Natalie discovered climbing at the age of nine and it quickly took over her life. Having joined the Glasgow Climbing Centre kid’s club she soon progressed into competition climbing where following numerous comp wins she was asked to join the GB Youth Climbing Team (aged 11). This gave Natalie the opportunity to compete at an international level all over the world, culminating in a win at the European Youth Series in Slovenia in 2007.
Natalie became increasingly drawn outdoors and started sport climbing intensively at age 18. This took her on numerous trips to top sport destinations across Europe including Céüse, Siurana and Gorges du Loup.
Now aged 27, Natalie continues to push her climbing by focussing on sport, bouldering, trad and alpine ambitions. She placed 3rd in the 2018 British Bouldering Championships, gaining her a place on the 2019 GB Bouldering Team.
Aside from climbing Natalie graduated from Edinburgh University in 2014 with an honours degree in French and German.
Natalie is also Editor-in-Chief of UKClimbing.com
Natalie has translated Elisabeth Revol’s book To Live into English
On 25 January 2018, Élisabeth Revol and her climbing partner Tomasz Mackiewicz summited Nanga Parbat, the killer mountain. Situated in the Karakoram, the world’s ninth-highest peak is an immense ice-armoured pyramid of rock rising to an altitude of 8,126 metres. Élisabeth and Tomek had completed only the second winter ascent of the mountain, and Élisabeth had become the first woman to summit Nanga Parbat in winter. But their euphoria was short-lived. As soon as they reached the top, their adventure turned into a nightmare as Tomek was struck by blindness.
In her own words, Élisabeth tells the story of this tragedy and the extraordinary rescue operation that resounded across the globe as fellow climbers flew in from K2 to help the stricken pair. She confronts her memories, her terror, her immense pain and the heartbreak of having survived, alone. To Live is Élisabeth Revol’s poignant tribute to her friend and climbing partner.
