War and Peace — Episode 3: The Alpinist

Rock climbing was once seen as an anti-establishment pursuit, a place outside of the mainstream, that held a strong draw for colourful and individualistic personalities, often with strong opinions.

In episode 3 of War and Peace, Alpinist and award-winning author, Nick Bullock, clearly flirts with that image. Nick and Mick Lovatt get to the end of pitch 10 and the end of day one on their repeat attempt of the route that gives this series its title.

*****

Originally graded E5, this epic 16-pitch traverse across Craig Dorys, on loose and friable rock, was first climbed by Pat Littlejohn and Steve Sustad in 1997 over two-and-a-half days, with 20 hours of climbing time.

The Llŷn Peninsula guidebook quotes Pat, saying: "It would go well in two days with a bivvy, a one-day ascent would be very impressive, as it's the sort of ground you can't rush."

Twenty-four years later in 2021, seasoned Dorys climbers, Nick Bullock and Mick Lovatt, took on the challenge of attempting to make the second ascent. Paul Diffley and Ray Wood followed their progress. This documentary is as much a character study, highlighting the depth of a strong climbing team, as a record of the climb.