Old Man of Hoy - South and West Faces

Sea stacks are the maritime equivalent of desert towers: solitary, spectacular, and usually crumbling. Probably the most famous of them all, the Old Man of Hoy in the northern Scottish archipelago of Orkney, certainly embodies all three aspects. It cemented its place in history with the 1967 triple ascent, filmed and broadcast live by the BBC, shortly after the 1966 first ascent.

This is part of a poster trilogy showcasing all aspects of the sea stack. This one is of the South and West Faces, featuring the probably unrepeated Orkneyinga Saga (I highly suggest reading the terrifyingly entertaining account of the first ascent by John Arran) and the semi-classic South Face, part of the 1967 broadcast. The other two are the East Face and the North and West Faces.

Route List

1: GMB, E5 6a, Arran, Turnbull, 1997

2: Ancient Mariner, E2 5c, Jenkins, Strapcans, 1982

3: The Orkneyinga Saga, E6 6a, Arran, Turnbull, 1997

4: South Face, E2 5b, Brown, Davis, 1967

5: A Fistful of Dollars, E5 6a, Crew, Haston, 1967/Hamilton, Whillance, 1984