Before I set any alarm bells going, I should clarify that I don’t have cancer. This blog post is the latest chapter in a program we’ve been developing at Climbers Against Cancer to use the joys of climbing as a part of the recovery therapy for those who do. When I first suggest the idea to health professionals and carers, it sometimes prompts a look as if I’m bat-shit crazy: “I’ve seen Free Solo – you must be out of your mind!”
Here’s an article from CAC to explain why it’s really not a crazy idea at all…
Over last winter we ran Climbing Beyond Cancer programmes in Manchester and Liverpool, and it was a huge privilege to share some of the journey with participants, from first session at the wall, to growing strength, confidence and skill, and to see the group build into a strong support community.
In May, we celebrated the completion of the program, when the group took their new-found skills outside onto real rock for an end-of-programme celebration at Windgather.
Here are some reflections from the participants on their experience. YouTube
The success of the program served to give the CAC Trustees the confidence that we’re on to something, and we’ve committed to an ambition to deliver ten more of these programmes around the world over the next year. How to get the word out to potential hosts, and to raise awareness with participants? – How about a documentary? That’s how Beyond came about.
We teamed up with filmmaker, Ben Menashe, who was the mastermind behind our ten years anniversary film
He’s been capturing the whole story from the first taster session at Summit Up. In another breakthrough, longstanding CAC supporter, Alistair Lee, signed up to feature the film in the 2026 BritRock Film Tour. Result! Ben and Al came up with the idea to extend the programme to include a grand finale “Big Climb” to link the whole story together. Josh, one of the very first participants, readily signed up to the adventure.
All that’s a long intro to explain how I ended up making not one but two trips to Cloggy over the last week, and two ascents of Great Slab.
The first trip was a recce, in the company of Ben, Harry, Matt, Chris and Sam – checking out camera angles and safety plans to ensure that the actual ascent would be a cinematic and climbing success.
A toasty day had me pushing my recovering ankle well beyond its post-op envelope, but it’s always a privilege to approach The Black Cliff, especially in such gorgeous weather.
I bumped into Flavio and Jen, about to set off up Midsummer Night’s Dream, and stopped for a bit of banter, so had to put a bit of a wiggle on and just made it to the foot of the crag in time to tag onto a rope from Matt and Harry. Here’s a shot of Flavio taken later – chapeau!
I’d a vague recollection of the committing nature of the first traverse pitch, which uses a cunning out-flanking manoeuvre to break through the initial overhangs. Limited gear on the traverse means the second is in for a horrendous swing and plummet if they become detached from the rock. That’s probably the crux of the route, but there are tricky sections on each of the remaining pitches, and a couple of further traverses as the line weaves about. It’s definitely not to be underestimated!
Topped out in about 2hrs 30, after five pitches and 160m of climbing, my ankle was letting me know it’d had a workout, and the walk down was considerably slower than the ascent.
The post-climb debrief reflected on a really valuable day.
In my state of recovery, I was probably quite a good body-double for Josh, who has top-roped 6as and bs on the wall. We felt the route would be a challenging but achievable goal, but quickly concluded that the risks of the traverse pitches would be unacceptable. We came up with the plan to climb as a three, to give Josh the benefit of a back-rope at key points, and a bit of company and reassurance on what would be a huge step up in his climbing journey (Windgather to Cloggy is quite a leap!) With that key decision settled, and the camera crews happy with their angles and F-stops, it was all looking good for the following week.
A week later, the team assembled at Beudy (the Rucksack Club hut in The Pass).
The recce team had been bolstered by Josh, our main protagonist, Alice, his partner, and Alan, a volunteer at Summit Up. We had a gentle intro to multi-pitch climbing with Rib and Slab on Craig Ddu…
… and a less gentle intro to the art of abseiling. Quite an adventure.
Back at the hut, and we were joined by Paul, our main climbing cameraman, Jamie, another lens man, and Sam in charge of safety. Quite the crew! Last to arrive, fresh off the late flight from Norway, was Pete Whittaker who’d kindly offered to sprinkle a bit of stardust on proceedings, as well as get the rope up the hill.
7am departure from the hut, and there were already quite a few walkers heading up the Llanberis Path. No sign of other climbers and we could take a slow and steady plod up to Cloggy. The foot of Snowdon was shrouded in mist, but we popped out of the top of the cloud inversion around Halfway House to magnificent view across to the crag. It was looking like we’d absolutely nailed the weather. Sadly, the clag swirled back in again and we were left with the full Black Cliff experience – Cloggy at its moodiest and most menacing.
Around noon, Pete set off up into the gloom…
… with Josh following and me as tail-end Charlie (or the other end of the “baby-bouncer”, keeping Josh safe in the middle).
I won’t provide any spoilers for the movie, you’ll have to wait for the premiere in the Autumn. Suffice to say we topped out in good spirits.
If you are inspired by the story, how about chipping in to Josh’s JustGiving fundraiser. Every £20 is enough to start somebody else on the first step of their Climb Beyond Cancer…
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