THE NORTH BRITISH DAILY MAIL

Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland

12 July 1899

(page 4)

PERSONAL NOTES,

According to Mr Alister [sic] Crowley, of the Scottish Mountaineering Club, there are not more than twenty men in this country who know the rudiments of mountain climbing, and hence it is that so many persons are killed in the attempt to negotiate Beachy Head. The height is only 550 feet, so that in one sense it is not by any means impressive, but the Head itself is composed of broken chalk, which obviously renders its steep face dangerous to any save the experienced. There are different climbs, the Devil's Chimney, Ethelreda's Pinnacle, the Cavern Climb, Pisgah from the West, Crowley's Climb, the Waterhouse, and various gullies.

About half-way up the total height of the Head there is a horizontal grass traverse or ledge of varying breadth. The roads that lead to it are various and, like the descent to Erebus, comparatively easy to begin with, but as the ledge is neared on the descent the face of the cliff grows precipitous, and the unaccustomed climber is glad to sit down and rest. Then the trouble begins. His heels no longer bite into the soft chalk, and he begins to slip. He may resume his journey or turn back, and it will be a lucky job for him it be can get safely through; or he may sit where he is and wait on the coastguardsmen to come and relieve him, which they will do to a certainty if they think him in danger; or he may go on struggling and slipping till the chalk gives way, and he is precipitated on to the beach, 300 feet below.