Defaid a Dringo Mynydd

-*

-The documentary Dringo I'r Eitha'

-was broadcast on S4C in 2007.

-Life has since changed for the young

-Bethesda climber Ioan Doyle.

-People will think I'm crazy.

-The 22-year-old

-needs to earn a living.

-His vocational choice

-has surprised his mother, Catrin.

-Farming is everything.

-But Ioan has another passion -

-the thrill of climbing.

-I started climbing

-to get that feeling.

-This is a year in the life of the

-climber and shepherd Ioan Doyle.

-Subtitles

-Ioan was 17

-when Dringo I'r Eitha' was filmed.

-It's quite a drop!

-At the time, he had reached

-extreme severe grade 5, or E5...

-..within only a year

-of starting to climb.

-This level is beyond

-many experienced climbers.

-Scary!

-In sports climbing,

-popular on the Continent...

-..he reached grade 8A,

-with his mother holding the rope.

-But Catrin's 2007 holiday

-was a nightmare.

-She literally found it difficult

-to let go of her talented son.

-Let me go!

-There's too much pressure.

-In 2008, he went even further with

-sports climbing, reaching grade 8B.

-Only a small minority of climbers

-reach this level.

-He spent a year on the Continent...

-..developing the strength

-that this level of climbing demands.

-I've seen my body change.

-I've grown and I have more muscles.

-I feel much stronger.

-Back home in Wales, traditional

-climbing is his favourite style.

-He has scaled dangerous climbs

-in the Llanberis Pass...

-..that were graded E7 and E8.

-This put Ioan Doyle at the top,

-one of Britain's best climbers.

-He was only 18.

-I know how dangerous they can be.

-He has tried to frighten

-and goad me.

-"Anything after E5 is death,"

-he said.

-I was going well.

-I don't know what distracted me.

-Girls, I think.

-Hip hip!

-Hip hip!

-

-Hooray!

-Hip hip!

-Hip hip!

-

-Hooray!

-Helen and I have just got engaged.

-It's very exciting.

-We're celebrating.

-And this is Helen,

-my future daughter-in-law.

-Yes!

-She's learning Welsh.

-She's learning Welsh.

-

-Not very good.

-She's good, really.

-She's good, really.

-

-Cheers.

-All these holes, it's good

-to just fill everything in.

-Ioan Doyle

-is now a professional waller.

-Find a better stone.

-Leave that one there.

-We're on the slopes of Tyddyn Du.

-The Ogwen and Carneddau warden

-gave us the job...

-..of rebuilding the wall

-and putting in a stile.

-It's our first National Park job.

-I'll see the wall being used.

-I've done work on the mountains

-but I don't see it get used.

-It's nice so close to home.

-I'm enjoying it.

-I can work with friends and Helen.

-Not all days are as enjoyable.

-This is one day in a hundred.

-The rest of the time, it's raining

-and we shout at each other.

-Don't we?

-Don't we?

-

-Blood is spilt by lunchtime!

-Why did Ioan

-turn to this sort of work...

-..instead of joining the elite band

-of full-time climbers?

-I didn't turn professional...

-..because I couldn't.

-It probably sounds defeatist.

-I didn't think

-it was something I could do.

-When I was at my best,

-I had no responsibilities.

-I lived at home

-and didn't need to work.

-When I moved into my own place...

-..I realized that I needed money.

-Unfortunately, in Britain...

-..earning a living

-in the climbing game isn't possible.

-It was natural for me

-to choose a way to earn a living...

-..and to throw myself into it 100%.

-Working took over everything.

-Climbing became a hobby.

-# I'm a man

-who likes to build a wall

-# A sturdy and tall wall

-# I like walling

-# I like walling #

-Ioan struggles to find the time

-to climb.

-One option is bouldering,

-this sort of climbing.

-Harnesses and ropes aren't needed,

-only shoes, chalk and a mat.

-This is Parisella's Cave

-in Llandudno.

-People who work in offices

-or indoors...

-..go out climbing after work.

-They're fresh.

-I've had it.

-I can't do anything.

-I've been lifting stones

-or chopping wood all day.

-Yes, it keeps me fit.

-But it's hard to find a time

-when I'm not tired.

-This is much easier than work.

-It feels easy.

-The cave

-is for specialized climbing.

-It's regarded as somewhat bizarre

-even among climbers.

-They make complex moves

-as they follow short routes...

-..which are known as problems.

-Every problem has its own name

-and difficulty grade.

-This one, Broken Trigger,

-is one of the most difficult...

-..not only in this cave,

-but throughout Britain.

-It has only been climbed

-once successfully before today.

-SHOUTS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

-After becoming

-only the second to climb it...

-..Ioan shows the Parisella crew

-the true meaning of bizarre.

-This is Florence.

-She's an orphan lamb.

-OK?

-Her mother died in Mynydd Llandegai.

-We found her

-and then Helen spotted the lamb.

-I wanted Helen

-to experience lambing.

-We picked the lamb up.

-It's a part of climbing!

-I said to Helen,

-"We've started farming now."

-I decided I wanted to find out more.

-It's in my nature.

-I don't do anything

-by half measures.

-It's the same as climbing.

-It has become an obsession!

-It's shearing time at Tyddyn Du.

-This is his Uncle Bob's farm

-above Bethesda in the Ogwen Valley.

-This year, Ioan has his own dog

-to help with the shepherding.

-It was my first time

-on the hillsides.

-I'll take the dog up to work

-next time. I've cracked it today.

-I'm a great believer in tradition.

-This is mountain shepherding.

-It's what I want to do.

-I have the chance to learn.

-I've looked and learned.

-That's how I do everything.

-Keep your knees together.

-He has started to shear now.

-I never thought he would.

-It has come full circle.

-It's something he disliked

-when he was a teenager.

-He loves it. Farming is everything.

-Helen, his girlfriend, is keen too.

-She wants to be

-a proper farmer's wife.

-She will be too.

-He's fit and strong.

-That's what keeps him going.

-He works himself too hard.

-There's a way to hold

-and turn a sheep...

-..without using

-every muscle in the body.

-He'll find the easiest way

-eventually.

-Being around farmers

-is the best education I could get.

-I want to be a sheep farmer.

-Helen wants to as well.

-She likes the lambs.

-I like the whole process of walking

-on the mountains with a crook.

-They both suit each other.

-We'll make a good team.

-We'll try it out

-and see what happens.

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-Subtitles

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-The Tremadog cliffs in North Wales

-are a popular climbing spot.

-The Neb, graded E3,

-is a fairly easy climb for Ioan.

-He's climbing

-with his old friend, Mills.

-Mills trained Ioan

-in the early days.

-But the pupil

-soon became the master.

-I couldn't have led that, no chance.

-Mills has held the ropes for Ioan

-on most of his hardest climbs.

-Since we filmed, Ioan's development

-has greatly improved.

-He's one of the best in Britain.

-But he leaves me behind a little!

-It's time to let go.

-Just as Ioan

-has turned to farming...

-..Mills has a new interest,

-photography.

-I do this more often than climbing.

-Climbing gets more difficult.

-I enjoy taking photographs.

-Climbing gives me

-more of an adrenalin fix.

-It's another release.

-People know me as Mills the

-photographer, not Mills the climber!

-I really enjoy taking pictures.

-I can show

-what the area has to offer.

-I'm an ambassador for Wales.

-I sell the beauty of the country.

-I take climbing photos of Ioan.

-He is such a good climber

-that all I can do is take his photo.

-Then home for a glass of wine.

-Happy days.

-Helen and Ioan have nine sheep.

-A friend has lent them a field.

-Open the gate.

-The sheep needs dosing.

-Helen does the paperwork...

-..so her name, HW or Helen Wise,

-is painted in purple on the sheep.

-Uncle Bob gave us the yearling ewe

-and a three-year-old sheep.

-It was kind of him to give us sheep.

-The flock is growing every day!

-Taid said,

-"From one came a thousand."

-Which one is this one, Helen?

-This one's Florence,

-the first one we ever had.

-She's my baby.

-Not any more!

-One done.

-Grab one.

-That hurt!

-It sliced me.

-Hmm! Sort of successful!

-It's time to catch

-the two that made a run for it.

-Have you got it?

-Oh!

-Stuff it right in.

-Put it there!

-I've helped on the farm for years.

-Now, it's up to us

-to look after them...

-..and make sure their feet are OK.

-We're both keen,

-and it's a great way of life.

-People will think I'm crazy.

-But there's something great

-about looking after animals.

-The summer of 2012

-was exceptionally wet.

-As well as interrupting

-the walling and farming...

-..it also affected the climbing.

-Ioan is keen

-to reach the next climbing level.

-It's impossible to do that

-in Britain in these circumstances.

-We're in the Pyrenees in Spain.

-It's one of the best places

-in the world to climb.

-That's why we came here.

-Rodellar

-is a brilliant place to stay.

-On other trips,

-I've roughed it in the trees.

-This is a little slice of luxury!

-The Ali Baba cave

-is similar to the cave in Llandudno.

-The next grade for me is 8B+.

-I've chosen something to highlight

-my strengths. It's a harder grade.

-I'd like to say it's about

-the climbing, but it isn't!

-We all say it's about the grade.

-But there's a problem.

-Unfortunately,

-an old finger injury has flared up.

-I dropped a stone on it at work.

-I have a damaged tendon

-and there's no power in my finger.

-I'll forget the grade

-and enjoy climbing.

-As a result of Ioan's injury,

-Helen gets the chance to lead.

-Ioan's holding the rope.

-I met Helen on the high street

-in Llanberis.

-I waved at someone,

-thinking I knew her.

-She crossed the road to talk to me.

-I had never met her before!

-I met her that night

-and got to know her a bit more.

-I got her number

-and we went climbing.

-Helen moved from Yorkshire...

-..to work in a Capel Curig

-mountaineering shop.

-She came here to climb,

-to push herself further.

-She worked up quickly to E4

-that first summer.

-Crimpy and technical, my favourite!

-She's studying Accountancy

-at university.

-I'm lucky that Helen does my books!

-Just rip it.

-We're well-prepared

-and we're a good team.

-We're friends.

-She's the best thing

-that has happened to me.

-She's fantastic.

-The finger injury prevented Ioan

-from reaching a personal goal.

-But he has had another idea.

-We're an hour and a half away

-from Rodellar. Helen is studying.

-Can you see the snake-like

-white line going up the rock?

-The route is called

-La Fiesta de los Biceps.

-It's a route

-with quite a reputation.

-It's a thousand-foot

-bolted sports climb.

-You don't get that very often.

-It's one of Europe's most

-spectacular sports climbing routes.

-There's a lot of hype about it.

-You have to do it if you come here.

-It's well within my grade,

-and it'll give my finger a rest.

-Helen's quite nervous,

-because of the height.

-The climb is within her range.

-But the height and the whole place

-plays with your mind.

-We're coming here tomorrow

-to try to do it.

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-Subtitles

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-

-Subtitles

-It's early on a cold morning...

-..near the small village

-of Riglos in the Pyrenees.

-Helen doesn't feel at her best

-to face her most challenging climb.

-Whenever I have an early start,

-I always get really adrenalinny.

-It makes me feel sick

-and I can't eat.

-I need to eat because I'm hungry.

-I should be alright.

-This is La Fiesta de los Biceps.

-It's one of Europe's most famous

-sports climbs.

-A very steep thousand-foot climb.

-It's a challenge for Helen,

-because she isn't fond of heights.

-It's hard to climb with a rucksack.

-It's nice to do something,

-just about...

-..with my finger as it is.

-It's a steep climb...

-..but there are enough wide holds

-where Ioan can use his whole hand...

-..and so rest his weak finger.

-My biceps are fine! I'm a waller.

-I'm a pick and shovel lad -

-and I'm fine!

-But the climb is too high for Helen.

-She weakens

-before reaching the halfway point.

-But turning back isn't an option.

-It's my idea of relaxing.

-Relaxing?!

-A relaxing holiday on the beach.

-It's like a beach, Helen, look.

-The last part of the climb

-is even steeper.

-Nuts up here.

-Amazing.

-Catch up, Helen.

-Flex those biceps.

-Come on, Hels. Good job.

-Yeah!

-Come on!

-I've got you.

-Keep coming up, keep coming up.

-Oh, my God.

-Oh, my God.

-

-Lean back.

-Lean back.

-That's knackering.

-I want to get off now.

-How are you doing?

-About another three, Helen?

-I think so.

-My idea of a holiday, isn't it?

-There are only three pitches

-to the summit.

-But they are the steepest

-and most difficult of the lot.

-Helen is pushed to the limit.

-You're doing great, alright?

-OK? We're nearly there.

-I'm on my way.

-I'll climb as fast as I can.

-They have been climbing

-for over four hours.

-The sun hides behind the clouds.

-The weather threatens to turn.

-Bit more.

-Bit more.

-

-Yeah, I've got you.

-Look how steep that is.

-I don't want to look.

-Don't look, don't look.

-Well done, Helen. Come on!

-Oh, my God!

-Fiesta de los Biceps.

-Very nice.

-Lovely.

-THEY LAUGH

-It's quite loose here.

-I've just sat on the top,

-by the way.

-Thank God for that!

-You did great.

-Not under any circumstances

-am I doing that again!

-It's one of the best routes

-I've ever done.

-I haven't enjoyed climbing

-as much in years.

-It's nice to do something

-within my grade and just enjoy it.

-I started climbing

-to get that feeling.

-It's September, and time

-to gather sheep on the Carneddau.

-This is the biggest expanse

-of upland in England and Wales.

-At 80 square miles, it includes

-six of Wales's highest peaks.

-It's a hard place to farm.

-It would be impossible

-if everyone didn't get along.

-Helen and Ioan are helping out

-on the ridge of Yr Elen.

-Taid taught me

-the traditional skills...

-..about farming and keeping sheep.

-Most of all, I've learnt

-what sort of personality I am.

-I think I'm hard to live with.

-Fair play to Helen.

-I'm up and down

-and full of new ideas.

-I'm sweating.

-I had to run after the sheep.

-He has done a brilliant job.

-We'll be shearing

-and gathering again...

-..later this year.

-There are fewer people today.

-Years ago,

-there were farmhands on every farm.

-It went OK - it's a bit hot.

-The sheep didn't want to move.

-We've reached here,

-that's something.

-It's good for a young man

-like Ioan to be here.

-We need a new generation

-to carry on...

-..or the traditions

-will disappear altogether.

-It's a tough job. He's a handy lad!

-He's fit! He's good at getting

-the sheep from the rocks!

-Everyone's sheep are here.

-We gather the sheep and everyone

-takes what they need to go home.

-We'll bring them back in a few days.

-I've been coming here at least once

-a year since I was a little boy.

-I want to go around with Kevin.

-He gives me a lot

-of helpful farming tips.

-I want to get

-as much information as I can.

-If this is the path I've chosen,

-now's the time to start.

-In the autumn and winter...

-..Ioan does contract work

-with his partner, Dafydd Emlyn.

-Dafydd is sharp and sensible.

-He's the voice of reason -

-my right-hand man.

-Ioan's climbing skills

-are the key to chopping wood.

-When they're fencing

-or building a bridge...

-..Dafydd is the boss.

-I prefer stonework.

-It's more artistic.

-I don't like anything too square.

-But I'd rather do this

-than anything else.

-In the winter,

-he hones his climbing skills.

-In November, Ioan turns his sheep

-to the rams at Tyddyn Du.

-I hope they'll get pregnant.

-I'll get lambs next year.

-He keeps a close eye on his flock

-after the first snowfall.

-Ioan and Helen

-have been loaned another field.

-Before work or college beckon,

-they see to the sheep.

-It has snowed overnight.

-I have to take responsibility

-for them in the snow.

-I'll feed them and keep them happy -

-and keep them alive.

-We gave them quite

-a lot of ivy yesterday.

-They've munched that.

-We give them this energy lick.

-It has a lot of vitamins...

-..and provides energy

-they can burn...

-..to keep them warm.

-Feeding them

-costs more than they're worth.

-But not to us.

-They're worth more than money to us.

-All of our sheep

-have their own personalities.

-We were worried last night

-about the snow, but they're OK.

-They're tough!

-Winter had set in,

-but there was worse to come.

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-Ioan and Helen's first lamb

-arrives a week before Easter.

-She's an ewe lamb.

-We'll keep her.

-She'll be a mother herself one day.

-She's an extension to the flock.

-This lucky lamb has the chance

-to get its strength up...

-..because a week later...

-..the worst snowfall in many years

-fell on the Carneddau.

-It was even worse

-on the hills of Tyddyn Du.

-We're going to see Uncle Bob...

-..to see how the snow

-has affected them.

-It's the lambing season.

-They won't stand a chance.

-I've never seen it like this.

-There are deep drifts.

-Have you ever seen it like this?

-Have you ever seen it like this?

-

-No.

-It snowed heavily

-two and three years ago.

-I've never seen it this bad.

-We pulled 17 dead sheep out

-yesterday.

-Crows have eaten

-some of the sheep's eyes.

-We're killing the weaker ones

-as we pull them out.

-We won't be able to say

-until it has melted.

-At the moment...

-..I'd say that around 150 sheep

-are missing.

-Maybe more.

-That's a lot. It's a terrible blow.

-It'll take years to recover.

-This wall is usually higher than me.

-It's terrible.

-It's a place

-that's close to my heart.

-It's the place I call home.

-It's hard to earn a living

-at the best of times...

-..without having to face this.

-Come on!

-You can see the tracks of the crows.

-Crows, look.

-Come on.

-It's heartbreaking.

-It's something I'd never show Helen.

-She doesn't need to see it.

-It's all out of your control.

-We've invested so much money,

-time and love into the animal.

-It still happened.

-It's hard. It has hit me hard.

-After seeing the sheep earlier,

-I've come to fight with the snow.

-The snow has caused a lot of damage.

-I may as well

-get something out of it.

-It's totally different

-from climbing in the summer.

-I'm climbing on ice,

-which is only temporary!

-It's challenging!

-We only do it once a year.

-His old friend, Mills,

-is holding the ropes.

-This is the first time that Ioan

-has climbed a frozen waterfall.

-He's going well.

-He hasn't done much ice climbing,

-and he's doing incredibly well.

-He was nervous at first.

-He's going well now.

-A problem with ice climbing...

-..is that the leader releases

-lumps of ice onto his partner.

-I'm not feeling very confident.

-A piece of ice hit my mouth

-and I have a headache.

-He's confident, he's in the swing.

-He's flying, fair play to him.

-As Ioan reaches

-the top of the first pitch...

-..Mills decides to go down.

-Another friend takes over

-on the rope for Ioan to finish.

-We'll be the last ones to do that

-this season. It's beginning to melt.

-I was quite scared.

-It's totally alien.

-I don't do it often.

-It's time for a cuppa now.

-At Tyddyn Du, they continue

-to dig sheep out of the snow.

-It's not the money,

-but being unable to help them.

-I'm finding dead sheep everywhere.

-I found a dozen in one hole.

-They were like wafers,

-tightly compacted.

-As farmers,

-we see prices going up and down...

-..but we can't fight nature.

-After a week under snow,

-some sheep are still alive.

-How can it walk away like that?

-It's weak.

-I admire my uncle

-for carrying on, but he has to.

-I wonder how he does it,

-but he has to. He has no choice.

-I have the choice not to,

-but losing the farm would kill me.

-We're meant to be there.

-Most people who are farming now

-ask me what I'm doing.

-It's a struggle and hard work.

-It is a bloody struggle.

-I find something romantic about it.

-I want that life.

-This is where I started to climb.

-I could see climbers over there...

-..when I gathered sheep with Taid

-as a child.

-This is where I want to farm.

-It wouldn't work for me

-anywhere else.

-Where's the dog?

-Spring has finally arrived

-in Nant Ffrancon...

-..and the slopes of Pen yr Ole Wen.

-Ioan has discovered a pearl

-of a climb that's incredibly hard.

-It has only been climbed

-once before.

-It has always caught my eye.

-It would stretch me to do it.

-Being the second person to climb it

-would be a feather in his cap.

-It's a tough climb

-because the holds are so small.

-Every move is exceedingly hard.

-If that wasn't enough...

-..the crucial holds

-on the hardest part are wet.

-IOAN CRIES OUT

-It's good that Mills

-is once again supporting him.

-It's soaking.

-The final moves

-are the most difficult of all.

-At this level of climbing, practice

-and preparation are allowed.

-But for the honour of being

-the second-ever to climb it...

-..Ioan has to do the climb

-in one attempt...

-..without falling and without

-putting his weight on the rope.

-I chose Ogwen Crack

-because it's home turf.

-I grew up near its base.

-It means a lot to me.

-It's intense all the way to the top.

-It's like a 100 metre sprint.

-I'm Usain Bolt!

-Ioan hasn't been in the news

-in the climbing world for a while.

-Everything has to come together

-perfectly for this climb to succeed.

-It's important to him.

-Ioan has never made this next move

-without falling.

-This time, he succeeds.

-He must finish the sprint, as he

-calls it, before he's exhausted.

-Yeah! Come on!

-Whoa!

-At last - the success

-he so desperately wanted.

-Back in business.

-I made it! It shouldn't happen,

-I haven't really climbed for a year.

-It just happened.

-I miss the state of mind

-that comes with a hard climb...

-..of being on the top.

-It has opened me back into it.

-I'm back now.

-Thanks.

-S4C Subtitles by Gwead

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