Shortly after Doug Scott returned from the successful 1975 Everest expedition, he agreed to visit the Oxfordshire school where I was working, to give two presentations – one in the afternoon for the youngsters, and one in the evening for the paying public. The school hall was packed to capacity on both occasions and he entertained both students and adults, tailoring his presentation to the different audiences.
During the break between his talks, we went to the home of a colleague and friend so that Doug could relax for a couple of hours. This friend had built his own house out of local Cotswold stone, and after he had had something to eat and drink, Doug announced that he needed some fresh air and exercise. Out we went – and watched in spellbound admiration as he free-climbed the first ascent of the vertical chimney, situated on the outside wall of the house, from base to pinnacle. Suitably stimulated, he was ready to face his evening audience.
He would have been delighted to know that Nepal and China agreed on the day after he died that the peak he summited in 1975 is actually a metre higher than we all thought.
