Dave Armstrong
Acting
Biography
Dave Armstrong is a British climber. He was one of the leading climbers active in the Lakeland Fells during the 1970s and 80s, often cited alongside Pete Whillance and Pete Botterill in historical discussions about the Lake District, particularly regarding the Climbing Fell & Rock Climbing Club guidebooks and the development of extreme trad climbing in the area. He is presented as a top-level climber, committed to numerous hard routes in traditional terrain, and has made a significant number of first ascents and repeats on crags such as Borrowdale and Wasdale. In the 1950 Channel 4 series "Lakeland Rock," he is seen climbing the route "Incantations," graded E6 6b, on the Tophet Wall at Wasdale with Pete Whillance, confirming his role in the development of high-level trad climbing in the Lakes during this period. Historical discussions often associate him with the "trio" Armstrong / Whillance / Botterill when discussing the climbers who marked the Lakeland scene in the mid- to late-1970s, suggesting a significant influence on local style and ethos.
Known For
First broadcast on Channel 4 in 1985, Lakeland Rock is a classic of climbing. Presented by Sir Chris Bonington, this 1990 documentary comprises four films that retrace five iconic routes, each representing a major milestone in a sport that reflects the social transformations of Great Britain. From the 1940s, when working-class people began climbing mountains, to the 1980s, marked by technological advancements, the rise of female climbers, and the soaring difficulty of sport climbing with its near-Olympic levels of physical preparation. In three of the films, the climbers recreate their first ascents, with a tribute to their deceased climbing partners, Don Whillans and Bill Peascod. Also included is the first filmed ascent of "Incantations" on Gable Crag by Pete Whillance and Dave Armstrong, which, rated E6 6b, was considered at the time to be the most difficult route in the Lake District.
Lakeland Rock
"Incantations," narrated by Chris Bonington, is a documentary about the first ascent of "Incantations" (E6-6b) on the Tophet wall in Wasdale, UK, by British climbers Pete Whillance and Dave Armstrong in August 1984. Directed by Paul Berriff in 1985 and produced by Border Television, it is part of the Lakeland Rock documentary series (5/6), which today constitute important documents of the history of modern free climbing and its evolution.