UKC

I recently moved to Bristol and I'm struggling to find a good guidebook for this area. I used to climb in Dorset and I'm rather spoiled by the excellent RockFax for that area I'm afraid. I've got the West Country Climbs RockFax and it's high quality again but just has so much missing from it.

I primarily do sport climbing so I need a book that focuses on that (or at least, isn't wholly trad focussed). I figure I need to cover North Somerset and South East Wales. I don't mind picking up a couple of guides if there isn't a single one that'll cover it.

Any recommendations?

In reply to FunkyDexter:
For Cheddar you'll want Martin Crocker's new guidebook, Dick's Climbing and Gorge Outdoors will have it in stock.

For SE Wales my impression is that the best info is probably online rather than in print, try searching 'SWMC wiki'. There used to be a Rockfax Miniguide but I don't know if it is still available or if the info has migrated to their App. The Gower Rock, selected rock climbs guide is very good but strikes me as fairly selective.

The CC Wye Valley Supplement 2012 is useful, and it is probably worth checking the Climbers' Club website for online info.

The guidebooks situation is admittedly not ideal, but, if you're getting to the stage West Country Climbs is starting to prove limiting you are either not trying hard enough or you are climbing a hell of a lot more than most of us.

In reply to FunkyDexter:
The Climbers' Club Wye Valley guide book and the supplement to it have all or most of the sport climbing in the Wye Valley.

The Climbers' Club South West Climbs volume 1 is worth having a look at as it covers more crags than the Rockfax and some of those are sport crags.

There is a Climbers' Club comprehensive for the Avon area which is meant to be coming out in the next year or two.

>>if you're getting to the stage West Country Climbs is starting to prove limiting you are either not trying hard enough or you are climbing a hell of a lot more than most of us.

Ha! It's not so much that it's limiting as that it's full of gaps. It disheartening to see a crag and think "hmm I wonder if I should even try that or will I just lose all my gear" only to find that it's not in the guide. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty that is in the book and I think it's an excellent book. If I have a criticism it's that it tries to cover too big an area. Realistically, to properly cover the whole West Country it'd need to be a tome.

Thanks to both of you for the recommendations so far. I'll check them out.

In reply to FunkyDexter:

There is a new Rockfax due later in the year to South Wales Sport Climbing. Mark is just finishing it off now and it will be our next book after Chamonix. I expect the autumn.

Alan

In reply to Alan James - Rockfax:

Ooh, that's good to hear. I've always liked the way the RockFax books are presented and I'll generally one in preference to other options. Now, if you'd just chivvy it along I'll be truly chuffed