Gwen Moffat - 100 Years Young

I was tipped off recently by my crime fiction loving friends Nigel Moss and Barry Pike that fellow northern crime writer Gwen Moffat was celebrating a very special birthday. Believe it or not, Gwen was 100 on July 3. I was away on holiday at the time but managed to send her a slightly belated congratulatory message - and received a very prompt and positive reply from the lady herself.

Gwen's greatest claim to fame is no doubt her pioneering work as a woman mountaineer and in 1961 she published a very well-received autobiography, The Space Beneath My Feet. She was also the first British female mountain guide. A few years ago, a film documentary which is well worth a watch supplied a fascinating picture of how Gwen's indomitable style had influenced and inspired younger women climbers.

In the 1970s she turned to writing crime fiction, and created a series character called Miss Pink who was - naturally! - a keen climber. I got to know her in the 1990s, when she came along to CWA northern chapter get-togethers. From the outset, she struck me as a formidable character - as you need to be, to do the things that Gwen has done in her life.

We met on many occasions over the years, but I haven't seen her in person for quite a while, so I was particularly pleased to hear from her again. Congratulations, Gwen, and many happy returns!