Gaping Gill: Documentary of the First Free Climb

[bagpuss]

Link to our Jingling/Peak film:

Hi Matt, I can't seem to get the video to work, do you have a link to it?

 

[JackH]

I had a proper look at attempting to make this film (using Dave MacLeod and his friend Alan Cassidy) in 2014!? ... Best of luck with it!

To clarify... the film we were planning to make was about an ascent of GG Rider, which is clearly a more 'adventure/action' based film than your project @JackH, which clearly has a wider focus on the narrative surrounding Molly. Felt it was worth correcting to avoid being reductionist!

No you're absolutely right there. The window of opportunity to get it done must be very small, especially as, for us, we will likely be relying on the support of the Bradford/Craven winch teams and their associated dates, after preliminary conversations with those guys they've certainly been very accommodating! If I was doing this with 'work' it almost certainly wouldn't be viable!

I think you’re right on the second point too. The film doesn’t hinge on the climb being a success, it’d be nice, sure, but it’s by no means a done deal. I’m hoping the jeopardy adds something to it. These guys are some of the best climbers in the world… but they could still get turned away on the day. For me it's a good representation of why any of us climb things or squeeze down caves in the first place, It’s not about completing it necessarily but testing yourself while you try!

I've watched your film and loved it. Ian P from the Craven Pothole club put me on to it, a great watch!

 

[Matt]

Hi Matt, I can't seem to get the video to work, do you have a link to it?

 

[HardenClimber3]

I had a proper look at attempting to make this film (using Dave MacLeod and his friend Alan Cassidy) in 2014!? I had involvement with Triple Echo at the time, and so took Richard Else and Brian Hall into main chamber via BPC winch (I’m a BPC member) to look at the route. Our verdict was that it would almost certainly need to be undertaken with the dams in place, unless there was a period of exceptionally dry and predictable weather, to make it climable, in addition to the challenges of filming in the waterfall. We did a costing, which included building the dams with BPC support (assuming permission could be gained from the Estate) off ‘winch meet time’, and had some long debates about lighting options and vertical dolly shots. In the end we decided that there were too many variables within the budget that were unpredictable, and so made the film in Jingling Pot and Peak Cavern instead! It’s on YouTube if anyone is interested. Many people would agree (I think!?) that it would make a great film; my belief is that the challenges involved in making it are not necessarily the climb or the technical production, but the risk associated with the financial cost of ‘creating’ (or waiting for) the weather window and the associated logistics. If you can somehow resolve that issue by having cast and crew (and BPC/CPC support) on standby I think that would present an opportunity. Best of luck with it!

I suspect that if you need the lower dam then it will be too wet....more water seems to.be coming through bedding planes etc now compared with ? 10 years ago. I don't think recreating Birkbecks trench is an option unless we are going full Werner Herzog....(Fitzcarraldo etc).

 

[alanw]

I suspect that if you need the lower dam then it will be too wet....more water seems to.be coming through bedding planes etc now compared with ? 10 years ago.

There are lots of sinks in the bed of Fell Beck. Some, at least, lead to the passage which becomes the waterfall in Spout Tunnel, which enters the Dihedral shaft 10? metres below the entrance, i.e. away from the main shaft.

Spout Tunnel survey

At the start of this year's winch meet, Fell Beck was incredibly dry. The last week, however was so wet both dams were overtopped and at times winching had to be suspended.

Here's a photo of Fell Beck this year before the dams went in.

 

[Alex]

Maybe one day someone should dig the sink out, would make an interesting trip to drop down Jib tunnel from there.

 

[alanw]

Maybe one day someone should dig the sink out, would make an interesting trip to drop down Jib tunnel from there.

The sinks are generally no more than centimetres wide. I've stuck my head into one larger one, but my shoulders wouldn't fit. Note that the survey I linked to shows the passages closing down.

 

[HardenClimber3]

There are lots of sinks in the bed of Fell Beck. Some, at least, lead to the passage which becomes the waterfall in Spout Tunnel, which enters the Dihedral shaft 10? metres below the entrance, i.e. away from the main shaft.

Spout Tunnel survey

At the start of this year's winch meet, Fell Beck was incredibly dry. The last week, however was so wet both dams were overtopped and at times winching had to be suspended.

Here's a photo of Fell Beck this year before the dams went in.

View attachment 24493

The point I was making was that by the time the water reaches the lower dam there is quite a bit already making its way through to the main shaft. Yes, some of the sinks lead to Spout Tunnel, some to Rathole etc but a fair bit makes it way to the main shaft (that is certainly what we see at the CPC meet, where we usually encounter more rain than the BPC meet (not this year!). I do wonder, from the climb point of view whether the dams are an unnecessary distraction.

 

[andrewmcleod]

So what you really want is to either shotcrete the entire river bed for 100m+, or dam much further upstream and pipe the flow down into Rat Hole
Might be a bit tricky...
(also it's fun that the current Google satellite maps shows a winch meet in full progress with tent city and the dam!)
You'd probably be better off trying to redirect the flow at the top of Spout waterfall instead; build some sort of water collecting dam and then pipe the flow down (instead of needing a 80m, you could probably play around with a pipe with carefully designed end to reduce turbulence sending water out at funny directions. Possibly some sort of aerator would (counterintuitively) help by reducing the amount of 'kick' a bit of water can get from the edge of the pipe, or (much easier) just dangle a bunch of short ropes from the end of the pipe which will cause the water to follow them (actually I wonder if I'm onto something here - the patented 'Pitch Spray Reducing Hose' will be available in all good caving shops in just a few years!).

All of the above totally unrealistic of course

 

[alanw]

I do wonder, from the climb point of view whether the dams are an unnecessary distraction.

I agree. At its driest, the dams make no difference at all.

 

[langcliffe]

You'd probably be better off trying to redirect the flow at the top of Spout waterfall instead; build some sort of water collecting dam and then pipe the flow down (instead of needing a 80m, you could probably play around with a pipe with carefully designed end to reduce turbulence sending water out at funny directions. Possibly some sort of aerator would (counterintuitively) help by reducing the amount of 'kick' a bit of water can get from the edge of the pipe, or (much easier) just dangle a bunch of short ropes from the end of the pipe which will cause the water to follow them (actually I wonder if I'm onto something here - the patented 'Pitch Spray Reducing Hose' will be available in all good caving shops in just a few years!).

All of the above totally unrealistic of course

I'm not sure that the Spout Tunnel water affects the GG Rider route.

 

[alanw]

So what you really want is to either shotcrete the entire river bed for 100m+ or dam much further upstream

Birkbeck dug a 1km trench from a point well up Fell Beck, just below Sware Gill Syke to divert the water down Grange Rigg. The trench can still just be seen as a light, pinkish line of mossy vegetation.

 

[alanw]

A couple more comments:

Here's a link to a short document: The Stream-Bed Of Fell Beck Above Gaping Ghyll by Harold Brodrick.

Regarding Andrew's pipe suggestion, why not add a Pelton wheel and an alternator at the end to power the lighting in the Main Chamber?

 

[Stevefromleicester]

Hello, new here and I come with my begging bowl...

I'm working on a documentary film about the first free climb of Gaping Gill main shaft by Paul Eastwood and Dave Hetherington completed in 1988. I know, on this forum of all places, I don't need to list Gaping Gill's stats ut I was struck by how understated the climb was. Given the impressive location, the fact that it's been almost 40 years since it was completed and, unless anyone here can tell me otherwise, I don't believe it's been repeated since - it seems crazy that more isn't know about the climb.

The film will follow the historic climb, look at the environment of Gaping Gill and see two new climbers attempt the route in 2026, Steve McClure and Olympian Molly Thompson-Smith.

Rather than being a flashy and overly produced film about the repeated attempt, this will be a film about adventure and with Molly on board, a person who is finding enjoyment in climbing and exploring for it's own sake, in contrast to pursuing medals and competition wins.

The caving and climbing communities have been so helpful already and many people (i'm sure some on this forum) have offered advice and assistance where they can.

For my day job I work as a producer at Channel 4, specialising in camera work and lighting. This project is a personal project, but hopefully my profession can show that the film will be made to a high quality! To keep the film editorially independent the funding needs to be independent too and so I've started a crowdfunder page, the link is below.

I'd really appreciate it if anyone is able to support, either directly or by sharing the link with your wider network.

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/beerbottle

I'll leave you with a few stills from the footage already shot, much more to come!

Thanks in advance and any questions, i'll be happy to answer here.

View attachment 24396
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View attachment 24399

 

[Stevefromleicester]

Hello, new here and I come with my begging bowl...

I'm working on a documentary film about the first free climb of Gaping Gill main shaft by Paul Eastwood and Dave Hetherington completed in 1988. I know, on this forum of all places, I don't need to list Gaping Gill's stats ut I was struck by how understated the climb was. Given the impressive location, the fact that it's been almost 40 years since it was completed and, unless anyone here can tell me otherwise, I don't believe it's been repeated since - it seems crazy that more isn't know about the climb.

The film will follow the historic climb, look at the environment of Gaping Gill and see two new climbers attempt the route in 2026, Steve McClure and Olympian Molly Thompson-Smith.

Rather than being a flashy and overly produced film about the repeated attempt, this will be a film about adventure and with Molly on board, a person who is finding enjoyment in climbing and exploring for it's own sake, in contrast to pursuing medals and competition wins.

The caving and climbing communities have been so helpful already and many people (i'm sure some on this forum) have offered advice and assistance where they can.

For my day job I work as a producer at Channel 4, specialising in camera work and lighting. This project is a personal project, but hopefully my profession can show that the film will be made to a high quality! To keep the film editorially independent the funding needs to be independent too and so I've started a crowdfunder page, the link is below.

I'd really appreciate it if anyone is able to support, either directly or by sharing the link with your wider network.

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/beerbottle

I'll leave you with a few stills from the footage already shot, much more to come!

Thanks in advance and any questions, i'll be happy to answer here.

View attachment 24396
View attachment 24398
View attachment 24397
View attachment 24400
View attachment 24399

 

[Stevefromleicester]

Proud to say I believe Paul and Dave were Aston Uni speleo Soc members, I was secretary for a few years and I remember being impressed at that achievement, and I still am impressed.
Aston Uni speleo soc vanished years ago but I have resurrected Aston Speleo Society and we do a few mines in North Wales, meeting up twice yearly.

 

[JackH]

Hello, new here and I come with my begging bowl...

I'm working on a documentary film about the first free climb of Gaping Gill main shaft by Paul Eastwood and Dave Hetherington completed in 1988. I know, on this forum of all places, I don't need to list Gaping Gill's stats ut I was struck by how understated the climb was. Given the impressive location, the fact that it's been almost 40 years since it was completed and, unless anyone here can tell me otherwise, I don't believe it's been repeated since - it seems crazy that more isn't know about the climb.

The film will follow the historic climb, look at the environment of Gaping Gill and see two new climbers attempt the route in 2026, Steve McClure and Olympian Molly Thompson-Smith.

Rather than being a flashy and overly produced film about the repeated attempt, this will be a film about adventure and with Molly on board, a person who is finding enjoyment in climbing and exploring for it's own sake, in contrast to pursuing medals and competition wins.

The caving and climbing communities have been so helpful already and many people (i'm sure some on this forum) have offered advice and assistance where they can.

For my day job I work as a producer at Channel 4, specialising in camera work and lighting. This project is a personal project, but hopefully my profession can show that the film will be made to a high quality! To keep the film editorially independent the funding needs to be independent too and so I've started a crowdfunder page, the link is below.

I'd really appreciate it if anyone is able to support, either directly or by sharing the link with your wider network.

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/insidethemountain

I'll leave you with a few stills from the footage already shot, much more to come!

Thanks in advance and any questions, i'll be happy to answer here

Just a message if anyone finds this post at a later date that the webpage for the crowdfunder has changed and is now - https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/insidethemountain

Thanks!

 

[Cantclimbtom]

Just a message if anyone finds this post at a later date that the webpage for the crowdfunder has changed and is now - https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/insidethemountain

Thanks!

Did you post about this on UKC as well? Or is fundraising against their rules? https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/

 

[JackH]

Did you post about this on UKC as well? Or is fundraising against their rules? https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/

An article has just gone off to them actually, fingers crossed it should be live soon.