slackline reviewed Wild Country by Mark Vallance
Review of 'Wild Country' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
I'd heard of Mark Vallance soon after I started climbing and encountered the magical Friends that supposedly made climbing cracks really safe as he was responsible for bringing them to the world rather than lingering in the kit bag of the engineer Ray Jardine who invented them.
But that was all I knew of him, that he had founded Wild Country to manufacturer and sell these amazing pieces of climbing equipment.
Picking this book up revealed a life of much greater breadth. From an introduction to climbing that many will find familiar on the gritstone edges of The Peak District, albeit a long time before the equipment his future company so successfully produced, Vallance was fortunate enough to have a traditional apprenticeship under the wing of one of the pioneers of the day (Jack Longland) and was quickly pushing standards. He eventually found himself spending time in the Antarctic where …
I'd heard of Mark Vallance soon after I started climbing and encountered the magical Friends that supposedly made climbing cracks really safe as he was responsible for bringing them to the world rather than lingering in the kit bag of the engineer Ray Jardine who invented them.
But that was all I knew of him, that he had founded Wild Country to manufacturer and sell these amazing pieces of climbing equipment.
Picking this book up revealed a life of much greater breadth. From an introduction to climbing that many will find familiar on the gritstone edges of The Peak District, albeit a long time before the equipment his future company so successfully produced, Vallance was fortunate enough to have a traditional apprenticeship under the wing of one of the pioneers of the day (Jack Longland) and was quickly pushing standards. He eventually found himself spending time in the Antarctic where ingenuity and self-reliance was further developed and put to good use on return whilst climbing widely and discovering the camming devices whilst climbing in the US.
The writing is honest and clear throughout, detailing the progression of the company he founded as well as the shops, the well renowned Outside climbing shop in Hathersage and its excellent cafe. He comes across as incredibly driven and motivated to succeed but fair and honest in how he conducted his business and treated his employees. Its clear that the title does not refer to just the device he manufactured and popularised.
It's unfortunate that he succumbed to the ravages of Parkinson's disease in 2018, but he remained stoic as the disease took away his ability to enjoy the activities he lived for, climbing The Old Man of Hoy and cycling the length of the country.
Aside from the legacy of the company he founded and the equipment it produced which revolutionised climbing Mark has left an engaging and well written insight into his life for others to enjoy.
