In Search of Peaks, Passes and Glaciers

Description

Published by The Collins Press, Cork, Ireland, 2013, 1st Edition, D/w, Fine.   Frank Nugent, a mountaineer-explorer and member of the Alpine Club, with expeditions to Nepal, Tibet, South Georgia, Greenland and Iceland under his belt, notes that the achievements of Irish mountaineers from the 1850’s to the early twentieth century are largely obscured in British historical accounts and sets out to put that right.  The first ascents of the Eiger and Weisshorn and the first traverse of the Matterhorn from Italy were by Irish climbers. Among those profiled in this excellent history are John Ball, John Tyndall, Charles Barrington and somewhat less well-known Elizabeth Hawkins-Whitshed (later to become Mrs Main and then Mrs Le Blond), a pioneering woman mountaineer, one of the first to engage in winter Alpine climbing, author, mountain photographer and pioneer film-maker.  Short listed for the Boardman-Tasker Award 2014.