mike Bailey. ( An historical piece from the experienced North Wales climber and guidebook writer )

November 2009

Diamonds and rust-David Craig ( Another beautiful unpublished piece from David)

Come Walk with me-Richard Haszko ( Trekking in the Karakorum-unpublished) Pictured
                                             
You are being watched-Steve Dean ( Climbing at Gogarth-unpublished)

Why we never went climbing-Ken Latham ( Scouse fun and frolics!)

December 09

The art of a climber-Harold Drasdo ( An appreciation of the brilliant late climbing artist, Bill Wynn)

Gentleman Fred- Fred Botterill ( A slice of Edwardian whimsy)

The Leader-Don Roscoe ( Rock and Ice legend's charming tale of youthful exploits)

January 2010

Heart of Darkness-John Appleby (Drasdo and Appleby belatedly close the gully epoch on Arenig Fawr)

Fast Forward parts one and two- Ken Latham ( A humorous trip down climbing's memory lane) Pictured

Early days in Cwm Cowarch-Tony Moulam ( An unpublished piece by Welsh legend and pioneer of Mid Wales climbing)

February 2010

The users guide to Edward Abbey-John Appleby ( Tribute to US conservationist and inspiration for the Earth First! movement Edward Abbey)

Stacks to do-Richard Haszko( Richard and his team which includes Joe Simpson -take on a Scottish sea stacks challenge)

Rock Climbers in Action in Snowdonia,parts 1 and 2-Steve Dean ( Steve appraises the seminal work which came out in 1971. Illustrated with many of John Cleares' original iconic shots)

March 2010

The subtle knife of Carnedd Filiast-Terry Gifford ( Futuristic climbing fiction)

An intriguing failure-David Craig ( The perils of climbing chossy,vegetated Lakeland V Diffs!)

Life on the Edge-Barbara Jones ( Ecologist Barbara Jones puts on her harness and searches for the Snowdon Lily)

On a new Mountain-part one-George Abraham ( One the the Abraham brothers describes a 'new' Welsh mountain arena-recently re-discovered and described in the introduction by John Appleby)

April 2010
The Night Shift-Steve Ashton ( A young Ashton gets swept up with Alpine fever: New photographs from Steve)

The view from Plato's Cave-Harold Drasdo ( Twenty five years to complete a 200' Llanberis VS!)  Pictured

Up against it- Menlove Edwards ( Classic piece by the troubled genius)

Bouldering at Harborough Rocks-Steve Dean ( The delights of peak bouldering)
                                  
May 2010

Sleuthing up Snoopy-David Craig ( Dad and lad get spaced out on a rare summer ascent of a remote Scottish HVS

Archibald Aenaes Robertson-The first Munroist-Richard Gilbert ( Historical piece which asks...well..was he?)

Obsession-Terry Gifford ( Terry climbs a mid Wales classic VS)

Between the ridge and the beaten path-Mike Bailey ( Mike dons his rock boots and chalk bag and solos every mountain route on the east face of Bristly Ridge..impressive huh!)
Pictured
                                                               

June 2010

Wall End Barn-George Kitchin ( the legend of the WEB from someone at the heart of the scene)

The Assault-George Leigh Mallory ( Galahad of Everest sets the fatal scene) Pictured

The climb that time forgot-John Appleby (  A lost Rhinog mountain route rediscovered)

The Abraham Brothers-photographing the past-Harry Griffin ( An appreciation of Lakeland legends by another Lakeland legend)

A winter's day at Harrisons-part one-Steve Dean, unpublished ( Steve goes back down south to touch base)

July 2010

A winter's day at Harrisons Part two

A letter to Sara Hutchinson-Samuel Taylor Coleridge( STC goes walkabout in Buttermere)

Eco Defence-A field guide to monkey wrenching- Harold Drasdo ( Drasdo considers Doug Peacocks eco-anarchist tome and the philosophy of radical environmentalism)

Mountain Rescue in North Wales-the early years-Barbara James ( Barbara goes back to the sixties and looks at the MR service in those early days)

Jim Perrins West-The loping hare kicking rainbows from the dew-John Appleby ( Book review which now appears surprisingly dated in light of the public unravelling of elements of the tale)

August 2010

A solo ascent of Craig Lloer-Colin Kirkus ( the Welsh legend describes an early epic)

Millican Dalton-professor of adventure - Terry Gifford ( The legendary wild man of Borrowdale)

The Drowning Season-John Appleby ( The destruction and ethnic cleansing of a remote Welsh mountain valley in the early 1960's)  Pictured
                                                                          
The good lads always have two-part one-Don Roscoe ( Rock and Ice days and nights)

September 2010


The Good Lads-part two

Fifty Years of Lakeland Climbing-Harry Griffin ( Harry looks back on the pioneers of Cumbrian climbing)

Bolton Wanders-Steve Ashton ( A humourous trip across the Lancashire slag heaps!)
Pictured

Alister Crowley-mountains and other goats- John Appleby ( Alister goes a bit mad on Kangenjunga)

October 2010

The gentle art of Hitchhiking-Ken Latham ( A subject worthy of humorous anecdotes)

The Adventures of Wheech-Life and times of Robin Smith-Steve Dean ( Historical tour de force from Steve)

The Bat and the wicked -Robin Smith (Wheech himself pens one of the most famous climbing essays ever) Pictured


Forty Years of Lakeland skiing -Harry Griffin ( Pioneering stuff from Harry)

Bowfell Buttress- Lehmann J Oppenheimer ( Days of innocence before the storm)

November 2010


Water and Stone-David Craig ( Elemental climbing above the briny)

One step in the past-John Appleby ( A Nantlle excursion beyond the madding crowds)

Crag Climbing-WT Palmer (  Edwardian tales of derring do from a country gent!)

Mount Analogue and Free Will-Harold Drasdo ( Climbing intellectual writes the ending to an unfinished classic)

December 2010

In search of Elizabeth Coxhead-Terry Gifford ( The author of 'One Green Bottle' appraised)

Forgotten Tigers-Steve Dean ( Steve looks at climbings..errr..forgotten tigers!)

A Great Effort-Menlove Edwards ( Another classic Menlove essay)
                            
January 2011

For Whom the Bells-The Bells toll: A meeting with John Redhead) Brian Trevelyan
( Brian and Jude travel to the UK climbing capital to meet Welsh 'enfante terrible' John Redhead)

Jonah and the Whale-John Redhead ( The artist himself; proving he's no mean writer either) Pictured

The brief mountaineering career of Alister Crowley-Robin Campbell ( Masterful historical piece by the SMC archivist)

The first ascent of Matterhorn's Zmutt Ridge-A Mummery ( From the horses mouth,an early ascent of the Matterhorn)

February 2011


Too Cold For Crow-Harold Drasdo ( The art and climbing history of Arenig Fawr)

Lakeland Pioneer-Bill Peascod-Bill Birkett ( An appreciation of the late great Lakeland artist and climber)

Fay Godwin-poetry through a lens-Margaret Drabble ( An appreciation of a brilliant landscape photographer)

Portrait of the artist as an old man -Terry Gifford ( Another artistic appreciation,this time of Lakeland artist William Heaton Cooper) Pictured


March 2011

North Country Fair-David Craig ( Exquisite prose once more from the Cumbrian based Scot)

Everyone knows this is nowhere-John Appleby ( Climbing a lost mountaineering route on Snowdon and finding King Arthur's grave!)

Landscape photography-clearly defined,so I've heard! Glyn Davies ( Acclaimed landscape photographer (by royal appointment!) considers..'yes..but is it art?')

Angel Pavement and other stories-Tony Moulam ( A new work by the old master)
Pictured
                                   
April 2011

Bentley Beetham-The song remains the same -Ken Smith ( An historical overview of the life and times of BB)

Dwellings and Yellings-John Redhead ( Extract from John's new book 'Colonist's Out!)

Vestige d'Ocittania-John Redhead ( and another slice of 'Colonists)

In the beginning-Michael Combley ( Aussie exile considers where it all began for him)

Gritstone visionary-Steve Dean ( An appreciation of late legend-John Syrett) Pictured


May 2011

First and last climbs-David Craig (Poignant piece of Scottish mystery and imagination)

So briefly he roamed the gallery of marvels-Terry Gifford ( eco piece about Ted Hughes and his efforts to keep the south west rivers unpolluted)

James Dickson Innes-artist of the sacred mountain-John Appleby ( Coinciding with a BBC4 programme on The Arenig School,an appreciation of its lynchpin)

Colin Kirkus-Gemini rising-Ken Smith (In depth study of the tragic pre-war super nova)

The positive dialetics of Moac Play-Micheal Combley ( Michael considers the cultural significance of a lump of metal!)

Climbing in North Wales-George Abraham (Early guidebook writer explores the Cader area of south Snowdonia)