On the remote Siula Grande in Peru in June 1985, mountaineer Simon Yates found himself in a desperately unenviable position. He was slowly being pulled off the mountain face by his injured partner, Joe Simpson, dangling on the rope 50 metres below. His decision to cut the rope saved both their lives in the epic of survival that followed and with the publication of the book ‘Touching The Void’, later film and stage play, both climbers became household names.
It was an experience that could have put many off the sport of mountaineering – but not Simon. Over 35 years later, he is still a very active exploratory climber and guide, making several expeditions to the mountains each year. From the Arctic to the Antarctic, Alaska to Central Asia there is hardly a significant range that he has not visited.
Come along and witness Simon’s tireless journey from that mountain in Peru to some of the remotest on the planet and share with him the drama, excitement and beauty of modern, lightweight alpinism. Told with wit, dry humour and lavishly illustrated with images and film collected on his great climbs.
“Simon is a totally engaging speaker, who both entertains and inspires.”
This event is a fundraiser for Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team
Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team provides a vital life-saving, emergency search and rescue service across the whole of the Northumbria Police area. This vast and largely remote and unpopulated area encompasses all of Northumberland and Tyne & Wear and measures approximately 5,000 square kilometres.
Team members are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to help climbers in difficulty, assist lost walkers in the hills and ensure injured and sick casualties are given vital emergency care. In common with all mountain rescue teams in England and Wales, the team is made up entirely of volunteers who give of their time freely to train and respond to call outs without financial reward.
In order to continue to provide the on-going 24/7 emergency cover, the team relies on the generosity of donations from the public, companies and organisations.
