Andy Nisbet and Steve Perry found dead after Ben Hope fall

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Andy Nisbet and Steve Perry, both highly-respected and experienced Scottish climbers, have been found dead after getting into difficulty on Ben Hope on Tuesday.

According to the Daily Record, reports of two men in difficulty at about 3.45pm led to a search operation being launched involving the Assynt Mountain Rescue Team and an HM Coastguard helicopter. The bodies of Andy and Steve were found by the helicopter crew on the north-west side of the mountain just after 2am yesterday.

Both men were huge characters on the Scottish climbing scene, with Andy renowned for his 1000 new winter routes and encyclopedic knowledge of Scottish mountaineering. In an interview we did with Andy last year, we asked him which of his routes he was most proud of and which he still enjoyed climbing:

“Proudness is split between Vertigo Wall on Creag an Dubh Loch (FWA in 1977) and The Needle on Shelter Stone Crag (FWA in 1985). Vertigo Wall was a breakthrough for me, succeeding on something which was a “last great problem”. We didn’t climb it very well (aid and a bivouac) but we got up. The Needle was genuinely hard for the time, even elsewhere in the world. What do I enjoy now? It has to be new so there’s no answer. Early season, I enjoy rocky routes in Coire an Sneachda – Fingers Ridge is a particular favourite. And Hidden Chimney. From guiding days, I think East and West Buttresses on Beinn Eighe are brilliant. George on Liathach is great too. And the Forcan Ridge on The Saddle.”

Our thoughts are with the family and many friends of Andy and Steve.

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