UKC

As can be seen here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/095487790X/qid=1128290636/sr=1-3/r...

Is this any good?

Does it contain guides and if so where for?

Cheers,

Ands

In reply to Ands:

No idea

I believe so

and if so where for?

I'll take a wild guess here...Scotland.

In reply to Richard Bradley:
Scotland's a big country you knob.

In reply to Richard Bradley:


Sadly Scotland is not one BIG boulder. It is also roughly 250 miles by 150 miles an therefore information as to exactly where in Scotland the guides are for would be greatly beneficial.

Ands

In reply to Ands: http://www.s...

check venues.

Cheers

Iain

In reply to Iain Ridgway:

Ahh Mr Ridgway, you are a font of knowledge and for someone from NZ knows far more about Scottish climbing than is healthy. I can only assume your a Scots ex-pat?

Ands

In reply to Anonymous: I'm hurt you hard man you...

Having checked the venues...it covers....Scotland!

In reply to Ands: Aye, 4 years in Glasgow, but English by Birth.

Havn't bought the guide yet, but probably will when I am back at christmas for a few weeks.

and it's Dr Ridgway

In reply to Ands:

It's a good book. Great photos, bits of arty farty writing some of which is quite good.
It's less a guidebook than your SMC type guidebooks and more a kind of coffee table reference.
One thing to bear in mind is it is aimed more at your higher end boulderer and although there are routes under V2 (5cish) in it, most are harder.

In reply to Iain Ridgway:

Nice one Doc, cheers for the advice.

It covers Cummingston which I have bouldered at regularly before but without a guide. I need something to keep me busy over the winter and have found a few areas I might develop so want to start to get a feel for the grades other people have given.

Ands

In reply to I am the God of Strathyre:

Cheers. I didget the feeling that it might be slightly less matter of fact than an SMC guide from the review on Amazon so I thought I had better ask. I have some of the guides off of SC.com for other areas and will be cutting my teeth on Brin and Cummingston so the Stone Country guide will be useful for seeing the progress I am making there.

Ands

In reply to Ands:

Dear Ands

You will like it, it has nice photos in it.

Norrie

In reply to Norrie Muir:

Cheers. As long as there's not too many big words I should be ok.

Ands

In reply to Ands:

“This is perhaps the best bouldering guide I've ever seen. It is entirely literate (somewhat at odds with a great deal of what is published in this country), there is a lack of grading emphasis (how refreshing!), there is much interesting philosophy woven into the fabric of the text (unusual and highly appreciated), and the B&W photos are among the best I've ever seen - sharp and clear, showing form over mere image. A marvelous book.”

John Gill

http://www.stonecountry.co.uk/

In reply to Mick Ryan:

Aye that is teh one that is on Amazon.

Cheers though,

Ands

In reply to Ands: As much as anything I'd use the guide to give you a rough idea where to visit. Half the fun of bouldering is playing about making your own routes up.

But I've certainly spent more time than I would have liked walking through tick ridden ferns to find a moss covered unclimable boulder. Using the guide at least gives you an idea of where to go, and what you are going to find there.

In reply to Iain Ridgway:

Totally man.

I have spent the past 4-5 years scrambling through waist deep undergrowth to get to crags not in any guide books and probably not really worth climbing on by all accounts. I have however found quite a few decent areas where bouldering might be the better option. If nothing else grading some of the problems will give me something to do over the winter as I say. I am also looking for a project to dev a website for so this will kill two birds. Decent content is usually the biggest problem for a non-forum based website.

Ands

In reply to Iain Ridgway:


Congratulations!!!

In reply to the OP: Stone Country is not a conventional guide book. It does have a few topos, and lots of really good photos, but rather than 'just' being a guidebook, it's more of a celebration and inspiration - celebrating the diversity of the bouldering that's available in Scotland, and an inspiration to go out and find new venues. If all you're after is something with lists to tick, Stone Country is not for you. If you want something rather more involving, it's a must.

In reply to tony:

I will probably buy Stonecountry at some point. Is there any other SMC style published bouldering guides for Scotland? I cannot find any. I am really just looking to work out how the graiding system works but quite fancy the book in and of itself.

Ands

In reply to Ands:

The book is excellent. Part 'broad brush' guidebook, part celebration, part reflection.

In reply to Ands: Hi, I've found that just by visiting a few different bouldering areas, I am starting to get a feel for bouldering grades. Also, like routes, grading can be very subjective, aye. Stone Country is a fantastic book, extremely inspirational! It has guides to most bouldering areas but only selective probs or boulders in the areas. The photography and writing is beautiful, a definite buy.

In reply to lasonj:

Nice one I can just borrow your copy then yes Sonja?

Ands

In reply to Ands: Ha, fraid not, I borrowed a copy off someone else for a read and looky,lol!

In reply to Ands:


There are bouldering sections in existing SMC climbing guides (Northeast Outcrops and Lowland Outcrops), but nothing dedicated purely to bouldering (at the moment, anyway).


http://www.rockfax.com/publications/bgrades.html

In reply to Stuart S:


Sorry that wasn't worded quite as well as it could have been. I am really just looking to work out how the grading system is used in relation to the difficulty of the climbs.

I need the guide to know how hard the problems are so that when I start recording the problems in some of the areas I plan to I will know I am going to be grading them as 'correctly' as I possibly can.

Cheers,

Ands

In reply to Ands:

It's a bit of a black art, and if you get it wrong, someone will complain!

Best advice is to spread yourself about as much as you can in order to get a feel for grades in different areas (e.g. Northumberland, Yorkshire, the Peak, Font, the States etc) as well as closer to home.

Most important thing if you're developing somewhere new is that you get the grades of the problems right relative to one another. If you need to adjust everything up or down later, it's less of a big deal. It's also worth getting someone else to test-drive your problems and grades before going public.

In reply to Ands: Surprised you didn't ask this on Scottish Climbs as the author is a regular "poster" on that site.

In reply to Stuart S:

Nice one cheers. Great advice. I will put it to good use.

Cheers,

Ands

In reply to Ands:

Its very good, bought it when it first came out. Buy me a pint in Hootenannies and I'll let you have a wee look.

Now how wrong does that sound!

In reply to Am Fear Liath Mor:


I was in Hootenannies (Mad Hatters) till 2-3am on Friday. I would probably have bought you as many pints as you had asked for if you had asked then. I am generous when drunk and very generous when very drunk.

Ands

In reply to Ands: cheers, it sounds great.
am off 2 buy it now.

connor