Main image: The cover shot for A Heavy Affair with the Mountains, taken from the ‘zig-zags’ on Ben Nevis | Credit: RAF Kinloss Mountain Rescue Team
There are only a very few folk in mountaineering circles who can be identified by a single name and ‘Heavy’ was one such person, a far cry from the skinny ‘son of the manse’ from Ayrshire who developed into one of the most experienced mountain rescuers in the UK. His passion for the mountains and compassion for those rescued was only matched by his legendary inability to under-exaggerate and his insatiable energy for banter and being in wild places.
Most will be aware of Heavy’s blog and his writings on all things mountain and mountain rescue. His ‘lecture tours’ were mainly rather unorganised and hilarious blethering about rescues and misadventures, and had be heard to be believed. What is less known is his fight to even be selected for the RAF Mountain Rescue Service (RAF MRS) because he was too small and skinny. Subsequent harrowing recoveries of multiple air crashes, his involvement in the Lockerbie disaster and the cumulative effects this had on him for the remainder of his life followed.
A Heavy Affair with the Mountains is an honest account of a life dominated by the love of mountains. It details the impact of being a mountain rescuer who had seen more tragedy than most but still retained a wicked sense of humour and an unswerving belief that we should help others in need.
Heavy’s outdoor journey began with family holidays on Arran climbing Cir Mhor and Goat Fell and by the age of 10 he had climbed the Ben via Carn Mor Dearg – there was only one way this was going! Although gaining a few Highers, Heavy found school hard and in 1971 he enlisted in the RAF and managed to get posted to RAF Kinloss where he was desperate to join the team.
At a statuesque 5 foot 5 inches and 7 ½ stone they took one look at him and told him to get lost! Luckily the legendary Kinloss Team Leader George Bruce took a liking to the svelte ‘Heavy’ and as long as he could prove himself he was in with a chance. Contained in A Heavy Affair with the Mountains are a myriad of stories about daring do, lucky and not-so-lucky escapes. Read the book and enjoy this formative period.
Being involved in the Kinloss team was a fantastic mountain apprenticeship for the young Heavy and his determination and enthusiasm was only matched by his appetite for nonsense and upsetting the ‘top brass’. Many routes were climbed and mountains walked in horrendous conditions, something that is still vital in today’s Mountain Rescue environment – you can’t look after folk in trouble if you can’t look after yourself!
Pay particular attention to some of the long distance walks undertaken by the RAF MRS as they show a level of determination and resilience many would aspire to today. A particularly memorable chapter is the one ‘written’ by his beloved Teallach who would be immortalised on the RAF MRS Munroists roll of honour and was a much-loved companion.
Postings abroad followed with the usual hijinks, seeking out mountains and vertical adventures. Tours to Masirah Oman (mainly football!), and the Falklands came and went. Heavy and the MRS were also spreading their wings to Canada, and to the RAF MRS Everest expedition of 2001 where Heavy was base camp manager and Dan Carroll and Rusty Bale successfully reached the summit. Dan Carroll remained a close friend and has written a beautiful foreword to A Heavy Affair with the Mountains.
Heavy is well known outwith mountaineering circles for his work on the effects of the Lockerbie Disaster on all the emergency services present on the night of 21 December 1988. This disaster coupled with multiple air crash recoveries are covered fully in the book. The impact on Heavy, and many others, cannot be understated. Thankfully, we now know much more about the effects of these events and have processes in place to help the folk involved.
Huge credit must go to Bob Sharp and Gerry McPartlin who had the unenviable job of collating Heavy’s writings and organising the book into some semblance of order. This was a massive task which was undertaken in the knowledge that Heavy’s time was limited. I know the number of hours both Bob and Gerry put in for their friend, and it was fitting that a pre-published copy of the book was given to a delighted Heavy a few days before his passing.
This review so far has looked at A Heavy Affair with the Mountains. However, it is clear that Heavy was a man who had a huge pride in his step-daughters and granddaughters – the love and affection with which they are talked about is a testimony to a father-figure and a much-loved Grandpa, and I know their support was a constant source of happiness and strength during his illness. It is fitting that the book is dedicated to them.
This book is about one man’s love for the mountains, but more than that, is a testimony to a man with huge compassion for others, a love for family and friends, an innate ability to exaggerate or even ‘misremember’ things, and a wicked sense of humour. The mountain rescue community loved and respected him greatly for all these attributes. A Heavy Affair with the Mountains is a compelling read for any mountain lover, mountain rescuer or anyone with an interest in wild places. It is a riveting read and a great testimony to a great man.
A Heavy Affair with the Mountains by David ‘Heavy’ Whalley is published by Lulu Books (paperback, £12.50)
