Risk and the High Desert.

More years ago than I care to remember I made a transition from scrambling to rock climbing. My family's reaction was of amused disbelief: I was the six year old terrified to climb the local slide. I soon discovered that I enjoyed the challenge immensely despite finding it neither easy nor comfortable. A group of six of us mid teenagers were well taught , completely free, by the brother of a Boys' Brigade officer over a period of about three months on most Sundays at a very local crag called the Roaches.

Gradually people dropped (curiously upsetting verb!) out and in the end just two of us continued. One Sunday we were making arrangements for the following week when Pat, our informal tutor, said he wouldn't be coming but that we were ready and safe to go ourselves. What followed was the fantastic excitement of three years exploring the Peak District, North Wales but mostly our own capabilities and limitations.
Would this happen now? I doubt it. The many issues with risk would be the major factor I suppose. The "instructor" wasn't accredited, there was no signature on a waiver form, and bizarrely Pat's amateur and status and his refusal to accept payment would bring up child protection issues. If we'd have had to have paid, there's no way I could have done this.

These days we have Adventure Centres falling over themselves to provide safe and fun tasters of everything from caving in unlit concrete sewer pipes (That really pushed my comfort a few years ago) to high rope traverses. All done completely risk free under the expertly enthusiastic supervision of a great role model. While I'm not decrying these great institutions for getting kids out and active, I question the "Adventure" word. Surely the key concept in any adventure is the unknown and the way we cope with it? I was saddened to hear of the death of people on Everest recently but, really, is the 8,000m queue to the summit adventure or tourism?

Later in life I questioned Mum about the encouragement to climb, about Dad buying my first motorbike at 18 and the unquestioned approval of scuba diving a bit later. She replied that I always managed to do dangerous things safely. Consequently I've had a life full of adventure ranging from the high risk activity of acapella performance singing, through solo scuba diving (please don't tell BSAC) to year round sea swimming. There's a huge delight to be had in flouting conventional ideas of "safe" activities! I'm absolutely not advocating foolhardiness, but what I am endorsing is the self reliance that only comes from intelligent preparation and the use of risk assessment techniques.

One of my all time favourite people is Alex Honnold and if you haven't seen the film Free Solo then find it immediately and do so.
Trailer from Nat Geo

But please don't,  DON'T, emulate him in free climbing without his assiduous training, his vast experience and his meticulous planning. He's totally alone in the highest desert you can imagine and has the time of his life and the look of sheer and pure joy that is occasionally captured by film teams always gets me tearful. I'm encouraging you to find your own adventures, encourage your children to find theirs, prepare them to plan and get out there. There's still lots of adventures to be had!