As you can see......it actually happened. The Night Climbers of Cambridge actually launched - on schedule. There's a couple more pictures (including a lame one of me) on the blog. More importantly though - you can now get your very own copy! without leaving the comfort of your armchair - will wonders never cease?

PinT, originally uploaded by Neorelix.

...and without ropes! The authorised 70th Anniversary Edition of The Night Climbers of Cambridge by Whipplesnaith is out now. Just like that; an idea six months ago and here it is in my hands - all shiny and new. I've sent out all the pre-orders so don't worry, it's in the capable hands of the Royal Mail...

Still can't quite believe it... Anyway, feel free to form an orderly queue here...

Imagine...
... climbing to the top of that. In evening dress. In 1937. The guy who did that (see picture below) got rusticated from university for doing the same but on King's Chapel a little later. Crazy. That chap is still alive and kicking at 90 and coming to the launch next week.

What launch you ask? Why, the launch for The Night Climbers of Cambridge by Whipplesnaith of course. 70 years after it was first published this bible of buildering and fore-runner of free running is about to hit the tiles once more.

“...while mountaineers are counted by the tens of thousands,
roof-climbers could scarcely be mustered by the dozen.”

Read all about the original here. Read about the preparations for the Anniversary Edition here. Get updates here. Pre-order your own copy here.

Tickets for the launch do at Heffers are free and available from the Trinity Street branch cash desk.

Not long now...

Still in the Pink...
...one of the original Night Climbers! This chap, innocently passing the time of day atop the Wedding Cake of New Court, St John's, will be attending the launch of NIght Climbers on the 26th - a week before his 90th birthday. Read more (and about his rustication for hanging King George VI) on the NC Blog.

As usual, here to be kept updated and here to pre-order your very own copy.

Cheers guys,

N

The Infamous Escape from M&S...

"Then out to street and looked over wall and saw it was hopeless. So back through door which I had luckily left open, and locked it on inside in case they had seen me. Then rushed into some lodgings and slap into screaming girls' bedroom. Apologized and told them to keep quiet and shot out again almost into the beam of the detectives' torches. Decided this was hopeless, so went into lodgings again up a flight of stairs into an empty room overlooking Sidney Street. Thought of dropping out as not many people about, but unfortunately an inspector was wandering about; also the drop was really excessive. So out again and saw that the guys with the torches had gone, so got across glass roof and then up about 4O-ft. pipe, which was tiring because absolutely smooth walls... sort of glazed bricks. At the top it seemed colossally public. I felt as though the whole town was looking until I saw every- thing going on quite normally below. There was a drop of 10ft. straight ahead on to roof of cinema, but I thought if I went down I could never get up again and there seemed to be no way off, so I went aloft higher by a ladder and walked over to where I saw the stairs below (fire escape); soon beat it down there and dropped off into passage, and walked away, which was rather an anti-climax. . . . I felt like a chase then!"

How uber-cool is this - go here, click on the magazine cover and go to p.12...

As usual, here for info, here for the blog here to pre-order your own copy and here to get (free) tickets to the launch party - but until they get the details on their site you can just call to get them sent to you on 01223 568568.