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Documentary / Portrait
The last climb - Eric Jones
Aled Llyr (2019)
Eric Jones is a legendary adventurer. A climber, parachutist, base jumper, balloonist, and motorbiker whose love for speed and his need for pulse-racing adventure has seen him live an incredible and inspirational life. Eric is widely recognized as Britain's most successful solo climber. It's the purest and most dangerous form of climbing - solo and with no safety rope. Now, this 82-year-old grandfather has one last epic climb - back to where it all began over 50 years ago on the dramatic southwest ridge of the Torre Delago, in the Italian Dolomites. Eric reflects on his own life, not just his climbing achievements, and how he fell in love with a young Australian teacher who abandoned her homeland for a new life in Snowdonia. A beautiful, poignant, and inspirational film about a great man growing old - but never too old.- 2019
- UK
- 60 min
Eric Jones is a legendary adventurer. A climber, parachutist, base jumper, balloonist, and motorbiker whose love for speed and his need for pulse-racing adventure has seen him live an incredible and inspirational life. Eric is widely recognized as Britain's most successful solo climber. It's the purest and most dangerous form of climbing - solo and with no safety rope. Now, this 82-year-old grandfather has one last epic climb - back to where it all began over 50 years ago on the dramatic southwest ridge of the Torre Delago, in the Italian Dolomites. Eric reflects on his own life, not just his climbing achievements, and how he fell in love with a young Australian teacher who abandoned her homeland for a new life in Snowdonia. A beautiful, poignant, and inspirational film about a great man growing old - but never too old.Climbing locations
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Drama / Adventure
The Last Blue Mountain
Lawrence Gordon Clark (1971)
A film recreating the heart-rending true story of the 1957 expedition to Mount Haramosh in the Karakoram range in Pakistan. With the summit beyond reach, four young climbers are about to return to camp. Their brief pause to enjoy the view and take photographs is interrupted by an avalanche that sweeps Bernard Jillott and John Emery hundreds of feet down the mountain into a snow basin. Miraculously, they both survive the fall. Rae Culbert and Tony Streather risk their own lives to rescue their friends, only to become stranded alongside them.- 1971
- UK
- 30 min
A film recreating the heart-rending true story of the 1957 expedition to Mount Haramosh in the Karakoram range in Pakistan. With the summit beyond reach, four young climbers are about to return to camp. Their brief pause to enjoy the view and take photographs is interrupted by an avalanche that sweeps Bernard Jillott and John Emery hundreds of feet down the mountain into a snow basin. Miraculously, they both survive the fall. Rae Culbert and Tony Streather risk their own lives to rescue their friends, only to become stranded alongside them.Climbing locations
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Documentary / Climbing Journal
Oman - Desert Fortress
Ali May (2019)
Episode of Expedition with Steve Backshall, a series in which the naturalist and explorer Steve Backsahll takes us on a mission to visit parts of the world yet to be explored. The episode shows the second part of his adventure in Oman. Steve and an elite team of rock climbers head to the desert of southern Oman to attempt the first ascent of a towering escarpment. There, in the Dhofar Mountains, the team will encounter one of Earth’s rarest animals, the Arabian leopard. The other Oman episode of the series follows Steve into an Arabian desert canyon that no human has ever explored.- 2019
- UK
- 45 min
Episode of Expedition with Steve Backshall, a series in which the naturalist and explorer Steve Backsahll takes us on a mission to visit parts of the world yet to be explored. The episode shows the second part of his adventure in Oman. Steve and an elite team of rock climbers head to the desert of southern Oman to attempt the first ascent of a towering escarpment. There, in the Dhofar Mountains, the team will encounter one of Earth’s rarest animals, the Arabian leopard. The other Oman episode of the series follows Steve into an Arabian desert canyon that no human has ever explored.Climbing locations
Availability
Watch Free Video on Demand -
Documentary / Climbing Journal
Greenland - Ice Mountain
Rosie Gloyns (2019)
Episode of Expedition with Steve Backshall, a series in which the naturalist and explorer Steve Backshall takes us on a mission to visit parts of the world yet to be explored. The episode shows the second part of his arctic adventure. After kayaking the largest fjord in the world, Backshall attempts to summit an unclimbed mountain deep in Greenland’s Arctic wilderness. He faces many hazards - from rivers of freezing meltwater to quicksand and treacherous glacial ice. The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet which means Greenland’s ice sheet, over two kilometers thick in places, is melting. The climb lets Steve and his team look over an ancient habitat living on borrowed time.- 2019
- UK
- 49 min
Episode of Expedition with Steve Backshall, a series in which the naturalist and explorer Steve Backshall takes us on a mission to visit parts of the world yet to be explored. The episode shows the second part of his arctic adventure. After kayaking the largest fjord in the world, Backshall attempts to summit an unclimbed mountain deep in Greenland’s Arctic wilderness. He faces many hazards - from rivers of freezing meltwater to quicksand and treacherous glacial ice. The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet which means Greenland’s ice sheet, over two kilometers thick in places, is melting. The climb lets Steve and his team look over an ancient habitat living on borrowed time.Climbing locations
Availability
Watch Free Video on Demand -
Documentary / Portrait
Final Ascent - The legend of Hamish MacInnes
Robbie Fraser (2019)
The legend of Hamish MacInnes began early. At 16 he climbed the Matterhorn. At 17 he built his first motor car from scratch. He attempted Everest in 1953 with his friend Johnny Cunningham. As an explorer, expedition leader, and engineer he achieved world fame. As inventor of the all-metal ice axe, author of the International Mountain Rescue Handbook and founder of Glencoe Mountain Rescue he has been responsible for saving hundreds of lives, if not thousands. But at the age of 84, his accomplishments could not save him from being institutionalized against his will, suffering from delirium. This film tells the story of his life by mirroring his greatest challenge: to recover his memories and rescue himself.Final Ascent - The legend of Hamish MacInnes
- 2019
- UK
- 80 min
The legend of Hamish MacInnes began early. At 16 he climbed the Matterhorn. At 17 he built his first motor car from scratch. He attempted Everest in 1953 with his friend Johnny Cunningham. As an explorer, expedition leader, and engineer he achieved world fame. As inventor of the all-metal ice axe, author of the International Mountain Rescue Handbook and founder of Glencoe Mountain Rescue he has been responsible for saving hundreds of lives, if not thousands. But at the age of 84, his accomplishments could not save him from being institutionalized against his will, suffering from delirium. This film tells the story of his life by mirroring his greatest challenge: to recover his memories and rescue himself.Climbing locations
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Documentary / Chronicle
Extreme Wonders
Nick Brown (2015)
First episode of BBC's Earth's Natural Wonders: Living on the Edge. The first of two programs in which cameras explore some of the most inhospitable places on the planet and the people who live there, including a team of Sherpa roping a route up to Mount Everest, farmers fighting pitched battles to save their crops from marauding elephants on the slopes of Kilimanjaro, or conservationists trying to ensure a condor chick’s survival on Grand Canyon. In the Everest section, the film crew follows a team of Icefall Doctors, the Sherpas who are responsible for securing and making possible the route to Everest through the notorious Khumbu Icefall, while installing ropes and stairs to cross the huge crevasses of the glacier.Nick Brown, James Aldred, Matt Barrett, Nicholas Shoolingin-Jordan, Rob Sullivan
- 2015
- UK
- 58 min
First episode of BBC's Earth's Natural Wonders: Living on the Edge. The first of two programs in which cameras explore some of the most inhospitable places on the planet and the people who live there, including a team of Sherpa roping a route up to Mount Everest, farmers fighting pitched battles to save their crops from marauding elephants on the slopes of Kilimanjaro, or conservationists trying to ensure a condor chick’s survival on Grand Canyon. In the Everest section, the film crew follows a team of Icefall Doctors, the Sherpas who are responsible for securing and making possible the route to Everest through the notorious Khumbu Icefall, while installing ropes and stairs to cross the huge crevasses of the glacier.Climbing locations
Availability
DVD / BLU-RAY Video on Demand -
Documentary / Expedition Journal
The unknown mountains of Nepal
John Tyson (1961)
Record of the first John Tyson's expedition to explore the Kanjiroba Himal Region. Tyson’s quest began in 1961 when he led the first of several small surveying missions to the region, with the aim of mapping the principal mountain ranges and locating, and if possible climbing, the highest summit, Mount Kanjiroba (22,580ft). The expedition succeeded in making the first ascents of several 20,000ft peaks which gave excellent views for map-making, but they were unable to locate a viable route on to the Kanjiroba Himal along the sheer-sided scree-covered gorge of the Jagdula river. The film was produced to be shown in David Attenborough's Adventure BBC series.The unknown mountains of Nepal
John Tyson, David Attenborough
- 1961
- UK
- 25 min
Record of the first John Tyson's expedition to explore the Kanjiroba Himal Region. Tyson’s quest began in 1961 when he led the first of several small surveying missions to the region, with the aim of mapping the principal mountain ranges and locating, and if possible climbing, the highest summit, Mount Kanjiroba (22,580ft). The expedition succeeded in making the first ascents of several 20,000ft peaks which gave excellent views for map-making, but they were unable to locate a viable route on to the Kanjiroba Himal along the sheer-sided scree-covered gorge of the Jagdula river. The film was produced to be shown in David Attenborough's Adventure BBC series.Climbing locations
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Documentary / Making Of
How they climbed the Old Man of Hoy
John Gray (1967)
A making of the live broadcast of the ascent of the Old Man of Hoy. In July of 1967, 15 million people watched one of the most audacious BBC outside broadcasts ever undertaken - the climbing of the 'Old Man of Hoy'. This is an account of how the BBC-1 television programme was organised, together with recordings made during the broadcast, and interviews with those who helped to make it possible as well as those who did the actual climb.How they climbed the Old Man of Hoy
- 1967
- UK
- 25 min
A making of the live broadcast of the ascent of the Old Man of Hoy. In July of 1967, 15 million people watched one of the most audacious BBC outside broadcasts ever undertaken - the climbing of the 'Old Man of Hoy'. This is an account of how the BBC-1 television programme was organised, together with recordings made during the broadcast, and interviews with those who helped to make it possible as well as those who did the actual climb.Climbing locations
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Documentary / Chronicle
Climbing catastrophe
Rachel Bowering (2010)
Fourth episode of the BBC series Helicopter Heroes. A climber falls and breaks his leg halfway up a cliff face, a golfer saves his father with first aid skills learnt from a TV drama and in the Yorkshire Dales snow puts the emergency services on the skids.- 2010
- UK
- 43 min
Fourth episode of the BBC series Helicopter Heroes. A climber falls and breaks his leg halfway up a cliff face, a golfer saves his father with first aid skills learnt from a TV drama and in the Yorkshire Dales snow puts the emergency services on the skids.Climbing locations
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Documentary / Climbing Journal
Troll Wall - The vertical mile
Sid Perou (1981)
Sid Perou follows the attempt of climbing Europe's highest and most extreme rock face, the Troll Wall in Norway, using free climbing methods. The documentary features Hans Christian Dossieth, Colin Brooks, Steve Bancroft, Chris Gibb and Sid Perou.Troll Wall - The vertical mile
- 1981
- UK
- 58 min
Sid Perou follows the attempt of climbing Europe's highest and most extreme rock face, the Troll Wall in Norway, using free climbing methods. The documentary features Hans Christian Dossieth, Colin Brooks, Steve Bancroft, Chris Gibb and Sid Perou.Climbing locations
Availability
Watch Free -
Documentary / Instructional
Specialised techniques
John Rickwood (1974)
Ten-part BBC series looking at aspects of rock-climbing. A TV series for beginners with the accent on safety. With John Earle and Ron James. Episodes are: Mountain country, Basics, Learning to lead a climb, Protecting the leader, Climbing in twos, Harder climbs, Artificial climbing, Specialized techniques, Abseiling and prusiking, Crag rescue.- 1974
- UK
- 25 min
Ten-part BBC series looking at aspects of rock-climbing. A TV series for beginners with the accent on safety. With John Earle and Ron James. Episodes are: Mountain country, Basics, Learning to lead a climb, Protecting the leader, Climbing in twos, Harder climbs, Artificial climbing, Specialized techniques, Abseiling and prusiking, Crag rescue. -
Drama / Mountain Drama
Rockface - Season 2
Suri Krishnamma (2003)
Rockface is a British television drama series which was broadcast on BBC One from 2002 to 2003. It ran for two series. The series is set in Glenntannoch, a fictitious town in the Scottish Highlands, and centres on a mountain rescue team led by Dr Gordon Urquhart. The major rescues and incidents in the series were based on real life rescues conducted by the Lochaber Mountain Rescue service. Rockface is about teamwork, friendship, leadership, heartache, courage, strength of character, stubbornness, individuality and loves; Rockface is about life.Suri Krishnamma, Terry Winsor, Sue Dunderdale, Robert Bierman, Mark Roper
- 2003
- UK
- 460 min
Rockface is a British television drama series which was broadcast on BBC One from 2002 to 2003. It ran for two series. The series is set in Glenntannoch, a fictitious town in the Scottish Highlands, and centres on a mountain rescue team led by Dr Gordon Urquhart. The major rescues and incidents in the series were based on real life rescues conducted by the Lochaber Mountain Rescue service. Rockface is about teamwork, friendship, leadership, heartache, courage, strength of character, stubbornness, individuality and loves; Rockface is about life.Climbing locations
