Death isn’t always the worst that can happen

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Sometimes you read a book that you will never forget. One of those is ‘Touching the Void’ by Joe Simpson – if you like adventure stories or have an interest in mountaineering I recommend this, although it is several years old by now, but it is just an incredible story. It was made into a film about 20 years ago, which I recently watched on DVD and that's why it’s on my mind right now. I read the book almost 30 years ago and have wanted to watch the film for a while but I knew it would be a bad idea to watch it before bed because I wouldn’t be able to get the images and just the general feeling of it out of my head. If you have never come across this book or film, it’s the story of how Joe Simpson and his climbing partner Simon Yates, both in their early twenties, went to Peru to climb the previously unclimbed west face of the 20,814 foot mountain, Siula Grande, which they succeeded in achieving. However on the way down there was a terrible accident and it was thought that Joe had died. But he hadn’t quite, and in an incredible story of endurance and persistence in the face of overwhelming odds he managed to make it out over four days, although he almost died several times on the way. The most terrifying aspect of this story for me, though, is the thought that someone may have a terrible accident and be left for dead, but they may be alive, trapped or injured, screaming and crying and hoping help will come – and then it doesn’t. Anyone who has ever indulged in any risky activity, especially when young, may well have thought ‘Oh well, if I die that’s that, we all have to die sometime’ – but it’s the fact that you may not die that’s the most frightening of all. All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2024.