Description: "Mountain Venture"

The film opens with the British Deaf Association emblem on the blue background and the title above. The second piece of text reads “In this film young deaf people are seen adventuring among the crags, fells and lakes of Cumberland. Skilled leaders show them how to go mountaineering with care. This out-of-doors holiday course was held by the British Deaf and Dumb Association at the County Youth Centre in Keswick, August, 1960, by courtesy of Cumberland County Council Education Committee. The B.D.D.A is grateful to the committee for the services of Charlie Wilson, Assistant to the further education and youth officer. He organised the instruction, provided equipment and made this film”.

“First Arrivals”

The opening shots are of a Lakeland landscape, fells in the distance and a farmhouse building, a sign reads the ‘County Youth Centre’. A man walks down a pathway to meet and greet the attendees whom are arriving on the roadside in front. It is a lovely sunny day.

“Deaf campers nearby join up for the week-end”.

The attendees arrive by car and on foot and they are welcomed by the man who signs to the attendees.

“Councillor Miss J.E. Macinnes, (who had a great deal to do with it all) looks in to welcome students”.

The councillor is seen welcoming the students and showing them up the path.

“Rock climbing. First day on Shepherds Crag”

Impressive shots of the scenery and intrepid students rock climbing up some really steep hills. An instructor signs to them from the top as he holds the guide ropes. The following view point is looking down on the students climbing up which is a great perspective. They all smile when they get near to the camera.

“Fell-walking ascent of Helvellyn by Grisedale Track”

The students are dressed in wet weather and walking gear and can be seen from various view points along the way. The scenery is beautiful and the weather also providing some atmosphere; sunny on one hand, with dark atmospheric clouds appearing and then mist coming in.

“Lunch beside The Gap in the Wall”

Students and the teacher are eating their sandwiches whilst sitting on a grass and rocky bank. They look as though they are signing along to a song. The weather seems to have turned to rain and they are getting wet, some lovely shots of the low cloud over the hills.

“Up into the mists of Striding Edge and Helvellyn”

Interesting shots of the students in the mist and the rain walking across the rocky crags, the weather and visibility is really poor. Finally they have made it to the top, and they celebrate all together.

“Rock-climbing, Fell-walking- and now canoeing on Derwentwater”

Scenes of the students watching the tutor speaking instructions; to start with a man is standing next to him signing the instructions to the students. The students can then be seen getting into the canoes and trying it out for themselves, one student almost rolls the canoe.

“Rafting, for further instruction”

The students are positioned in a long line in their canoes on the lake. They are holding onto each other’s hands. The scenery behind the hills is beautiful and shrouded in misty cloud.

“A better day for a return to rock-climbing in Borrowdale”

A beautiful sunny day with stunning views of Borrowdale in the distance, this is followed by scenes of the students climbing up the rockface. You can really appreciate how high up they are as below in the distance a track can be seen.

“Abseiling or roping down”

Students are sitting at the top of the rock face, one student is having a rope tied around him in preparation for an abseil; he can then be seen heading down the rock face with the rope around him as some other students are climbing up.

“On top of Shepherd’s Crag”

A collection of some of the students are standing and lying over the top of the crag with various bits of rope around them signing to each other; stunning views in the background.

“Little Chamonix climb – graded very difficult”

Scenes of the two men, tutors for the group climbing up a very difficult looking rockface to start with, making sure the guide ropes are in place. The students follow hesitantly, it looks like a hard climb. The tutor then signs instructions from the top and the first student makes it to the the top. Happy scenes between students and tutors when he makes it as that is difficult task when you are unable to communicate through sign language as you are holding onto a rope. Again there are some gorgeous scenic views from the top.

“Day darkens as the party moves on to ‘Woden’s Face’ to climb or watch”.

Students and families are sitting under an overhang on the path looking up to a very tall rock face in the distance. A number of students can be seen, in little detail, climbing up the rockface as the onlookers watch. The camera follows the action.

“Down to earth again – at the end of the day and the end of the week”

Now the students are abseiling down the rockface, some more pensive than others.

The final card lists the following names: “Instructors – P.Muscroft, D.H.Beattie, R. Brame, F. Crosby, T.P. Loftus, I.Carr, R. Scott, F. Rushton, I. Smeaton, R. Denton, P. Graham, J. Douglas, D. Greenup, Miss N.E.Smith, The Late Paddy Malloy. Hostel Wardens – Mr and Mrs T. McCambridge. Fell-Walk Leaders – Mr and Mrs W. Burt, I. Anderson, Miss E.Armstrong, D.Pattinson, L.Wicks. Interpreters – A.Spencer, J.Hutchinson. Chaplain – Rev. T.H. Sutcliffe. Organiser – A.B. Hayhurst”