As soon as Aden Thurlow could walk he climbed.
Over the sofa, over his dad, then up trees when he was big enough.
So for his third birthday his parents took him to a local climbing centre.
And now 11-year-old Aden, from Aberlemno, in Angus, has conquered two towering sea stacks.
Aden led climbs up 55m (180ft) Am Buachaille and 60m (197ft) Old Man of Stoer in Sutherland, followed by dad Alan, 44.
It’s reckoned he is the youngest person ever to have done so.
Remarkably chilled mum Lynn, 52, photographed the pair as they made their daredevil ascent of the huge sandstone pillars on the north-west coast of Scotland.
She said: “Aden makes it look easy.”
When Aden Thurlow started climbing as a tot
The proud mum recalled: “He’s been climbing since he was three when he was a tiny little dot.
“Now he’s climbing sea stacks!”
Aden said he has loved climbing from “as early as I can remember”.
“The whole time I’ve been climbing; up trees, climbing on my dad when I was little.”
But the sea stacks, he said, were “legendary”.
“The first time you see a sea stack you see this massive pillar of rock and you think ‘I’m going to climb that!?’
“Then you’re at the top and you see everything.”
After that first climbing centre visit aged three, Aden started attending regular climbing sessions.
His talent was quickly spotted.
Alan said: “We paid for private tuition for him with Jim Miller at Highland Outdoors Adventure. He’s a professional climber at the top of his level. He said ‘the lad’s got something special here.”
Aden now practises regularly at climbing centres also including Block 10 Bouldering, in Dundee, The Ledge, in Inverness, and Transition Extreme, Aberdeen.
He also climbs outdoors around Arbroath, Kirriemuir, Aviemore and sea stacks on the Moray coast.
A member of Climb Scotland, Aden has a National Indoor Climbing Awards (NICAS) level three certificate.
What inspired Aden to take on such a challenge?
It was reading about how Jesse Dufton became the first blind person to lead climb the Old Man of Hoy, on Orkney, that inspired the Aberlemno Primary School pupil’s challenge.
Friends of Aden’s train puppies for Guide Dogs, and he decided he would climb the two Sutherland sea stacks to raise money for the charity.
Aden and Alan embarked on a training programme with Jim to ensure they had the necessary skills, physical ability and resilience for such an audacious ascent.
The type of rock climbing Aden does is traditional – or trad – climbing.
How the rock climbers ascend
It is riskier than bolted sport climbing as safety equipment is only placed during the ascent.
Done in pairs, the lead climber installs protective gear – known as cams, nuts and hexes – into cracks in the rock as they ascend.
They then thread a rope through and attach it to their harness to protect themselves in case they fall.
Once they have completed the climb or a section of the climb, the second climber follows taking out the equipment as they go.
On Am Buachaille and the Old Man of Stoer Aden was lead climber and Alan his second.
Instructor Jim Miller, founder of Highland Outdoor Adventures, accompanied them.
He was connected to Aden by a rope for the entire ascent for safety and to give support and encouragement.
What happened when Alan fell
Alan said: “Aden picks out the route and climbs up first ahead of me. I had the pleasure I suppose – also quite frightening – of climbing up behind him.
“I’m connected by a rope to Aden. So when he’s climbing if he falls I save him. Aden didn’t fall and got to the top.
“When he’s at the top he anchors up and I climb.”
Alan, who works in the oil and gas industry, had extra reason to be thankful his son was well trained.
“Bearing mind I’m a 90kg adult male and sandstone is brittle.
“When I was climbing I actually fell, although I didn’t fall far.
“I couldn’t grip on properly and I lost my footing.
“Aden’s rope saved me.”
What it was like for Lynn to watch
Thankfully Lynn, who runs a honey company, had full confidence in the ability of her husband and son as she watched their ascents on two consecutive days in September.
Fellow mums have asked her if it was a terrifying sight.
But she said: “Alan, Aden and Jim, they’re all brilliant climbers and they’re all good at health and safety.
“Jim would not take anyone up there unless he knew they would be safe.
“I didn’t know what it was going to be like because I’ve never been along to any of these before.”
The cold swim back to shore
Lynn took photographs to document the adventure and even did a couple of sketches of the stacks.
But what did concern her was the swim back to shore from Am Buachaille after the trio abseiled down.
As the group started their climb later than intended the tide was further in on their return. A 10 metre swim to the foot of the stack on the way out was 30 metres on the way back.
Lynn said: “I was a bit worried about the sea coming in and the tide changing. But they got back safely.
“I’m really proud of them.
“It’s amazing what Aden has done. He’s just really good at it. He doesn’t seem to find it difficult, he just gets on with it.”
So astounding was his feat, that his ascent of the Old Man of Stoer attracted a small audience.
Word had spread in the community where they were staying overnight and Lynn said: “Quite a few people turned up to watch him!”
Aden’s next ambition
Having conquered Am Buachaille and the Old Man of Stoer, Aden has set his sights even higher. Twice as high.
His next target is the Old Man of Hoy, in Orkney – the UK’s highest sea stack.
He said: “The Old Man of Stoer is 60m tall and the Old man of Hoy is more than twice as tall – 137 metres.”
With the weather governing when this can be attempted, the climb is likely to happen next May or June.
A different type of climbing for the Thurlows
Not all climbs by the Thurlows are quite so daring.
The whole family also like hill climbing, which Lynn is happy to join.
“We love the Munros!” said Alan.
“We started climbing the Munros maybe a couple of years ago,” said Lynn.
“We trained on the Munros to do Ben Nevis and then all three of us climbed Ben Nevis last summer.
“That was amazing. It’s different to Aden’s usual type of climbing.”
Jim is to help Aden with winter training as he prepares for the Old Man of Hoy.
He praised Aden’s determination, maturity, skill, mental tenacity and strength in climbing what he said were serious routes like sandstone Jenga blocks.
“To try and lead a sea stack at such a young age is truly amazing!”, he said.
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