CHANGING SEASONS
the horizon, but for many these have been kept out of reach as loopholes and technicalities hampered access to the schemes. Universal Credit is certainly not a system optimised to cater for the self-employed and for those (un)lucky enough to find themselves eligible for support – it has become a matter of keeping one’s head above the water and riding out the waves until the money comes through. Adaptability is key for any caged climber or manacled mountaineer on lockdown. In recent weeks the internet has been saturated by a deluge of homebuilt climbing walls, indoor training regimes and first ascents of pretty much everything you can lay your chalky hands on without leaving your front door – up to and including the kitchen sink. I spoke to Paul Calton, another freelance outdoor instructor based in Scotland operating under the name Climbpsyched. After bolting back to the UK from Spain in anticipation of a lockdown scenario, he found himself ineligible for any assistance from the government. “All my work has been cancelled overnight and my personal guiding work has gone too. Financially I have lost this year’s earnings.”
But this adaptability which seems to permeate the climbing community is helping Paul to weather the current financial storm.
“I found work with Amazon and have been full-time with them since I got back. It’s not the best work, but at least it gets me out of the van 11 hours a day!”
One thing we can be sure of in is that, when the world
returns to some semblance of normality, the mountains will still be there. And with the latest ease in lockdown restrictions it seems outdoor enthusiasts can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel. But we must ask – what of the workers? It’s clear that the hospitality and tourism-related sectors are under extreme. Despite the recently announced extension to the duration of support schemes, some 500,000 un-furloughed workers in these sectors alone are still fighting for some form of financial support.
52 | CLIMB. WALK. JOIN. Words: Hannah Mitchell
Hannah is a recently redundant hospitality worker based in the Lake District. Wannabe writer, amateur runner, animal lover and keen climber... when it’s not raining, that is.
“AMONGST THE HARDSHIP, ACTS OF SOLIDARITY ARE WIDESPREAD, WITH PEOPLE MAINTAINING DIRECT DEBITS TO SUPPORT THEIR LOCAL WALL, BUYING ONLINE FROM INDEPENDENT OUTDOOR RETAILERS AND EVEN SETTING UP CROWD-FUNDING FOR STRUGGLING FREELANCERS.”
R Descending Skiddaw via Ullock Pike, a rare and beautiful moment of solitude.
The job market is barren and abnormally competitive at this
time and it would be reductive to suggest that tenacity and adaptability alone are all that is needed to secure the futures of those on the sharp end. Additional help is needed to sustain the small but valuable economic pockets that have been hit the hardest. For many, it is not just a matter of supporting one man, a van and his dog – but families and homes too. Us ‘outdoor folk’ are a tight-knit community. Acts of solidarity are widespread, with people maintaining direct debits to support their local wall, buying online from independent outdoor retailers and even setting up crowd-funding for struggling freelancers. I would encourage people, where possible, not to cancel but to consider rescheduling bookings with guides and instructors too. Whilst the rules may be relaxing it is imperative that our community continues to exercise common sense, consider the wider implications of our actions and maintain ‘social distance’ as we cautiously return to the great outdoors. Discontent amongst local communities and national parks authorities could be extremely damaging to access rights, and subsequently cause problems for those that work within these areas – people who will be desperately trying to rebuild their businesses in an already challenging climate. With this in mind, we can all play a part in ensuring the quickest possible, unrestricted return to rock, hills and mountains, and get the associated industries up and running again.
PHOTO: HANNAH MITCHELL
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