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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Born | (1978-07-17)17 July 1978 (age 47) |
| Education | BSc in Physiology & Sports Science (Glasgow University), MSc in Medicine and Science in Sport & Exercise (Glasgow University), MSc in Human Nutrition (Glasgow University) |
| Website | www |
| Climbing career | |
| Type of climber | |
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| Known for | Second-ever person tofree solo at8b+ (5.14a) |
| First ascents | |
| Updated on 6 November 2017 | |
Dave MacLeod (born 17 July 1978) is a Scottishrock climber,ice climber,mixed climber, and climbing author. MacLeod is known for being thesecond-ever person tofree solo a8b+ (5.14a) graded route (Darwin Dixit inMargalef, in 2008),[1][2] and for climbing one of the hardesttraditional climbing routes in the world (Rhapsody on Dumbarton Rock, graded E11 7a, in 2006).[3][4]
In April 2006, MacLeod established the climbRhapsody on Dumbarton Rock which, at a grade ofE11 7a, was the hardesttraditional climbing route in the world at the time.[3][4] The ascent ofRhapsody is the subject of the movieE11 (2006) directed by Paul Diffley and produced by Hot Aches Productions.[5]
In 2008, MacLeod became thesecond-ever personfree solo an8b+ (5.14a) graded route (Darwin Dixit inMargalef).[1][2]
In 2008, MacLeod completed the traditional rock climbEcho Wall, an extreme and as-yet ungraded rock climb onBen Nevis, which took two years of preparation.[6] MacLeod left the route ungraded but in 2024, suggested a grade of E10 7a for the route.[7]
In addition to his achievements in traditional rock climbing, MacLeod has also successfully created and completedsport climbing routes and projects up to the grade of9a (5.14d) (A Muerte atSiurana, in 2007)[8] and has establishedbouldering problems up to the grade of8B+ (V14) (Natural Method on the Skeleton Boulder atGlen Nevis in 2012).[9]
On 28 August 2010, MacLeod andTim Emmett established the routeThe Usual Suspects onSron Uladail onHarris, provisionally graded E9 7a, in an ascent broadcast live onBBC Two Scotland.[10] As part of their preparation, MacLeod and Emmett successfully established five new routes on five Hebridean islands (countingLewis with Harris as two separate islands) in five days, an achievement documented in the BBC Scotland series5 Climbs, 5 Islands (later released on DVD asTriple 5).[11] MacLeod has continued his association with BBC Scotland, filmingThe First Great Climb (broadcast on 22 November 2011), in which he replicated a successful 1876 attempt on the Stack ofHanda using the type of equipment that would have been available at the time, andClimbing – No Limits! (broadcast on 12 April 2012), establishing new routes in theYorkshire Dales and thePeak District.
MacLeod has also established hard routes inmixed climbing with ice axes and crampons, climbingGood Training for Something with Canadian climberWill Gadd at a grade ofM12. In 2005, he established the hardest traditional mixed climbing route in the world at the time,The Hurting inCoire an t-Sneachda,Cairngorms.[12] The route has been repeated a few times[13][14][15] and has aScottish winter grade of XI,11 (M9+/M10)[16] with hard, technical climbing over very poor protection.
In December 2009, Macleod's book9 Out of 10 Climbers Make the Same Mistakes: Navigation Through the Maze of Advice for the Self-coached Climber was published. In 2015, Macleod's bookMake or Break: Don't Let Climbing Injuries Dictate Your Success was published. In November 2024, Macleod's bookMoving the Needle: How an Average Climber Can Do the Hardest Route in the World was published. MacLeod has written widely on nutrition, and eats beef and eggs daily in the belief that animal products are essential for good mental health.[17]
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