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What are your favourite books from your climbing, hillwalking or mountaineering collections? Which have provided your greatest inspiration or which are your ultimate reference guides when planning a trip?
In reply to DaveX:
Blackshaws mountaineering inspired me loved every page, it's little use now a book in its time.
Blackshaws mountaineering inspired me loved every page, it's little use now a book in its time.
Post edited at 18:24
In reply to DaveX:
Wainwright's 'A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells', Book Four - The Southern Fells.
Wainwright's 'A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells', Book Four - The Southern Fells.
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In reply to DaveX:
Scotland: The Munros by Cameron McNeish
Wales: Scrambles and easy climbs by J Sparks T Hutton and J Rawdon
The Alps: The 4000m peaks of the Alps by Martin Moran
The Himalaya: To the summit by Joseph Pointdexter (OK not all the mountains are in the Himalaya but it's a great coffee table book)
Scotland: The Munros by Cameron McNeish
Wales: Scrambles and easy climbs by J Sparks T Hutton and J Rawdon
The Alps: The 4000m peaks of the Alps by Martin Moran
The Himalaya: To the summit by Joseph Pointdexter (OK not all the mountains are in the Himalaya but it's a great coffee table book)
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In reply to DaveX:
In no particular order:
Mountaineering in Scotland/Undiscovered Scotland. W.H. Murray.
Bell's Scottish Climbs. J.H.B. Bell.
Highland Days. Tom Weir.
One Man's Mountains.Tom Patey.
Memorable Munros. Richard Gilbert.
Scotland's Winter Mountains. Martin Moran.
Second Man On The Rope. Ian Mitchell.
Mountain Days and Bothy Nights. Dave Brown and Ian Mitchell.
In no particular order:
Mountaineering in Scotland/Undiscovered Scotland. W.H. Murray.
Bell's Scottish Climbs. J.H.B. Bell.
Highland Days. Tom Weir.
One Man's Mountains.Tom Patey.
Memorable Munros. Richard Gilbert.
Scotland's Winter Mountains. Martin Moran.
Second Man On The Rope. Ian Mitchell.
Mountain Days and Bothy Nights. Dave Brown and Ian Mitchell.
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In reply to DaveX:
Inspiration -
Bill murray - mountaineering in scotland
Gwent Moffat - space below my feet
Tom patey -- one man's mountains
Cold climbs
Guides -
Dan bailey - Scottish mountain ridges and great mountain days in scotland
Smc and cicerone munro and Corbett guides
Inspiration -
Bill murray - mountaineering in scotland
Gwent Moffat - space below my feet
Tom patey -- one man's mountains
Cold climbs
Guides -
Dan bailey - Scottish mountain ridges and great mountain days in scotland
Smc and cicerone munro and Corbett guides
> What are your favourite books from your climbing, hillwalking or mountaineering collections? Which have provided your greatest inspiration or which are your ultimate reference guides when planning a trip?
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In reply to DaveX:
Just plain awesome:
No Picnic on Mt. Kenya
Inspiring
Shipton and Tilman's books - those guys were pretty tough...
Just plain awesome:
No Picnic on Mt. Kenya
Inspiring
Shipton and Tilman's books - those guys were pretty tough...
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In reply to DaveX:
The Mont Blanc Massif: The Hundred Finest Routes - Gaston Rébuffat
The White Spider - Heinrich Harrer
The Mont Blanc Massif: The Hundred Finest Routes - Gaston Rébuffat
The White Spider - Heinrich Harrer
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In reply to DaveX:
of the more recent books that have come out I highly recommend 'In Some Lost Place' by Sandy Allan, for real commitment, so many hard days above 7000m on Nanga Parbat;
for classics, I second pretty much anything by Shipton and Tilman, those guys were 'hard' and the miles they got through in such tough conditions with only very basic kit, were incredible;
for a bit of a 'who done it' have a look at 'Dead Mountain: The Untold true story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident' by D Eichar, in 1959 nine hikers died in the Ural Mountains in mysterious circumstances;
for Munro planning I always used 'The High Mountains of Britain & Ireland' by I Butterfield, a far better book than the SMC Guide or any others;
for fiction, it has to be 'The Ascent of Rum Doodle' by W Bowman, I've just found a first edition with d/w for an incredibly cheap price, so feeling very pleased with myself!
of the more recent books that have come out I highly recommend 'In Some Lost Place' by Sandy Allan, for real commitment, so many hard days above 7000m on Nanga Parbat;
for classics, I second pretty much anything by Shipton and Tilman, those guys were 'hard' and the miles they got through in such tough conditions with only very basic kit, were incredible;
for a bit of a 'who done it' have a look at 'Dead Mountain: The Untold true story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident' by D Eichar, in 1959 nine hikers died in the Ural Mountains in mysterious circumstances;
for Munro planning I always used 'The High Mountains of Britain & Ireland' by I Butterfield, a far better book than the SMC Guide or any others;
for fiction, it has to be 'The Ascent of Rum Doodle' by W Bowman, I've just found a first edition with d/w for an incredibly cheap price, so feeling very pleased with myself!
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In reply to DaveX:
The Last Blue Mountain by Ralph Barker. An Expedition to Haramosh in 1957 that makes Touching the Void look like a Sunday school picnic with mince pies.
For UK Irvine Butterfield`s The High Mountains of Britain and Ireland
The Last Blue Mountain by Ralph Barker. An Expedition to Haramosh in 1957 that makes Touching the Void look like a Sunday school picnic with mince pies.
For UK Irvine Butterfield`s The High Mountains of Britain and Ireland
Post edited at 09:07
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In reply to BobtheBagger:
Second this one - it's very good, and a real tale of endurance.
Second this one too. It's an excellent book, and provides far more inspiration to explore and seek out alternatives to the standard routes.
The SMC North west Highlands guide is a lovely book too - lots of detail about out-of-the way places to explore.
> of the more recent books that have come out I highly recommend 'In Some Lost Place' by Sandy Allan, for real commitment, so many hard days above 7000m on Nanga Parbat;
Second this one - it's very good, and a real tale of endurance.
> for Munro planning I always used 'The High Mountains of Britain & Ireland' by I Butterfield, a far better book than the SMC Guide or any others;
Second this one too. It's an excellent book, and provides far more inspiration to explore and seek out alternatives to the standard routes.
The SMC North west Highlands guide is a lovely book too - lots of detail about out-of-the way places to explore.
In reply to Graham:
I have to second this - absolutely inspirational to me.
And to add;
Seven Years in Tibet
> Just plain awesome:
> No Picnic on Mt. Kenya
I have to second this - absolutely inspirational to me.
And to add;
Seven Years in Tibet
Post edited at 09:14
In reply to kwoods:
Couldn't agree more, but you've missed out 'The Cuillin' by G Stainforth.
Made me cry with the beauty of it - reading a battered copy of it for the first time in Glenbrittle hostel, having dreamed about a pilgrimage to those mountains for 30 years, but newly repulsed by the in pinn the day before. Sorley MacLean's poem the perfect mystery...
> Hamish's Mountain Walk
> Hell of a Journey
Couldn't agree more, but you've missed out 'The Cuillin' by G Stainforth.
Made me cry with the beauty of it - reading a battered copy of it for the first time in Glenbrittle hostel, having dreamed about a pilgrimage to those mountains for 30 years, but newly repulsed by the in pinn the day before. Sorley MacLean's poem the perfect mystery...
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In reply to DaveX:
John Gill, Master of Rock by Pat Ament - unbelievable talent, skill, strength and ability.
JW
John Gill, Master of Rock by Pat Ament - unbelievable talent, skill, strength and ability.
JW
In reply to DaveX:
I'll second (or third) Mountaineering in Scotland / Undiscovered Scotland by WH Murray - the best book my mother ever bought for me (in retrospect).
Games Climbers Play was pretty inspirational too, as well as thought provoking.
Dave
I'll second (or third) Mountaineering in Scotland / Undiscovered Scotland by WH Murray - the best book my mother ever bought for me (in retrospect).
Games Climbers Play was pretty inspirational too, as well as thought provoking.
Dave
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In reply to DaveX:
'Rock Climbers in Action in Snowdonia', by John Cleare and Tony Smythe. Long before I'd ever set hand to rock I had this on almost permanent loan from my local library. A few years ago I managed to track down a second-hand copy. Apparently it's recently been republished.
Joe Brown's 'The Hard Years'
WH Murray
The 'Hard Rock/Classic Rock' series
'Games Climbers Play'
not forgetting a slim volume which had its origins on here, and in which I have a few entries myself: 'The Owl and the Cragrat'.
'Rock Climbers in Action in Snowdonia', by John Cleare and Tony Smythe. Long before I'd ever set hand to rock I had this on almost permanent loan from my local library. A few years ago I managed to track down a second-hand copy. Apparently it's recently been republished.
Joe Brown's 'The Hard Years'
WH Murray
The 'Hard Rock/Classic Rock' series
'Games Climbers Play'
not forgetting a slim volume which had its origins on here, and in which I have a few entries myself: 'The Owl and the Cragrat'.
In reply to DaveX:
in no particular order:
The Black Cliff
Hard Rock
The White Spider
The Climb Up To Hell
Mountaineering in Scotland
Nanga Parbat Pilgrimage
Conquistadors of The Useless
Between Heaven and Earth
Starlight and Storm
1967 Langdale Guide book
The Hard Years
and many more
in no particular order:
The Black Cliff
Hard Rock
The White Spider
The Climb Up To Hell
Mountaineering in Scotland
Nanga Parbat Pilgrimage
Conquistadors of The Useless
Between Heaven and Earth
Starlight and Storm
1967 Langdale Guide book
The Hard Years
and many more
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In reply to tony:
>> for Munro planning I always used 'The High Mountains of Britain & Ireland' by I Butterfield, a far better book than the SMC Guide or any others;
It's also the only one to treat the 'subsidiary tops' seriously.
Also have to endorse all the recommendations for Mountaineering in Scotland/Undiscovered Scotland, Highland Days, No Picnic on Mount Kenya etc.
>> for Munro planning I always used 'The High Mountains of Britain & Ireland' by I Butterfield, a far better book than the SMC Guide or any others;
> Second this one too. It's an excellent book, and provides far more inspiration to explore and seek out alternatives to the standard routes.
It's also the only one to treat the 'subsidiary tops' seriously.
Also have to endorse all the recommendations for Mountaineering in Scotland/Undiscovered Scotland, Highland Days, No Picnic on Mount Kenya etc.
In reply to DaveX:
Blackshaw,
Tackle Climbing this Way (Disley),
Ron James,
Hard Rock,
Rope Boy,
The Black Cliff,
Annapurna South Face.
Blackshaw,
Tackle Climbing this Way (Disley),
Ron James,
Hard Rock,
Rope Boy,
The Black Cliff,
Annapurna South Face.
Post edited at 18:09
In reply to DaveX:
Psychovertical & Cold Wars by Andy Kirkpatrick have got to be at the top of my list... some others in no particular order;
The White Spider, Heinrich Harrer
Touching The Void, Joe Simpson
The Philosophy Of Risk, Dougal Haston
Alone On The Wall, Alex Honnold
Into Thin Air, John Krakauer
Learning to breathe, Andy Cave
Oxfam in Keswick has a number of the above, saw them today
Psychovertical & Cold Wars by Andy Kirkpatrick have got to be at the top of my list... some others in no particular order;
The White Spider, Heinrich Harrer
Touching The Void, Joe Simpson
The Philosophy Of Risk, Dougal Haston
Alone On The Wall, Alex Honnold
Into Thin Air, John Krakauer
Learning to breathe, Andy Cave
Oxfam in Keswick has a number of the above, saw them today
In reply to DaveX:
In no special order:
Mountains of my Life. Walter Bonatti
The Mountains of Switzerland. Herbert Maeder
Star & Storm. Gaston Rebuffet
Into the Silence. Wade Davis
The Worst journey in the World. Apsley Cherry-Garrard
The High Mountains of Britain & Ireland. I Butterfield
the Shipton -Tilman omnibus
In no special order:
Mountains of my Life. Walter Bonatti
The Mountains of Switzerland. Herbert Maeder
Star & Storm. Gaston Rebuffet
Into the Silence. Wade Davis
The Worst journey in the World. Apsley Cherry-Garrard
The High Mountains of Britain & Ireland. I Butterfield
the Shipton -Tilman omnibus
In reply to Graham:
Yeah. I like the one where Shipton telegrams Tilman in Africa to meet him in India. On receipt Tilman cycled across Africa, caught a boat, then went discovering.
> Just plain awesome:
> No Picnic on Mt. Kenya
> Inspiring
> Shipton and Tilman's books - those guys were pretty tough...
Yeah. I like the one where Shipton telegrams Tilman in Africa to meet him in India. On receipt Tilman cycled across Africa, caught a boat, then went discovering.
In reply to Babika:
To the above I'd add Savage Arena, Joe Tasker (best acquired as part of the Boardman/Tasker Omnibus).
Frank Smythe is worth a read- The Valley of Flowers or Kamet Conquered- both good reads with shades of Shipton/Tilman.
Finally, A short walk in the Hindu Kush (Eric Newby) is a must read.
To the above I'd add Savage Arena, Joe Tasker (best acquired as part of the Boardman/Tasker Omnibus).
Frank Smythe is worth a read- The Valley of Flowers or Kamet Conquered- both good reads with shades of Shipton/Tilman.
Finally, A short walk in the Hindu Kush (Eric Newby) is a must read.
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In reply to DaveX:
The full set of Wainwright guides to the Lakeland fells plus all the coffee table books he did with derry Brabbs.
The Epic of Mount Everest by Sir Francis Younghusband (first mountaineering book I ever read)
The full set of Wainwright guides to the Lakeland fells plus all the coffee table books he did with derry Brabbs.
The Epic of Mount Everest by Sir Francis Younghusband (first mountaineering book I ever read)
Post edited at 09:39
In reply to DaveX:
The Great Days - Bonatti
All Shipton and Tilmans books (especially Nanda Devi & Blank on the map)
Mountaineering in Scotland - Murray
Travels in Switzerland - Alexander Dumas - brilliant
Touching the Void - Simpson
and 100's of others............................
The Great Days - Bonatti
All Shipton and Tilmans books (especially Nanda Devi & Blank on the map)
Mountaineering in Scotland - Murray
Travels in Switzerland - Alexander Dumas - brilliant
Touching the Void - Simpson
and 100's of others............................
In reply to DaveX:
All of Postmanpat's (I think we must be twins, separated at birth).
Also some esoteric stuff I had to track down: High Peak is a 'must read' for anyone with a love of the Peak district and an interest in the evolution of climbing.
The Book of Modern Mountaineering was THE late 60s coffee book, well before Ken Wilson cornered the market for a while - great photos (some even in colour, wow!), thoughtful articles by recognised authorities, and above all, a sense that mountaineering wasn't just another sport.
Then of course there's Rock Climbers in Action in Snowdonia which provided me and no doubt a few others with our tick list in the early 70s.
I also return to Rebuffat's books, the Alps never appear the same to me as they seemed to to him (more big, cold and scary as opposed to his 'magic garden' or some such) but I still can't pick one up without wondering who I can persuade to go again...
All of Postmanpat's (I think we must be twins, separated at birth).
Also some esoteric stuff I had to track down: High Peak is a 'must read' for anyone with a love of the Peak district and an interest in the evolution of climbing.
The Book of Modern Mountaineering was THE late 60s coffee book, well before Ken Wilson cornered the market for a while - great photos (some even in colour, wow!), thoughtful articles by recognised authorities, and above all, a sense that mountaineering wasn't just another sport.
Then of course there's Rock Climbers in Action in Snowdonia which provided me and no doubt a few others with our tick list in the early 70s.
I also return to Rebuffat's books, the Alps never appear the same to me as they seemed to to him (more big, cold and scary as opposed to his 'magic garden' or some such) but I still can't pick one up without wondering who I can persuade to go again...
In reply to DaveX:
this thread reminded me to add On High Hills by Winthrop Young to my library after reading some of it on loan - well worth a tenner..
anyone else read this or Mountain Craft?
this thread reminded me to add On High Hills by Winthrop Young to my library after reading some of it on loan - well worth a tenner..
anyone else read this or Mountain Craft?
In reply to Siward:
The pleasure I've had with this book...
Also, The Games Climbers Play - a compilation of stories and essays - was inspirational and horrifying in turns.
I don't think we can talk about 'The Mountaineer's Library' without at least a passing mention to High, On The Edge and Mountain - all publications that, whilst not actually books, have given (and give) me years of pleasure.
Finally, I'd add the book / graphic novel / comic November - captured a moment in time perfectly and beautifully. Such a well-written, haunting and imaginative offering.
> To the above I'd add Savage Arena, Joe Tasker (best acquired as part of the Boardman/Tasker Omnibus).
The pleasure I've had with this book...
Also, The Games Climbers Play - a compilation of stories and essays - was inspirational and horrifying in turns.
I don't think we can talk about 'The Mountaineer's Library' without at least a passing mention to High, On The Edge and Mountain - all publications that, whilst not actually books, have given (and give) me years of pleasure.
Finally, I'd add the book / graphic novel / comic November - captured a moment in time perfectly and beautifully. Such a well-written, haunting and imaginative offering.
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In reply to DaveX:
"alone at the summit" the account of a climb on Everest via the kangshung face, by Stephen venables.
changed my life in a way, wasn't into hills or mountains at all and found this book while browsing through a bookstore and inspired by it a few weeks later climbed ben lui with a mate on a perfect winters day through crisp snow and under perfect blue skies.
i was forever hooked and within a year went to my first trip to Nepal.
"alone at the summit" the account of a climb on Everest via the kangshung face, by Stephen venables.
changed my life in a way, wasn't into hills or mountains at all and found this book while browsing through a bookstore and inspired by it a few weeks later climbed ben lui with a mate on a perfect winters day through crisp snow and under perfect blue skies.
i was forever hooked and within a year went to my first trip to Nepal.
In reply to DaveX:
Holding The Heights and the North Devon and Cornwall (1988) gave me much inspiration in my earlier days.
Nowadays it'd be The Totem Pole, and possibly Psychovertical, though I've yet to finish it and let it sink in.
Holding The Heights and the North Devon and Cornwall (1988) gave me much inspiration in my earlier days.
Nowadays it'd be The Totem Pole, and possibly Psychovertical, though I've yet to finish it and let it sink in.
In reply to DaveX:
Cheers for all the replies! Great to get some inspiration for future reads and see some books recommended again and again.
Cheers for all the replies! Great to get some inspiration for future reads and see some books recommended again and again.
In reply to Morty:
Any idea of where November can be found? I'm intrigued but a quick look seems to suggest that it is out of print.
Any idea of where November can be found? I'm intrigued but a quick look seems to suggest that it is out of print.
Post edited at 13:17
In reply to spenser:
I don't know - I bought the copy I have years ago. It was published by Vertebrate Graphics.
I don't know - I bought the copy I have years ago. It was published by Vertebrate Graphics.
In reply to DaveX:
English Mountain Summits (1974) by Nick Wright. I studied this book religiously when I was in my teens. A detailed account of tops over 2000ft with some nice photos.
The High Peaks of England & Wales (1999) by Paul Hannon. Again, I became fascinated with Mickle Fell and its access problems and this book and Wright above have a good account.
Also Wainwright's limestone & Howgill books.
English Mountain Summits (1974) by Nick Wright. I studied this book religiously when I was in my teens. A detailed account of tops over 2000ft with some nice photos.
The High Peaks of England & Wales (1999) by Paul Hannon. Again, I became fascinated with Mickle Fell and its access problems and this book and Wright above have a good account.
Also Wainwright's limestone & Howgill books.
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