Before the First World War, rock climbing was strictly for men. Women who swapped their long skirts for 'unwomanly rags' in order to tackle the crags were objects of derision and shame. But in 1921 the Pinnacle Club was founded, the UK's first all-female rock climbing club. With support from the Manchester Guardian, the Fell & Rock and the Rucksack Club, it attracted plenty of talented and enthusiastic recruits. Women's climbing prospered and their ambitions grew. In this fascinating collection of early "Club Journal" articles, "Presumptuous Pinnacle Ladies" gives the unfolding story of women on rock, from the early 1900s to the late 1930s. It focuses on climbing in North Wales, the Lakes and Scotland, with one hilarious Alpine account. The title comes from a poem contributed by A Mere Man to the first journal.

Introduction by: Margaret Clennett