Edwin Drummond is a visionary climber and poet, creator of some of the most famous routes in the British Isles.
Born in Wolverhampton in 1945, the eldest son of a builder, Drummond was educated at Bangor and Bristol universities before becoming an English teacher in Sheffield. Trying his hand at various other trades he eventually became a full-time climber, writer and activist. He put up new climbing routes in the UK and on the Troll Wall, won awards for his poetry (two Keats prizes and a National Poetry prize) and used his climbing skills to raise awareness of progressive human rights campaigns, such as the anti-apartheid movement.
Other than his literary output, Drummond's lasting legacy is his physical poetry - the challenging and classic climbing routes he established across the UK and in the United States. In 2011 he appeared in the award-winning feature film The Long Hope, a documentary following elite climber Dave MacLeod's attempt to climb Drummond's route on St John's head on the Island of Hoy.
