Stories of friendship, love, risk and devastating loss run deep through the memories of Chris Bonington's lifetime of epic expeditions and first ascents on some of the world's highest mountains. His drive for exploration is echoed in the first British ascent of the Eiger North Face, new routes on Mont Blanc, the ascent of 'The Old Man of Hoy' and then to the greater ranges where he was the first to stand on the virgin summits of Annapurna 2, Nuptse and Patagonia's Central Tower of Paine, followed by landmark expedition success on the South Face of Annapurna and the South West Face of Everest.
This film looks retrospectively, from his rock climbing days in the UK through to visionary ascents on the high peaks of the Himalaya and shares the remarkable and poignant life of one of the world's best-known mountaineers.