Long Hope Route first repeat by James McHaffie and Ben Bransby
James McHaffie and Ben Bransby have made the first repeat of Long Hope Route, St John's Head, Hoy, Orkneys, Scotland.
41 years were needed from the first ascent by Ed Drummond and Oliver Hill to the first free ascent at the hands of Dave Macleod in 2011. And a mere 2 years were needed for the first repeat, carried out by James McHaffie and Ben Bransby on 25 May.
McHaffie travelled to Scotland last summer to repeat one of the hardest "trad" climbs in Great Britain and while at the time he succeeded in redpointing the crux pitch, he failed to repeat the entire route due to poor weather. Hence a second trip up north together with Ben Bransby and this quick repeat - just one fall from the crux before pulling the ropes and climbing it free. In Bransby's video you can clearly understand why MacLeod described this line as "bold, loose" and "absolutely what Scottish sea cliff climbing is about."
