Exclusive:'It was magical' - Angus boy, 12, breaks new record climbing Old Man of Hoy
It is the third sea stack the young outdoor enthusiast has led a climb on in the last year.
A 12-year-old boy has broken a new record up one of Britain’s tallest sea stacks.
Aberdeen-born Aden Thurlow, from Angus, became the youngest person to lead a climb up the Old Man of Hoy.
The sea stack sits on the Orkney island of Hoy and reaches 137m (449 ft) putting it among the UK’s tallest.
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The sandstone monolith has become a mecca for climbers since Chris Bonington scaled the Old Man in a live television broadcast in the late 1960s.
Since then, hundreds of people have made it to the top, including eight-year-old Edward Mills, from Dunnet, near Thurso, who broke the record in 2018 for being the youngest person to climb it with instructors. Since then, seven-year-old Cody Weishaar scaled the rock with his father in 2023.
Aden’s new record involved him leading an ascent placing required safety gear, called nuts and cams, and using his own rope.
He was followed up by his father Alan and climbing instructor Jim Miller, who runs Highland Outdoor Adventures and who confirmed the new record.
Speaking to The Scotsman fresh off the rock, Aden, who has been climbing since he was three, said: “You could say it’s a once in a lifetime thing but because I am young, I’ll probably do it again. I want to do it again.”
Asked about what it felt like reaching the top, he said: “I was quite cold and damp at the top.
“It was magical, though.
“I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet to be honest.”
Aden said lead climbing is not necessarily more difficult than “seconding”, which is following a lead climber, “it’s just scarier.”
Once at the top, the intrepid climber blew a Viking horn to celebrate his achievement and signed a book stored under a rock which records names of fellow climbers who have completed the challenge.
The ascent comes after Aden was believed to be the youngest person to lead climbs up two sea stacks in the north-west Highlands.
He picked the routes and led the way up the 55m (180ft) Am Buachaillie followed by the 60m (197ft) Old Man of Stoer, both in Sutherland, last year.
Plans were to then complete the Old Man of Hoy shortly after but the trip was postponed due to wet weather conditions. A second attempt then had to be postponed due to Aden having a hand injury.
The young climber said he hopes to scale a fourth sea stack in Wick next year.
Aden was inspired to tackle the sea stacks after researching blind British para climber Jesse Dufton, who was the first blind person to lead an ascent on the Old Man of Hoy.
In completing his challenge, Aden is raising money for the charity Guide Dogs, one of the UK's leading sight loss charities.
The fundraiser has raised over £6,000 so far. Every £2,500 can help buy a puppy and provide what it needs.
Aden said: “We’ve already called one Stoer then we were going to call another one Hoy but they said we couldn’t do that as it sounded too much like someone shouting ‘oi’ down the street.”
‘Old man’ wasn’t too appealing, either.
Aden’s father said: “We’re hoping with the third puppy to name it after Jim Miller because he’s given up his free time to help Aden do this and has generally done so much for young people and the outdoors.”
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