ASCENDENTES RESPICERE IUVAT MOUNTAINEERS LIKE TO LOOK BACK
Mike Leask
Mike was accomplished in so many areas. He was a great climber and mountaineer, a Fellow in Physics at St Catherine's College, a skilled pianist and a top ranking golfer in his early days in S Africa. As Tess says, he was just one of those super-gifted people who could do anything he put his mind to to the highest level! Here is a link to the Club's tribute to him.
​Mike's son Stuart has kindly provided some examples of his piano playing. Just click and enjoy! Stuart says "Please note, Mike recorded these in order to listen back and improve his practice, they were not originally intended for distribution! Hence the piano, a Kawai grand, is not always in tune, although this perhaps adds atmosphere to the Scott Joplin!"​​​
Debussy:
Reflets dans l'eau
Homage to Rameau
Rachmaninov:
Prelude in g# minor
Yet another interest was the flying of powered gliders, which he built himself. The Leasks, plus other club members, often visited Lundy, which was ideal for flying.
John Middleton remembers Mike:
Summer 1983. I had been on the hill for 13 days doing the Welsh 2000ft peaks.
I was at Pen y Pass and I spoke to Mike and he asked what I was doing tomorrow. I told him and he said he would probably support me on Glyder Fawr around lunch time.
The day was hot. When I got on the Glyders I realised I did not have enough water with me. My mouth was like sandpaper I was so dehydrated. Just before I got on Glyder Fawr I saw somebody on the summit- it was Mike -it lifted my spirits. When I got to him there were the usual comments. Then something happened which is etched in my memory. Mike put his hand in his rucksack, pulled out a tin opener and began to open a large tin of mandarin oranges. I cannot describe the pleasure that moment brought. It happened 42 years ago and my memory of it is crystal clear.
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Welsh 14 peaks in Winter. Mike me and Andy.
We stopped at Bill McCann's house after doing Snowdon. The climb up Pen yr Ole Wen in the dark with snow underfoot was interesting. We had difficulty finding the refuge hut on Foel -Goch.
Eating and drinking with my close companions and eventually falling to sleep in that enclosed simple place, with the wind howling outside, was a spiritual moment.