Night climbing is a term used, principally at the Oxford and Cambridge universities in England, to describe the sport of climbing up the walls of colleges and public buildings, and exploring the rooftops. This activity is frowned on by college authorities, so it is mainly done under cover of darkness, to avoid detection.
The sport is a subset of buildering, or urban climbing, and is distinguished by the fact that it is usually carried out nocturnally by university students.
The original term for this activity was "roof climbing". The alternative term "night climbing" was introduced in the late 1930s, and has become the standard term.
History In 1895, the alpinist Geoffrey Winthrop Young started to climb the roofs of Cambridge University. Students had been scrambling up the university buildings for years,Geoffrey Winthrop Young: Poet, educator, mountaineer (1995), by Alan Hankinson, published by Hodder & Stoughton, London but Young was the first to document this activity. He wrote and published a night climbing guide to Trinity College.The Roof Climber's Guide to Trinity (1900), written by Geoffrey Winthrop Young, published anonymously, W P Spalding, Cambridge, England
In 1905, while a master at Eton College, Young produced his second book, a small volume on buildering, entitled "Wall and Roof Climbing".Wall and Roof Climbing (1905), written by Geoffrey Winthrop Young, published anonymously, Spottiswoode & Co., Eton College, England This was a very erudite work, containing a rich variety of quotations from writers of many different periods and cultures.
In 1921, inspired by Young's guide to Trinity, a group of undergraduates, including Hartley, Grag and Darlington, published a night climbing guide to St John's College.The Roof Climber's Guide to St Johns (1921), written by a group of undergraduates including Hartley, Grag and Darlington, published anonymously, Metcalfe & Co., Cambridge, England.
In 1930, John Hurst wrote the second edition of the guide to Trinity.The Roof Climber's Guide to Trinity, 2nd edition (1930), written by John Hurst, published anonymously, W P Spalding, Cambridge, England
In 1937, The Night Climbers of Cambridge, a more comprehensive, though still light-hearted, account of Cambridge undergraduate night climbing appeared in popular print,The Night Climbers of Cambridge (1937), written by Noël Howard Symington under the pseudonym "Whipplesnaith", Chatto & Windus Ltd, London written by Noël Howard Symington, under the pseudonym "Whipplesnaith".
Night climbing remained popular in Cambridge after World War II. In 1960, Richard Williams wrote the third edition of the Trinity guide.The Night Climber's Guide to Trinity, 3rd edition (1960), written by Richard Williams, published anonymously, Weatherhead Ltd, Cambridge, England In 1970, a book entitled "Cambridge Nightclimbing" Cambridge Nightclimbing (1970), written under the pseudonym "Hederatus", Chatto & Windus Ltd, London was published under the pseudonym "Hederatus". Night climbing also featured prominently in a book by F A Reeve, entitled "Varsity Rags and Hoaxes",Varsity Rags and Hoaxes (1977), written by F A Reeve published in 1977, in the detective novel The Bad Quarto by Jill Paton Walsh,The Bad Quarto (2007), a detective novel written by Jill Paton Walsh, published by Hodder and Stoughton, London published in 2007 and in Michael Ondaatje's Warlight, which cites this book.
Popular culture In recent years, a number of books on night climbing in Cambridge have been published by Oleander Press, of Cambridge, as follows:
In 2007, they reprinted the Whipplesnaith book.The Night Climbers of Cambridge (reprinted 2007), written by Noël Howard Symington under the pseudonym "Whipplesnaith", Oleander Press, Cambridge, England In 2009, they reprinted Geoffrey Winthrop Young's first edition of the Trinity Guide,The Roof Climber's Guide to Trinity (reprinted 2007), written by Geoffrey Winthrop Young, published anonymously, Oleander Press, Cambridge, England and the St John's Guide.The Roof Climber's Guide to St John’s (reprinted 2009), written by a group of students including Hartley, Grag and Darlington, published anonymously, Oleander Press, Cambridge, England. In 2010, they reprinted John Hurst's second edition of the Trinity Guide,The Roof Climber's Guide to Trinity, 2nd edition (reprinted 2010), written by John Hurst, published anonymously, Oleander Press, Cambridge, England. and Young's book "Wall and Roof Climbing".Wall and Roof Climbing (reprinted 2010), written by Geoffrey Winthrop Young, published anonymously, Oleander Press, Cambridge, England. In 2011, they published an omnibus edition of the three Trinity guides,The Roof-Climber's Guide to Trinity, Omnibus Edition (2011), Oleander Press, Cambridge, England. including an introduction by Richard Williams which reviewed the history of night climbing in Cambridge from the 18th century to the present day. This introduction removed the cloak of anonymity that had previously protected the identities of the first nocturnal explorers. This book is the most significant addition to the night climbing literature that has been published in recent years.
In 2007, Corpus Christi alumnus Ivo Stourton published the novel The Night Climbers which is based on a group of students who engage in the practice.
Famous night climbers
In the 1930s, Whipplesnaith (Noël Symington) climbed many buildings in Cambridge, England.
In 1895, Geoffrey Winthrop Young pioneered the sport of night climbing in Cambridge, England. The identification of the first Cambridge night climber remains an open question, but Young is generally regarded as the original pioneer.
From 2016 to 2018, a group of Nocturnal climbers began posting images to anonymous confession Facebook pages, detailing climbs conducted at Christ Church, Corpus Christi College, Pembroke College, Westgate, Cornmarket Street, and several other high-profile locations. Each public post contained content of a political or philosophical nature, with advice given sometimes in the form of an Agony Aunt. The local media dubbed the group "The Night Climbers of Oxford", for their identities remained unknown. Despite some back lash, the public showed support for the group and their controversial acts. As a result, they quickly became part of Oxford's urban and night-life culture.
During his time studying mathematics at Trinity College, Cambridge, Freeman Dyson was known to have practiced night climbing.
See also BASE jumping Buildering Doorways in the Sand Parkour Safety Last! The Night Climbers of Cambridge The Night Climbers of Oxford
References
External links Alain Robert Official website BBC announces Ascent of the Arche de la Defence Buildering.net FreakClimbing Buildering Gallery
Locations Cambridge University, England Oxford University, England University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada University of California, Berkeley