Best of BMC TV: Top five trad climbing films for lockdown

Posted by Emma Travers on 20/04/2020

Do you hear that? Nuts, cams and hexes chinking together to create the tune of tradventures out on rock. Okay, so the gear jingles may be faint echoes these days, but fear not, we're bringing them back. We've headed down into the BMC TV archives and pulled out our favourite trad climbing films to make up for this temporary trad absence. Sit back, relax and watch our top five picks:

Hard Rock: the life and climbs of Ken Wilson 🥾

This film is a 20-minute trad treat. A touching tribute that celebrates the life of Ken Wilson (1941 – 2016) and features never-seen-before interview footage with Ken describing just why he was so passionate about British trad climbing, reconstructions of his early climbing adventures, plus Steve McClure, Calum Muskett and Michaela Tracey climbing three iconic routes.

Climbing the Comici Route in the Dolomites with Niall Grimes ⛰️

You may have seen him most recently with a microphone in his hand interviewing the rockstars of climbing, but go further back in time and you could find Niall climbing in the gigantic playground that is the Dolomites. Watch the sofa you're sat on turn into the bivvy ledges of the Cima Grande and take in the views of this stunning multi-pitch climb as you jourmey along with Niall and Ben Winston on one of the greatest routes in the Alps.

First climbs: Libby Peter 👩‍👧‍👧

Libby Peter, mountain guide and author, takes her children climbing on the classic Equinox (VS 4c) at Bus Stop Quarry in North Wales. This short film makes the cut as it's packed full of info about the route and does a great job of showing the best ways of introducing smaller people to climbing.

Without a partner: Pete Whittaker ropes solos El Capitan in under 24 hours ⏱️

Rope Solo Free climbing is a sport that few people know about and even fewer people do. In 2016, Pete Whittaker became the first person to solo - all free - El Capitan in under 24 hours, finishing in 20 hours and 6 minutes. As the comments on YouTube show, what Andy Kirkpatrick foretells about Pete's feat stands proven even today: “The problem is if Pete pulled it off, nobody would even get it, nobody would understand how hard it was…and to do it in a day, is totally insane”. Find out for yourselves:

Go get some Gogarth climbing pysche 🌊

Is there anything better than a day spent out on sunny seacliffs? Perhaps spending it in Gogarth, the premier sea-cliff climbing destination in North Wales. In this short film Tom Livingstone, Ian Craigie and James Taylor sample the delights of some of best routes at Gogarth and nearby crags, discovering what makes it such an amazing place to climb.

Inspired? Check out our Trad Skills playlist to top up on your hitches, ropework and placements ready for when we're all back on the rock again, plus Sea-Cliff Climbing Skills have a playlist of their very own too on the BMC TV Channel.

Courses for indoor climbers making their first moves onto rock

Who are they for?

These courses are ideal for novice climbing club members, students, parents and individuals who may have had the odd taster of climbing outdoors and wish to gain key safety skills at an excellent price. They may also be a good precursor for people contemplating the Single Pitch Award training. You should already know how to put on a harness and belay. These courses are for people aged 18 or older.