The BBC will be broadcasting a five and a half hour live climbing marathon later without knowing whether the two climbers will be able to complete the overhanging cliff challenge on Harris in the Outer Hebrides.
Top climbers Dave Macleod and Tim Emmett have been practising and checking out routes on Sron Ulladale for weeks. Now the 55-strong production team is also on site and the BBC plans to broadcast the climb attempt live from 1:35 today (Sat 28 August) on BBC2 Scotland and from 5pm on the BBC HD channel as well as being streamed live on the internet. The programme will also be available on the BBC iPlayer soon after transmission.
The plans suffered a set back earlier this week during a practice session which went wrong. A breeze block-sized rock detached itself from the cliff and plunged down towards the climbers, hitting Dave Macleod on the angle and causing a 3cm deep gash which left his bone exposed. Five stitches and several days with his foot up later, Dave Macleod feels that he is in good enough shape to take part in the climb later today.
The climb will follow in the tradition set by Chris Bonnington’s filmed live ascent of the Old Man of Hoy in 1967 which transfixed the viewing public. Sron Ulladale is Britain’s highest overhanging cliff and the climb will be attempted in six pitches. Describing the route, Dave Macleod said, “I’m psyched about the challenge awaiting me. It’s the hardest rock climb in the Hebrides by a long way. There’s no room for error, we’ll have to be fast without making any mistakes at all.”