Wonderful memories of climbing with really great mates over the years Number 19.

Wonderful memories of climbing with really great mates over the years Number 19.

Our house was ideally situated, about 2 miles from Pex Hill. Another climber, Steve Foxley, lived around the corner from us. At the time, he was a bus driver and I was working at Blacks in Liverpool. We both had time off during the week, so we made the most of the quiet days and usually had the crags in Wales or the Lakes to ourselves.

Especially memorable were the days at Crafnant (Connie's Crack, Phoenix and Snowdrop), Llech Ddu (Great Arete and Great Corner), Scafell East Buttress (Ichabod and Lost Horizons) and Gogarth (Mammoth).

It was always guaranteed to be a hilarious day out with Steve (despite his slow driving, he'll probably blame it on his Lada). We'd inevitably finish off with a beer or two on the way home, I just had to keep an eye out for him taking off his watch and asking me to look after it for a couple of minutes. It never actually happened (I'm glad to say) but Jeffo had warned me.

North Stack, April 1983. Waiting for the tide to go out before doing "The Cad". Elaine is pissed off because I got done for speeding on the way there.

Phil Davidson, Steve Foxley and me at Pen Trwyn, 1983. Photo by Elaine Owen.

On the way to Scafell's East Buttress (an hour and a half walk) in 1984. Photo by Steve Foxley.

The magnificent corner of "Lost Horizons" at Scafell's East Buttress, 1984. Photo by Bob Wightman (from the book "Lakeland Rock").

At Kilnsey in 2010, Steve's bike. Photo by Pete Chadwick.