UKC

So I'm hoping to make a trip to the Wye Valley for a clamber about at some point. I have the Climbers Club guide book but not really a fan of their books so was wandering if there are any alternatives about? I've had a look around but can't see any, am I not looking hard enough or is it that there is no alternative?

In reply to geckoboy:

Just the CC guidebook as far as I'm aware. Seems pretty good to me though.

What don't you like about them? They have improved significantly in recent years.

In reply to geckoboy:

South West Climbs

In reply to geckoboy:

The new CC guides are a lot better than they used to be. The lower wye valley one isn't half bad.

Thanks for responses, I'll check out South West Climbs.

I agree Climbers Club books are much better than they used to be. But they're certainly not the clearest or easiest to use guide books available. If you look at the Shorn Cliff area for example there are no topos at all only an aerial view outline drawing of the crag. A number of pages are taken up with nice pictures of people climbing, can't help feeling these pages could have been better used with pictures of the crag itself perhaps?

In reply to geckoboy:

In defence of the CC if you ever visit shorn cliff you'll see why there are no crag topos. There are quite a large number of trees in front of the crag and the base slopes downward away = pretty hard/ impossible for good crag topos.

Ollie

In reply to Cheese Monkey:


Also by the CC of course! Does have a few photo topos of Shorn cliff (but even these are somewhat compromised by the nature of the crag, as mentioned by Ollie B). SW Climbs is a selective guide and if you depend on it alone it limits your options, used in conjunction with the Lower Wye Valley guide it may help you locate things on a first visit to Shorn Cliff in particular.
The 2012 Wye Valley Supplement by the CC includes some new and newly bolted lines, worth having too - just a fiver, or comes bundled with the main guide from the CC if you buy from their online store http://www.climbers-club.co.uk/shop/books/south-west/lower-wye-valley/
Lower Wye guide is OK, but have a look at the new Pembroke guides before casting judgement on the CC's ability to produce a great guidebook.

In reply to geckoboy:

There's a few topos on wipkitopo that might be worth printing:

http://www.wikitopo.com/crag.php?cragId=337

In reply to geckoboy:

No. thats it. CC only (SWC1 is select but has topos)

I dont want to appear rude but surely you can get your head around using a book without topos?

I think my question has been answered.
Thanks for all the useful responses, will take a look at wikitopo and I will look into getting South West Climbs to supplement the main CC guide I already have.

In reply to geckoboy:

I take it you have the CC Lower Wye guide? Just for your info, the Symonds Yat guide is much newer (full colour picture/topo style) and includes all of the crags just north of the area covered in the Lower guide, many of which are brilliant and well worth a visit. You may get on with this guidebook slightly better if you're used to more modern stuff.

In reply to paul wood:

I agree the recent books are a great improvement on the past. I do, however, have an issue with the very questionable quality of models used on the front covers of the recent LWV & Symonds Yat guides. Surely, some judicious use of photoshop wouldn't go amiss in such cases...

In reply to The Pylon King:

Absolutely right.