The Mountain Inquisition
Sarah Rixham, highlining star, reveals all
Scafell Pike, Snowdon or Ben Nevis?
They all have potential for really big highlines – when I get the time and support to do them!
Your highest highline?
At 2000m on top of Moléson Mountain in Switzerland, where I walked what was previously the longest highline by a female (Sep 2015 - Aug 2016). Or at 250m direct height above Grenoble in the Vercors, France.
Who’s your hero?
My heroes are the people pushing their limits; in highlining my friends are the people who inspire me the most.
What do you love most about the mountains?
They create the perfect structure to climb up and highline between, and whatever time of day it is you encounter a different kind of beauty: sunrise, sunset, in the clouds, above the clouds, star-filled nights…
Most memorable day in the outdoors?
Waking up at sunrise to red skies and a cloud inversion, then highlining the whole day with my friends, ending in a night session with the stars.
What’s your nickname?
Badass With The Abs.
Funniest thing you’ve seen on a hill?
A blind giraffe on a highline! [Really, Sarah?]
You’re in a pub. What’s on the menu?
The vegan option if there is one.
What was the last book you read?
Bounce: the Myth of Talent and the Power of Practice [by Matthew Syed]. It’s all about a growth mindset.
Favourite hill snack?
Wraps – you can put everything in and they will always taste good!
Worst thing you’ve ever eaten?
Risotto made with oats on a camp stove.
Favourite animal?
Peregrine falcon.
Weirdest place you’ve slept?
The floor of a post office in the Bavarian Alps.
Wild camp or posh hotel?
Hammock on a highline is better than any hotel – the best view you can wake up to.
Who’s your most famous friend?
A lot of my friends are famous – but only in the niche highline scene!
How much is a pint of tea at Pete’s Eats?
£2? [Bit less: £1.20!]
What’s your next big challenge?
Walk a 200m+ highline with as much exposure as possible.
Your ultimate mountain day in three words…
Sunrise session (with) friends.
Sheffield-based Sarah Rixham’s record for the longest female highline, crossing 122m over a cloud inversion 2002m up on a Swiss mountain, has only recently been beaten. Highlining is basically slacklining up high, balancing on a narrow strip of low-tension webbing between two points. More at sarahrixham.wixsite.com/portfolio
Best pair of walking boots you’ve owned? Bare feet are the best boots for highlining!