Brit Rock 2024

It was a busy week, but I was going to make it even busier! I noticed the Brit Rock Film tour was doing Neuadd Ogwen on Thursday, and I knew I wouldn't be able to run anyway. Might as well seize this opportunity! I dropped Charlotte a line to see if she was up for it too, but she was otherwise engaged. Two years ago we had gone with a bunch of ladies from the climbing club. Last year I hadn't gone; I seem to remember I had something else on that day. And it's not as if I still climb; the last time was 2.5 years ago, but still; why not watch other people do it?

You don't go to Brit Rock for the interesting storylines! It tends to boil down to "some people manage a hard climb in spite of some particular odd stacked against them". And so it was this year! But the landscape photography is always amazing.

The first film, Freja’s back, was about a young woman who had fallen during a climb, broken her back, and now would be climbing something difficult only six months later. I suppose there was a bit of moral in the story; sometimes you just are the final authority on your body. Of course she succeeded in her climb, and of course it was hard.

Watching Freya’s Back

The second film, Climbing Blind II, probably doesn't even need a synopsis. Blind bloke lead-climbs something very difficult, after an earlier film had been made about him lead-climbing something else very difficult. This film actually made me laugh quite a lot! The blind bloke, Jesse, is really quite vocal when he pushes himself to the limit. There is a lot of grunting and swearing and straining. And it is even funnier when you contrast that with the unbreakable serenity of his wife who is also his belayer. Of course he succeeds in his climb, and of course it was hard.

Then the last film! Nose Job. It's about two young British lads who have just retired from competitive bouldering, and who decide they are just going to do the nose of el Capitan in Yosemite. I suppose everyone who reads that premise thinks "one does not just do the nose of El Capitan". And there are several people in the film who indeed express that exact sentiment. But the lads give it a go anyway, which involves two very wet and miserable nights on a portaledge (and also some less miserable nights on the crag) and they deserve that; who goes climbing el Capitan without having tried out their portaledge on a more forgiving crag first? But credit where credit is due; they actually succeed in this climb. But it is hard.

It was a nice night out! Maybe again next year?