50 years of climbing

After more than 50 years of climbing, my knees are ready for an overhaul. Next week I go into hospital for patella femoral operations on both of them. I look forward to being able to walk down mountains without pain and maybe even achieve high steps when rock climbing after I am 70.

Rock climbing has been a defining part of my life. Yesterday I went rock climbing for the last time on my old worn knees and frankly I can’t wait for the new ones. Modern surgery is a powerful tool in keeping us active and working so much longer than our parents' generation. Thanks to medical science I hope to prolong my climbing life. 

This is not an idle wish, I have a lot of expeditions left to accomplish. Not least to complete the Fine Line project that Philippa and I have worked on for 20 years.

Climbing Cenotaph Corner, North Wales in 1964