This photo must have been taken when Dick and I were about 16 or 17. It's on an easy climb somewhere in Borrowdale. I discovered the photo (taken with Dick's Kodak Pocket Instamatic), two days ago whilst visiting my father,

The photo is Dick leading. Unfortunately my thumb is half over the lens!

I think there is another photo from the same time of us on Ardus at SHepherd's Crag. Perhaps it will turn up sometime.

Note the "equipment" or lack of.

• EBs. They were pretty much the only rock boots available at the time and they weren't sticky rubber. Mine absolutely killed my toes!
• Woollen breeches. There was only the one brand of "trousers" that you could buy. (I actually bought a pair of "Rohan Super Striders" when they first came out - they were quite something back in thse days).
• Single 11mm rope - not particularly dynamic!
• The "Super Blue" self-tied sling withe spare ends secured with yellow sticky tape!
• Budget "Camp" karabiner... on the first piece of gear.
• No cams... they hadn't been invented.
• No helmet... they were really quite exotic back then.
• Wool/nylon "loopstitch" socks. The only other type were so-called Norwegian Rag Wool Socks.
• No gear on wire
• No quick draws
• Absolutely no chalk...

By todays standards we were quite under-dressed!