Sir Chris Bonington is one of Britain’s most famous mountaineers. His career atop the world’s highest peaks has lasted more than fifty years, with successful first ascents in the Alps and the Himalayas.
It was a cold, fresh night in Harrogate, my first time to the affluent Yorkshirespa town and the beautifully-restored Royal Hall Theatre, to hear Chris Bonington speak. It would be his first major talk to audiences in 20 years, so I had big expectations. His reputation as a well-spoken mountaineer of experience and professionalism is renowned, and I had previously watched as he took the Olympic torch to the summit of Snowdonfor television cameras prior to the London Games (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18257728 ).
In his ‘life and times’ account, Bonington takes the audience on a personal journey from his school days in Hampstead, North London, where he began climbing at the age of 16, through to his current lifestyle, now a grandfather settled in Cumbria but still holidaying around the world. Using original pictures and archive footage, the audience was invited to indulge in the nostalgia, and romanticism of climbing in theAlpsand beyond during the ‘50s and ‘60s. As the access to high mountain ranges grew, particularly in Asia, expedition teams were making serious ground on new Himalayan routes, such as the South West Face of Everest (Bonington was Expedition Leader in 1975 when Doug Scott and Dougal Haston famously surmounted the world’s tallest peak via the direct route. It was one of the most difficult climbs at altitude for that time). Bonington’s talk has undeniable sincerity, describing epic stories of adventure and hardship with the authenticity and knowledge of a mountaineer who lived through it.
At the age of 78, Chris Bonington is no longer tackling new summits or leading expedition teams to remote places. The mountaineering world has moved on in any case, with new styles of climbing that focus purely on speed. But as a touring speaker this autumn, it’s clear that he is still a committed and hardworking mountaineer. He retains a love for adventure and exploration, which gave him the drive and commitment to take up climbing seriously fifty years ago.
I went along with Leeds University Hiking Club to the talk, and we were allowed a special moment with Chris Bonington at the end, even after a long book signing for crowds inside the Royal Hall. His kindness and charm in chatting with us was abounding; we were partly star-struck, having seen his incredible climbing career documented onstage. Commenting on our activities as the ‘Hiking Club’, not strictly a mountaineering club, Chris laughed, “Well I often find that hiking clubs are more adventurous than their climbing counterparts, going up to Scotland for the winter.” It was an unexpected and inspiring endorsement for the Club, which is planning trips to Fort William, the Cairngorms and Norway this year. Before saying goodbye to Chris, he even uploaded a cheeky tweet (https://twitter.com/ChrisBonington/status/260861365269430272/photo/1) I left the theatre with a smile and sheer admiration for the guy.
Sir Chris Bonington is a man who deserves the fame and hype surrounding his name – a British mountaineer who, alongside others, gave the sport a series of iconic moments in the last fifty years. To go and hear him speak to share or wonder at his love for climbing.: http://www.speakersfromtheedge.com/theatre-tours/sir-chris-bonington-autumn-2012
Upcoming tour dates:
Buxton, 3 November
Inverness, 4 November
Llandudno, 8 November
Words: Ben Lewis (blog – www.climbingwetrock.blogspot.com)