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| CLIMBING & WALKING
GUIDEBOOKS |
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The FRCC published its first climbing guide in 1922, and its Guide Book Committee has been producing definitive guides to Lakeland rock climbing ever since. The guides shown below are the latest in this ever evolving series. Click here for the map of Guidebooks Areas. For further informaton on bouldering see our Bouldering Page.
In recent years, 10% of the profit from FRCC guidebook sales has been donated to various national bodies, such as the BMC Access & Conservation Trust and the National Trust, for use in conservation and access work in the Lake District. Most of the remaining profit is chanelled back into future guidebook production, with the high-selling areas supporting the lesser selling ones. The guidebook production team are all volunteers and are not paid for the many, many hours of work involved.
All these guidebooks are widely available from specialist climbing shops in the UK, many of whom have websites. The can also be purchased direct from the official distributor: Cordee.
Those who are interested in the history of Lakeland climbing might like to click for a section on the History of Climbing in the Lake District, and for a complete list of all known Lake District Climbing Guides. |
| SELECTED ROCK CLIMBING GUIDE |
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Lake District Rock
Selected Rock Climbs in the English Lake District
(2003)
by Members of the FRCC
Guidebooks Committee
Diagrams by Al Phizacklea
Photo Editor: Nick Wharton
Edited by Stephen Reid
ISBN: 0-85028-045-1 |
A selected guide to the entire Lake District - aimed at the occaisonal visitor.
More than 500 classic rock climbs on 64 superb crags are described. The choice of routes covers the full grade spectrum from Difficult to E8, with the majority of climbing in the popular VS to E2 range. Classic high mountain venues such as Scafell, Dow, Gimmer and Pillar Rock, low-lying outcrops including Shepherd's Crag, Castle Rock, Raven Crag and Wallowbarrow, and good wet weather alternatives like St Bees, Armathwaite, and Chapel Head (none of them previously covered in an FRCC Guide), together with information on Bouldering, Crags for Groups, Climbing Walls and Accommodation, are all ruggedly bound together in a handy pocket-sized format.
Lakeland Book of the Year Awards 2004 - Titus Wilson Prize Winner! |
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| DEFINITIVE ROCK CLIMBING GUIDES |
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Buttermere & St Bees
(2008)
by Colin Read
& Paul Jennings
Photodiagrams by Phil Rigby
Maps by Al Phizacklea
Edited by
Stephen Reid
ISBN:978-0-85028-048-7 |
The second in the new series of FRCC guidebooks to rock climbing in the Lake District featuring colour photodiagrams for virtually every crag featured.
This guide covers Buttermere, including its main venues of High Crag, Eagle Crag and Grey Crag, the newly developed Raven Crag on the Ennerdale face of High Stile, the less known venue of the Newlands Valley, and the sunny sandstone cliffs of St Bees with their modern bolted routes and trad adventure horrors.
A selection of boulder problems, both in Buttermere and at St Bees, is also included.
Also features some great action photography and many historical pictures from the FRCC archives.
Plastic cover, marker ribbon, 356 pages.
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Gable & Pillar
(2007)
by Phil Rigby
& Stephen Reid
Photodiagrams by Phil Rigby
Maps by Al Phizacklea
Edited by
Stephen Reid
ISBN:978-0-85028-047-0 |
A guide to the traditional home of Lake District climbing, in close proximity to the Wastwater Hotel. It describes many fine high mountain crags in superb locations.
Major crags include Kern Knotts, The Napes including Napes Needle, Tophet Wall, Gable Crag, Boat How and Pillar Rock, plus other esoteric Ennerdale Crags.
A wide range of routes and grades to suit all. Fantastic colour photo-topos and action shots throughout together with many fascinting historical photos from the FRCC archives
Plastic cover, marker ribbon, 402 pages. |
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Borrowdale
(2000)
by Gary Baum
& Al Hewison
Diagrams by Al Phizacklea, Tim Wood & Al Hewison
Photo Editor: Nick Wharton
Edited by
Stephen Reid
ISBN: 0-85028-043-5 |
A new guide containing over 300 routes more than the previous edition.
Major crags covered include: Falcon, Reecastle, Gowder, Shepherd's, Black, Quayfoot, The Bowderstone, Eagle, Sergeant Crag Slabs, Raven, Gillercombe & Goat.
Classic routes from Little Chamonix (VD) and Troutdale Pinnacle (S) to Bleed in Hell (E8) and Caution (E9).
Features are as for Langdale with the addition of a new Crag finder Chart. |
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Langdale
(1999)
by Max Biden
Diagrams by Al Phizacklea
Edited by
Stephen Reid
ISBN: 0-850028-041-9 |
The long awaited guide to one of the premier Lakeland valleys. Many new and excellent routes.
New features include - more starring to highlight the many good routes and spread the load on routes; hollow stars; diagrams throughout the guide; bookmarker.
Major crags covered include White Ghyll, Raven, Pavey Ark, Gimmer, Neckband & Bowfell. |
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Scafell, Wasdale & Eskdale
(1996)
by Al Phizacklea
Diagrams by Al Phizacklea
Edited by
Al Phizacklea
ISBN: 0-85028-038-9 |
"Without wanting to get carried away - although on the other hand, what the hell - this book is a minor masterpiece of the genre" - On the Edge (June 1996).
Major Crags include Scafell, Pikes Crag, Heron, Esk and Buckbarrow. |
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Dow, Duddon & Slate
(1994)
by Al Phizacklea
Diagrams by Al Phizacklea
Edited by
Dave Armstrong
ISBN: 0-85028-037-0 |
"Ancient and modern" - the traditional mountain crag of Dow is packaged together with the "new" slate quarries, bolts and all. Also included is the Duddon valley a secluded area containing a myriad of small crags and outcrops often of immaculate rock.
Major crags include Dow, Hodge Close and Wallowbarrow. |
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Buttermere & Eastern Crags
(1992)
by Rick Graham,
Al Davis & Trevor Price
Diagrams by Al Phizacklea
Edited by
Dave Armstrong
ISBN: 0-85028-036-2 |
The northern Lakes without Borrowdale. Buttermere is a valley somewhat hidden from the mainstream buzz of the Lakes with a few gems of mountain crags including High, Eagle, and Grey Crags. Eastern Crags covers the many dales to the east. Thirlmere contains the impressive road side crags of Castle Rock and Raven Crag To the east the Ullswater Valleys have numerous crags including Raven Crag, Threshthwaite, Dove Crag and Eagle Crag, Grisedale. On the far east of the Lakes the secluded Swindale is well worth a visit. |
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DEFINITIVE WINTER CLIMBING GUIDE |
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Lake District Winter Climbs
(2006)
by Brian Davison
Photo Editor: Nick Wharton
Maps: Al Phizacklea
Edited by
Stephen Reid
ISBN: 1-85284-484-1 |
A winter climbing guidebook to the Lake District and Cumbria published jointly by the FRCC and Cicerone Press. The area is dealt with logically in valleys, and many new crags are included. Includes colour photo crag topos of most crags, many taken from a specially chartered helicopter! Also many excellent climbing action shots, a wealth of historical information and archive photographs. Plastic cover, marker ribbon, 462 pages. |
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WALKING GUIDE |
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The Lakeland Fells
(1996)
Compiled and written by members of the FRCC
Edited by June Parker
& Tim Pickles
ISBN: 0-85028-039-7 |
This authoritative guide provides comprehensive information for fell walkers covering 244 summits, 139 circular walks, 175 colour photographs and 107 colour sketch maps. It includes all the "Wainwrights".
Written and produced by members of the Lake District's leading mountaineering club - it is a must for all fell walkers' bookshelves.
Hardback. |
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THE FUTURE |
To keep climbers up to date with the most recent developments in Lake District climbing, the Club for many years published a biannual supplement of new routes containing all new climbs recorded since the guides above were published.
However in recent years sales of these supplements dwindled to such a point that they were no longer economically viable. This was mainly because all these new climbs are available to view on this website at FRCC Recent Developments, and in addition there is a Bulletin Board where new routes and comments can be recorded. The FRCC is very reliant on the comments of all climbers of whatever ability in helping to improve its guides and your opinions are most welcome.
Below are our current plans for new guides and a list of people to contact if you would like to help. |
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The last Recent Developments (2000-2002)
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Current Guide |
Proposed New Guide |
Expected Date |
Comments |
Buttermere &
Eastern Crags |
Eastern Crags & Outcrops |
March 2009 |
Will include the Eden Valley, Northern Limestone Quarries, and South Lake Limestone. Writers Al Davis (Eastern Crags), Ron Kenyon (Eden Valley), Nick Wharton (South Lakes Limestone).
Photos needed please! |
| Langdale |
Langdale |
March
2010 |
Writer: Max Biden. |
Dow, Duddon
& Slate |
Dow, Duddon
& Slate |
not known yet |
Writers: John Holden, Rick Graham, Jim Loxham. |
Scafell, Wasdale
& Eskdale |
Scafell, Wasdale
& Eskdale |
not known yet |
Writer: Al Phizacklea. |
| Borrowdale |
Borrowdale |
not known yet |
Writers: Peter Latimer, Richard Tolley & Matt de Vaal |
| Lake District Rock |
Lake District Rock |
not known yet |
Editor: Stephen Reid |
| Recent Developments |
Bi-annual Recent Developments |
Ceased |
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| FRCC GUIDEBOOK COMMITTEE |
FRCC Climbing Guides are produced by the FRCC Guidebooks Committee
which has thirty or so members and meets about three times a year. All the work done on these guides is unpaid
and future guidebook work is funded by sales of the guides. The assistance
of all climbers who use these guides is welcome. Major points of contact
are: |
| New Routes: |
To record all new routes and comment
on existing ones go to FRCC
New Routes. |
| Guidebooks Editor: |
If you have comments on the guides or wish to help, please contact: Stephen
Reid. |
| Photographs Editor: |
If you have good quality Lakeland climbing
or crag photographs, please contact Phil Rigby . |