mark wrote:
other methods are there?


Dulfersitz: Straddle the ropes, bring the rope up and over one's shoulder
from behind, then across the front of the torso and down past the opposite
hip. Painful, not recommended, only works on low angle terrain, only done in
the direst of emergencies.

What do you mean? When I were a lad that was _the_ way you abseiled!
Been down all sorts of terrain in the Lakes, Scotland, Wales and Alps
that way. Bowline and two half hitches round the waist to tie on too.
None of these fancy harnesses and stuff

--
Tony

"I did make a mistake once - I thought I'd made a mistake but I hadn't"
Anon