BBC4 at 9 tonight

[Ridge]

Good to hear people enjoyed it.
I didn't post before people had watched but I read a review of it which said it was ok unless you know the area well in which case you would get annoyed with the changing locations.
I don't know if the brilliant Sheila Hancock walked every step up the hill

She climbed every single step that the story demanded

but she would have walked some of them hundreds of times, filming is very repetitive.

[gunwharfman]

I thought her struggles on her hands and knees could be viewed as a bit drippy but I remember that I had to do this twice when I walked the GR10 in France in 2015. I too was on my hands and knees for short stretches as I struggled to get to the summit of two particular mountains, (about 2 weeks apart) and each time it was due to the combined physical effort and the extreme heat that did me in. I didn't throw my rucksack away though, I knew that I had to keep that on my back or I really would have been done for. It was necessary at the time but it was also a rather undignified way of making ones way onward and upward. Luckily no one was around to watch me,

[andybr]

Good to hear people enjoyed it.
I didn't post before people had watched but I read a review of it which said it was ok unless you know the area well in which case you would get annoyed with the changing locations.
I don't know if the brilliant Sheila Hancock walked every step up the hill but she would have walked some of them hundreds of times, filming is very repetitive.

We have visited Assynt at least once almost every year since 1984 and know the area fairly well by now. The route suggested by the film is ridiculous and needs to be taken with a huge pinch of salt. That said I really like the film and I understand that Sheila Hancock made it a condition of taking the part that she would actually climb the hill as she felt it would lack credibility otherwise. I also like the fact that it does not gloss over the problems the locals face living in such a remote area.

[MarkT]

@GWM - What do you mean by her struggles on her hands and knees could be viewed as "drippy"?


But then you say you have also done this twice on your walks in France.....so does that make you "drippy"

[gunwharfman]

I was trying to refer to the way the camera focussed on her face as I saw it, discarding her rucksack, her expressions and her sighing and breathing as if was to emphasise the fact that she was an 'helpless old lady' attempting something she shouldn't perhaps and the possible danger she was in?

When I was on my knees in the Pyrenees I was all of that and more! I was exhausted to the point of tears! When I got to the top of the first mountain I just dragged my quilt out of my rucksack, wrapped myself in it and slept for ages. I was totally done in!

I was more sensible the second time, I deliberately climbed up and up slowly and took lots of rest stops.

[Dodgylegs]

Enjoyed watching it... was wondering.... now how are they going to get back down, then the titles rolled!


Taking on a challenge can bring great benefits, although this kind of challenge is beyond me!


Well done Sheila Hancock 

[Islandplodder]

I saw it a couple of years ago at the cinema (well, the screen machine, a kind of cinema folded up in a lorry that travels round remote areas) and it was pretty spectacular on the bigger screen. My fear of heights kicked in when she got to the top, I was up there with her convinced I was about to fall off!

[pdstsp]

Eventually watched it last night with Mrs pdstsp,  I enjoyed it, though that was some crazy walk in!! Guess she climbed it from the south side for better light.  Mrs pdstsp loved it, though her fear of heights cut in a couple of times.

[Ridge]

Just watched. Nice, gentle Sunday afternoon viewing and stunning scenery.

[gunwharfman]

I know I'm being picky but I did notice when the 'expert' young man helped her to put her rucksack on he secured it around her waist.

[Ridge]

I know I'm being picky but I did notice when the 'expert' young man helped her to put her rucksack on he secured it around her waist.

Most of the time he only had 1 shoulder strap on when carrying his rucksack.

[gunwharfman]

And whenever I saw their rucksacks they reminded me of visiting Cotswold Outdoors to find that they were filled with paper to make them look good for me the viewing customer. I also noticed how light the rucksacks were in the film, I could never swing my rucksacks off my shoulder that easily as they did and certainly couldn't run with my rucksack on my back.

[fernman]

And whenever I saw their rucksacks they reminded me of visiting Cotswold Outdoors to find that they were filled with paper to make them look good for me the viewing customer. I also noticed how light the rucksacks were in the film, I could never swing my rucksacks off my shoulder that easily as they did and certainly couldn't run with my rucksack on my back.

The same as tv programmes such as those featuring Bear Grylls and cast, or Ed Stafford - have you noticed how the rucksacks always float on the surface of water? 

[April]

I watched it yesterday evening, it was ok ish. Nice scenery but it was a bit daft at times as others have said.

[windyrigg]

Gives me a mental picture of Keswick high street in summer, folks parading up and down in gear suitable for an attempt on a Himalayan summit with the polystyrene  filled haversack - oops sorry, should this be in the small rant thread ?