Television producer Richard Else gives an insight into the making of the To Hell and Back, a programme which follows climber Dave MacLeod on his landmark ascent of Hell's Lum.
"Yesterday was the scariest day of my life, and the end of the scariest ten days of my life. The impending lead of my 'Great Climb' project on Hell's Lum crag was hanging over me like a guillotine. It's the most dangerous lead I've ever done...falling off from the crux or above would have meant death. I just felt guilty for engaging with this undertaking in the first place. On a personal level it's OK – but it's not fair on everyone else for me to be walking around for ten days consumed in my own ugly world of fear, and blind to other people's needs."
Dave Macleod's blog, August 2007
This exceptionally difficult new route was originally going to be part of BBC Scotland's ambitious Great Climb project but back in August the weather had other ideas. But once the enormous amount of gear required for our outside broadcast had been packed away, a few of us stayed on to watch Dave MacLeod attempt his first ascent.
In over 20 years of making extreme adventure films - some of them in dangerous and demanding locations and with climbers pushing the limit - nothing had prepared me, or the rest of the crew, for what happened.
This is a psychological thriller - an intimate and frightening portrait of the consequences of one of the world's best climbers becoming obsessed with a new route in the heart of the Cairngorm mountains.
The film is a forensic investigation in the role not only played by Dave and his wife Claire, but also the rest of team. It relives the drama and tension hour by hour, move by move.
Richard Else is the executive producer of media company Tripleecho.
To Hell and Back was broadcast on BBC Two Scotland on 24 October 2007.
Page first published on Wednesday 17th October 2007
Page last updated on Monday 18th August 2008
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