Renowned for his spiritual connection with wild places, one of my favourite mountaineer authors is W H Murray. Born in Scotland he pioneered many new routes in the pre war years. At the outbreak of war he signed up and found himself fighting in Africa. He was captured and spent several years in captivity where, despite being half starved and only having toilet paper to write on he wrote two books, Mountaineering in Scotland and Undiscovered Scotland. His first draft of the former was discovered by the Gestapo where upon it was destroyed in the belief it was a coded message. Not to be deterred, and drawing upon his mountaineering learned determination and resilience, he simply started again, hiding his manuscript in the back of his great coat.
The quote hints at his gentlemanly ways and the kinship of fellow mountaineers and a favourite pipe. After completing a traverse of the Cuillun Ridge on Skye...
"At ten-thirty p.m. we strolled into camp, exactly twenty-four hours after departure. Maitland and Higgins had proved friends indeed and a hot meal was waiting for us. This time, no earthly power, not even another Humble mystery tour, could have wooed me from supper, a quiet pipe, and that eiderdown sleeping-bag".
The quote hints at his gentlemanly ways and the kinship of fellow mountaineers and a favourite pipe. After completing a traverse of the Cuillun Ridge on Skye...
"At ten-thirty p.m. we strolled into camp, exactly twenty-four hours after departure. Maitland and Higgins had proved friends indeed and a hot meal was waiting for us. This time, no earthly power, not even another Humble mystery tour, could have wooed me from supper, a quiet pipe, and that eiderdown sleeping-bag".
