In early 1989 having only moved to Kent a few months earlier and shortly after having had our second child, my wife had occasion to seek the services of a dentist. The nearest dental surgery was a place called Southcott, which was about a mile away in Larkfield.

After returning home from her appointment, she sought me out and said:

"You need to go to the dentist!"

"Why?" I replied.

"Because you haven't registered with a dentist yet and besides, this chap that I have just seen is a climber"

"Ah, OK"

A week or two later I arrived Southcott at the due time and met a charming and urbane man called "Mr Chrisp" who proceeded to tell me everything that was wrong with my teeth and gums (a lot in fact). What became immediately clear was that he was far more interested in me as a climber than he was in my teeth and asked me numerous questions about my climbing CV. Answering was rather difficult as he had various implements in my mouth, but somehow I convinced him that I was worthy of further consideration and after finishing up with my appointment, we had a discussion of where we might go climbing.

"How about the sea cliffs at Swanage or perhaps the Wye Valley?" I suggested.

"No," he authoritatively replied "we will go to Bowles Rocks near Tunbridge Wells at the weekend", giving the firm impression that the matter was not up for negotiation.

The weekend duly arrived and 'Mr Chrisp' arrived to collect me in his impressive BMW and off we went. We spent a few hours at Bowles, where I was carefully assessed on my climbing competence and safety and made to tackle all manner of 'problems' to see how I performed.

Somehow I did well enough and this was the start of what was t become a very close friendship that lasted 32 years and encompassed hundreds of climbing adventures and fun in the Peak District, North Wales, the Pyrenees, numerous trips to the French and Swiss Alps and incalculable trips to Bowles and Harrison's Rocks. In the early years, I was very much the 'apprentice' but we pushed and supported each other and became far better climbers for it.

Lynn always said that we were like an 'old married couple', but we were also like a couple of schoolboys together and my overwhelming memories are ones of tremendous amounts of fun and laughter.

Most people know 'Mr Chrisp' as 'Mike', but for some reason (and I am not sure why), to me, he always was and always will be Michael.

He was a great dentist, a wonderful climber and most of all, an incomparable and much loved friend.