MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
A few years ago I was captivated by Richard Preston's book The Wild Trees. I've since stood under the Redwoods on the Pacific coast and gasped at their scale. I've no ambition to climb trees that tall, but for my 54th birthday, I've bought some half decent tree climbing kit and have some robust trees here at home I'd like to climb into, before I get too much older.
I have a qualified tree surgeon friend who is going to give me some instruction, but I'd like to hear from the tree climbers on here of their top safety tips. I've been working my way through The Climbing Arborist videos on YouTube. I've also taken time to watch 'Human's near misses and fall.
Grow a prehensile tail.
Quite handy for balance and grip it seems.
Place a trampoline at the bottom.
The old climbing saying back in the hemp rope days was "the leader never falls".
Learn to spot the difference between dead branches and live ones.
Always be attached, no matter how secure you feel amongst the branches.
Please be careful (not that you'd be reckless I'm sure) - a friend's 21yo son fell out of a tree last autumn and he's now paralysed from the neck down ☹️
Please go and do the entry level climbing qualifications, you will learn so much. Do not put a friend in such a position of liability, no matter how good they are, instructors are trained to teach, tree surgeons aren't. I will again as always recommend getting in touch with Chris Simpson at ITS (Informed Trees Services).
Rope in twice whenever you stop for a breather (two anchor points). Learn how your karabiners lock shut and check them twice every time. Three points of contact at any time whilst climbing. ie hand+hand+foot or hand+foot+foot. If in event of emergency hand+mouth+arse.
Its a privilege being up there. You'll love it. 😁
I don't know too much about tree climbing, but I'm pretty sure this should be tattooed on the inside of your eyelids:
Always be attached
The old climbing saying back in the hemp rope days was “the leader never falls”.
Aye, I started on hawser laid rope tied directly to the waist (on rock, not trees). Falling wasn't recommended.
If you thought mountain bikers were suckers for shiny colourful things, arbs are like heroin addicts looking for their next hit, total kit whores.
I don't climb, but I believe that if we have enough soil in the telehandler bucket, that it is the same as standing on the ground 😉
A lot of my family were lumberjacks back in the day,safety equipment was ,erm,sparce. They used Speelers (tree spikes) and ropes. My brother and I used to nick my Dad's Speelers and climb up for conkers, I still quite like checked shirts 😉
Time to spruce yourself up?
Always be attached
Along with, ‘watch that next step’
Look up Tree Fool on Youtube.
It’s quite a complex thing, tree climbing. Many take years to develop the skills.
You really need to start at the bottom and work your way up...
Don't fall off. Your welcome.
Don’t fall off
Falling won't hurt you. Landing will. The real trick is to make sure that you miss the ground
(see Arthur Dent for lessons)
Wonder why we get rubbish at climbing as we age. As a boy I was always up a tree, clambering up onto a high roof or balancing on the edges of road and rail bridges. Is it a case if becoming more scared, or getting less stupid? Shame really, I’d love to regrow those balls and have some adventures on tower cranes etc. It must all be in the mind. Assuming a level of fitness of course.
Knowing your history of building things, if there's ever been any sort of tree hoose up there make sure that ALL of the nails that held it up have been pulled out...