Blind climber Jesse Dufton leads ascent on Old Man of Hoy
The British paraclimber Jesse Dufton said he was the first blind climber to lead an ascent of the sea stack. …
A British paraclimber has spoken about leading an ascent on an iconic sea stack off the Scottish coast.
The 450ft Old Man of Hoy in Orkney has been scaled by blind people in the past, but Jesse Dufton is thought to be the first blind climber to lead an ascent.
The climber, from Loughborough, was born with approximately 20% of central vision, with large blind spots, but his sight has since deteriorated.
“When climbing, especially when I’m leading, when I’m the one going up first, it’s me in control, me setting the pace, taking all the decisions, being responsible for not only my safety but the safety of climbing partner,” he said.
“I think that’s quite a refreshing thing to have that ownership and responsibility.”
Video journalist: Harris Millar
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