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E mail from Les Morris
Geordie Skelton, a few memories
I decided to join a mountaineering club as I made the jump from hill walking to rock climbing. Having done my first climb solo in army boots ( Craig Leith central gully,
visible from my house in Sauchie) I thought I needed some help & companionship.
I found both, and more in the OMC, which I joined in January 1970.
I went out adventuring with Robert Jeffries at first as well as John Cornwall & Eddie Fowler & John Jewel. My first meet was at Glen Feshie in April.My logbook shows that I first climbed with Geordie at Polldubh in September & our first winter route on the Ben in December of that year. We resumed climbing together in September 1971 when I came back from Loughborough. We hit the Etive slabs, Polldubh including the FA of
“ Mari Celeste”, Craig Dubh( Newtonmore) & Craig y Barns. We even did the occasional Munro, usually in dire weather. That winter Geordie continued work on
Beinn Udlaidh (Geordie had previously did the FA of the South Gully of the Black Wall
with Tam Low).We also had a bizarre weekend at Sgoran Dubh More in Glen Einich.
When we arrived, there was a decent amount of snow but the wind was so strong we could only get one Vango to stay up. So we had quite a cosy if cramped night.
In the morning the evidence of a huge thaw was everywhere. Undaunted, Geordie made an attempt on Pinnacle Rib which resulted in an abandoned peg.
We had a bit more success on Beinn Udlaidh, although on one particular day ( 20 Feb 1972) we attempted & failed to complete 3 new routes inside 4 hours, possibly a record.
This was compensated for by a rare fabulous day on Lochnagar on Black Spout Buttress.
In July 1972 some of the Ochils M.C. went to Norway, firstly to Romsdal where we enjoyed quite a few successful routes & summits, including taking one alleged non-climber up the Romsdalhorn North Wall. On the descent we enjoyed a memorable Brocken spectre.
In the Jotenheim area we also enjoyed some classic ascents & rare good weather.
The good weather followed us back to Scotland where we did Pinnacle Face on Lochnagar & Swastika & Swastika direct & The Pause on the Etive slabs.
On a visit to Red Craig,Geordie eliminated the aid move on Special Brew.
The 1972/3 winter was mild & variable, the highlight being Deep Cut Chimney on
Stob Coire Nam Beith ( Grade IV’s were regarded as hard in those days)
A quick transition saw us back to the traditional crags. We had an entertaining time on Grasshopper on the Etive slabs( now graded 5cE2) We both knew not to be the last man down the descent pitch( there was another pair on another rope) as there was a then unprotected slide down a groove.
We had an outing to the Dolomites in July, but Geordie was well into his impoverished student phase & was hitching with Ian Vause, so we did not climb together, rather as a
group. I am fairly sure that the last climb we did together was Guinness on Red Craig.
I then moved to England & later much further away, so that was the end of a fascinating time. I last met Geordie in August 1976 at the campsite above Bosigran.
One thing which a few members may recall was the rather infamous Morris (?) van.
We were leaving the pub at Tyndrum one night on the way back to the cottage, having stopped for one beer. We were in our own car but saw Geordie being pulled over & breathalysed by the Police (he passed) & as we later drove behind him, we guessed the possible cause of the stop. Not only did the van look disreputable, there was a fault on the brake/clutch shaft. On applying the clutch, the brake lights came on, making the driving look very erratic. On another evening we were going to the Cairngorms. He had a one gallon tin of red lead paint to effect some touch ups. When we stopped near Colymbridge at the roadside to doss in a semi ruin, the tin tipped, the top came off & the paint went everywhere & percolated through the various holes onto the road. We cleaned up as best as we could, then went to bed down. Some time later, we heard a real commotion outside. We thought we would be moved on by the Police, but another car had stopped & mistook the paint for pools of blood. There was a fair amount of hilarity but in the light of morning, we realised that it did look as if a massacre had taken place.
In another hilarious episode, whilst we were all camped in Glen Nevis, Geordie came to us shaking with laughter. He had been having a post breakfast chat with T.L. who had solemnly informed him that “these tea bags are great, they hold just the right amount for a brew. Yes, he had been cutting of the tops before tipping in the water.
So there you have a small fragment in the life of Geordie Skelton as I knew him.
I believe he subsequently became an inspirational figure to many people, which would be fully in character with Geordie as I fondly knew and remembered him.
Les Morris
Ibiza
02/02/2012
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