Climbing Days Dorothy Pilley

A woman above the clouds - defying gravity and the limits of her time.

Rediscovered after almost a century, Climbing Days is the electrifying memoir of Dorothy Pilley - a trailblazing mountaineer whose bold ascents helped redefine women’s place in the sport. First published in 1935 and recently reissued, this classic recounts her fearless journeys across the UK, Alps, Rockies, Pyrenees, Mount Fuji, and the Himalayas 

Pilley shatters early‑20th‑century gender expectations, scaling steep faces solo or with women-only teams, and co-founding the Pinnacle Club in 1921 to champion female climbers. Her adventures reach a thrilling climax with the 1928 first ascent of the north‑north‑west ridge of Dent Blanche in Switzerland 

Blending humour, vivid mountain scenes, and reflections on identity, skill, and independence, Pilley’s writing proves both daring and introspective. 

Key features

• Paperback, ~400 pages; newly republished by Canongate in 2024 with a foreword by her great-great-nephew Dan Richards 

• First‑edition content: Pilley’s original 1935 text with authentic illustrations and an added “Retrospection” chapter, contrasting past and present mountaineering 

• Timeless themes: feminism, adventure, self‑belief, and human engagement with wild landscapes.