Audio stories: mountaineering

These interviews took place between April and November 2020. People featured on this page:

Photo credits

Gasherbrum II

Rhona Lampard recounts her expedition in 1989 to lead the first all-women’s team to climb Gasherbrum II, the 13th highest mountain in the world at 8,034 metres, in the Karakoram range of the Himalaya.

Gasherbrum II: the plan
Gasherbrum II: the preparation
Gasherbrum II: the journey in
Gasherbrum II: the climb
My sort of climbing
 

Kulu and Jagdula

Jo Scarr recalls the 1961 Kulu and Jagdula expeditions, Indian Himalaya

Getting sponsorship and choosing the teams
The Kulu expedition: where to go? The journey there
The Kulu expedition: climbing, surveying and teaching
The Jagdula expedition
On writing Four Miles High
 

Annapurna IV

Jill Croskell recounts the challenges while climbing Annapurna IV

Adventures on Annapurna IV
Reflecting on the expedition
The challenges of high altitude toileting

Lahaul

Jean Drummond on the 1980 PC expedition to Lahaul, Himal Pradesh, India

Idyllic basecamp in the Miyar Nala
An unexpected bivvy
 

Pakistan

Sally Macintyre recalls the Naltar Valley, Pakistan, in 1986; Margaret Clennett remembers her first trip to Hunza, and Annabelle Barker recalls walking in the footsteps of Tilman

Sally: adventures in the Naltar Valley
Sally: an advantage of women-only trips in Pakistan
 
Margaret: first trip to Hunza
Annabelle: In the footsteps of Tilman
 

Tibet

Annabelle Barker and Margaret Clennett remember their expedition to Tibet

Annabelle: nightmare in Tibet
Margaret: Not according to plan
 

Nepal

Hilary Lawrenson recalls trekking in Langtang

Trekking in Langtang
 

Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan

Chris Watkins has adventures in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan

Across the Tien Shan on horseback
Arrest in Kyrgystan
 

Greenland

Denise Evans and Margaret Clennett have very different experiences

Denise: first ascent of Mount Atter, 1956
Margaret: wet in Greenland
 


Photo credits

(where known)

Chris Watkins - Shirley Potts
Denise Evans - John Cleare
Hilary Lawrenson - Jessie Leong
Jill Croskell - Nikki Smith
Jo Scarr - Adele Long
Margaret Clennett - Pete Stokes
Rhona Lampard - Adele Long

My sort of climbing