Top five trad climbing films to inspire you this summer

Rock Climbing
02 Jul
3 min read

Grab a brew, get comfy and enjoy our top five trad climbing films from the BMC TV channel to inspire your next tradventure...

It's a harsh fact of life here in Britain: even the arrival of summer doesn't necessarily mean good weather. We all know that under most circumstances, climbing damp rock is best avoided, so what do you do when the crag is calling but the 'great' British forecast isn't looking so fun? Before you book yourself a flight to Spain, why not embrace the duvet day with a quality film?

Prepare to be inspired by five of our favourite trad climbing films from the BMC TV channel - sunshine's just around the corner, honest!

1. The Last Forgotten Art

Is crack climbing the Last Forgotten Art? Perhaps there are certain artistic aspects when learning how to contort yourself, on rock so steep you are practically upside down in cracks that are perfectly sized to take a hand jam, in rock that’s so sharp it’s like climbing a sharp, pebble-dashed crevice. Jessie Leong's 2023 ode to one of trad's more esoteric disciplines was Shortlisted for the BMC TV Women in Adventure Film Competition 2023.

2. Hard Rock: the life and climbs of Ken Wilson

A classic - celebrating the life of Ken Wilson (1941 – 2016), BMC TV teamed up with Hot Aches Productions to release this touching tribute. Featuring 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, this film is a 20-minute trad treat.

3. Blind climber Jesse Dufton climbs Forked Lightning Crack (E2 5c), Heptonstall

Stars of Climbing Blind Jesse and Molly Dufton are back at it again, with Jesse upping his game and setting his (non)-sight on the stunning Forked Lightning Crack (E2 5c), a classic Don Whillans route on Yorkshire Grit. The GB Paraclimber teamed up once again with award-winning filmmaker Alastair Lee to storm his way up this striking zig-zag crack. Is this perhaps the best grit crack in the UK?

4. 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.

5. The Big Bang: The Emma Twyford Story

When Emma Twyford powered, crimped and screamed her way to the top of The Big Bang at Lower Pen Trwyn, she ended a three-year battle and entered British climbing’s history books as the first British woman to break the 9a barrier. This 30-minute film by filmmaker David Petts is her story. It follows Emma Twyford's three-year battle to climb The Big Bang at Lower Pen Trwyn in North Wales. Prepare to get psyched!

Inspired?

Check out our Trad Skills playlist to top up on your hitches, ropework and placements, plus Sea-Cliff Climbing Skills have a playlist of their very own too on the BMC TV Channel.

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