Sponsored by outdoor brand Berghaus and free to view, the month-long exhibition at Heaton Cooper Studio in Grasmere celebrates the 50th anniversary of the 1975 British expedition to climb the south west face of Everest, and will be open to the public until Sunday 14 September.
Led by Sir Chris Bonington, the 1975 expedition saw Doug Scott and Dougal Haston become the first Brits to successfully summit the world’s highest mountain, by a route that had never been completed before. The exhibition at Heaton Cooper Studio is being hosted by Community Action Nepal (CAN), the charity that Doug Scott later founded. It has been curated by David Nightingale and features the celebrated mountain photography of Sir Chris and Doug, along with climbing gear and other equipment and personal items from the expedition, much of which is on public display for the first time. The exhibition was opened by Sir Chris and Doug’s widow Trish Scott at a special preview event this week.
Some of the exhibits in the ETHW 50th anniversary exhibition Photo © Mark Battista Photography
Exhibition curator David Nightingale comments: “These items have never been together in this format before. Many of them are being shown to the public for the first time, because most of them are in private family collections.”
The exhibition is part of a wider programme of events in the Lake District and London, all sponsored by British outdoor brand Berghaus, to mark the 50th anniversary and raise funds for CAN. The schedule will culminate in London next month. On Wednesday 24 September, 50 years to the day since Doug Scott and Dougal Haston stood on the summit of Everest, the Royal Geographical Society will host an evening of conversation with expedition members and special guests, featuring archive film footage and images. Sir Chris will attend, along with other 1975 team members and prominent names from the climbing community. Tickets for the evening cost £40 each and are available at 50th Anniversary of 'Everest the Hard Way' expedition Tickets, Wed, Sep 24, 2025 at 7:30 PM | Eventbrite.
On Thursday 25 September, CAN will host a VIP gala dinner in London. During the evening, Bonhams will conclude a special auction of 1975 Everest expedition items and other mountaineering memorabilia, that will also run online. Among around 30 lots in the auction will be some unique items that feature in the exhibition in Grasmere, including Doug Scott’s summit suit from 1975, and other equipment from the expedition. The auction will go live at www.bonhams.com a few days before the dinner, and bids will be taken online up until and during the dinner, when Bonhams will also accept bids from in the room for key items.
Trish Scott and Sir Chris Bonington open the ETHW 50th anniversary exhibition. Photo © Mark Battista Photography
Money raised by the auction, and through other 50th anniversary events and initiatives, will contribute to CAN’s Sherpa Heritage House project. Find out more about the work of Community Action Nepal at www.canepal.org.uk.