Dave Gregory, 67, who put up many of the grit routes that folk now do at famous Peak crags, had a serious accident at the Roaches on Thursday. He fell while leading Central Route (VS 4a) at the Roaches Upper Tier – the unprotected route up the slab. Chris Craggs, who was with him (it was their sixth route of the day), says: “thankfully I had my mobile there. The air ambulancewas there within 15 minutes and he was in hospital within the hour. Injuriesinclude 8 broken ribs, 4 cracked vertebrae, at least one broken shoulder blade,a minor skull fracture, concussion and bruised lungs as well a variety of cutsand bruises.” He´s in intensive care, still being watched carefully. You´ll find Dave´s picture many times in the Stanage guidebook (doing Amazon Crack, for example) and Chatsworth guidebook (on Promontory Traverse); Dave is one of our links to climbing´s great past. Cards can be sent to his wife Maryat 52 Cobnar Road, Woodseats, Sheffield.
