Great to see photos of places I know so well, they bring back memories, big classic climbs on Shelterstone crag.
The shot of Creag Meggy is bitter sweet, so many great winter days spent climbing there tinged with sadness.
Travelling back from the Lakes one Sunday night, newsflash on the radio, a climber from my home town had been killed on Creag Meggy. They did not release the name BUT we were a close knit group so knew it would be one of our friends.
In the following days the details of the tragedy emerged, apparently the pair had reached the safe belay ledge near the top of the classic winter route called the Pumpkin, had some food and a brew.
They then packed away the climbing gear and ascended the easy top slopes which promptly avalanched. Unroped one guy went straight down the cliff while the other one hit a rock which stopped him falling BUT broke his leg.
Years later I repeated the Pumpkin with one of the original car foursome, it was a haunting experience saying goodbye to one of our friends.
The place where the incident happened looked so innocuous, how one simple mistake can affect the lives of many.
Rest assured we did not unrope at the safe belay ledge........