For the last few months Dave MacLeod and Tim Emmett have been preparing for a first ascent on the Scottish cliff of Sron Ulladail on the Isle of Harris. This would be a difficult endeavour under any circumstances but just to add to the challenge, Dave and Tim will also have the BBC filming them and broadcasting live as they climb.

Sron Ulladale is the biggest piece of overhanging rock in the UK. It is over 200m high and overhangs by 45 meters. Dave has been looking at a line on the cliff for the last few months and estimates that the grade of the line he’s decided on could well be E8 or potentially harder! It apparently reminds him of Kalea Borroka – an 8b+ sports climb at Siurana in Spain.

As if the weather, the climbing and a film crew don’t make an attempt on Sron Ulladail difficult enough, on Monday this week, whilst descending the wall, Dave managed to pull a flake from the wall straight onto his ankle. He’s needed five stitches but maintains on his blog ‘A few stitches in one’s ankle shouldn’t bother one’s ability to climb a five pitch E8 on live telly, should it?’ Watch him and Tim live this Saturday August 28th and find out.

Broadcast times:

Saturday 28th August:
BBC2 Scotland and Sky channel 990 1.30pm-7pm
BBC HD channel 5pm-7pm
Streamed live on the BBC website
Available for viewing on BBC iplayer

To see a trailer for ‘The Great Climb’ visit BBC Scotland.

To read more about Dave and Tim’s attempt visit Dave MacLeod’s Blog