The Mountain Heritage Trust is marking 200 years of climbing history with Pillar 200, a new exhibition exploring the development of rock climbing in England and Wales from 9 July 1826 to the present day.
Pillar 200 opens at the Beacon Museum in Whitehaven on 31 October 2026 and runs until 12 February 2027, marking the museum’s first exhibition dedicated to climbing and mountaineering.
The exhibition traces climbing’s origins to shepherd John Atkinson’s ascent of the Old West Route on Pillar, regarded as the first recorded ascent undertaken simply for the challenge of climbing. Two centuries later, Pillar 200 explores how climbing has evolved through stories, photographs and objects drawn from collections across the climbing community.
On display will be material from the Mountain Heritage Trust, the Fell and Rock Climbing Club, guidebook writer and Needle Sport founder Stephen Reid, DMM, and the Abraham Brothers.
For those interested in climbing equipment, the exhibition charts the evolution of protection and hardware, from pebbles and machine nuts used in cracks through to early climbing nuts and wires that shaped the specialist passive protection of today. Prototype camming devices, alongside carabiners, ropes, boots and climbing shoes from different eras, illustrate the innovation that has shaped modern climbing equipment.
Councillor Anne Quilter, Cumberland Council’s Executive Member for Vibrant and Healthy Places, said:
“We’re delighted to welcome Pillar 200 to The Beacon Museum. Cumbria has a proud connection with climbing and the outdoors, and this exhibition is a fantastic opportunity to explore that heritage and how climbing has developed over the past 200 years.”
Heather Holmes, Customer and Visitor Experience Manager added:
"We are delighted to welcome Pillar 200 to The Beacon Museum. This exhibition celebrates the remarkable climbing heritage of our region and its national significance. It's a wonderful opportunity to showcase the rich history of our local landscape and the people who have shaped mountaineering over the past 200 years."
Ian Smith, curator of Pillar 200, added:
“Beginning with Old West Route on Pillar Rock and utilising items from historic collections and archives such as the Mountain Heritage Trust, the Fell & Rock Climbing Club, Stephen Reid’s collection and the Abraham Brothers photos, this will be the launch pad to feature other routes and climbers through the subsequent decades.”
This exhibition has been made possible with support from Needle Sport, DMM, The Climbers Shop, Joe Brown Shops, Beta Climbing Design, Mountain Rescue England and Wales, The Fell and Rock Climbing Club and the National Heritage Lottery Fund.